Cheated by Buyer. Unable to send proof to appeals department

[circus_camel]

I sold my Google Pixel 4a phone on E-bay using buy it now option. It was in like new condition. Buyer requested a return quickly after receiving the package by lying about its speakers being defective. I sent the USPS return label. A few days later I received a package by UPS, which was sent by Amazon 3rd party seller. I had not placed the Amazon order. There was no indication that it was sent by the buyer as the address was of some Pharma company. There was no indication that it was Ebay return. The package contained some cheap $3 markers. 

After a few days the buyer opened and escalated a case with Ebay giving the same tracking number that was on Amazon shipment box. The Ebay system closed the case in a few min stating buyer provided return tracking and the item was delivered. I was never contacted by Ebay to check. I also chatted with Amazon who confirmed their 3rd party shipped the package to me and it was their tracking number. They told me to donate or keep the markers. The packing slip in the package matches the UPS shipping email, which has the same tracking number that Buyer provided to Ebay.

I tried for almost full day trying to appeal with Ebay, and send documents . First it was almost impossible to reach someone and finally when I did, the person submitted a poorly written appeals case. By ignoring all that I said, he said that I received the package in Amazon box. When I told him that this was not the full story, he said I can provide more info to appeals. Appeals emailed me after about ten hours stating they were closing the case as buyer provided return tracking that shows I got the item back. There was no way to send any documents as proof that buyer used Amazon tracking number.  Appeals did not even ask me for documents with which I can clearly prove that the buyer had cheated.

The link on Seller Dashboard for "Closed without seller resolution" is also not showing the case. How can submit my evidence to appeals department? When I call or chat, first all day it keeps telling me live help not available and then shows an email window with which no files can be attached.

I had shipped the package to  8 McCullough Dr. U125558, New Castle DE 19726-9000. I saw on forums that others have also been cheated by asking to ship items to this address. I have reported the buyer, but need Ebay to act responsibly. 

Now I am out of my phone and the buyer has full refund.

Very frustrating! I also contacted Paypal, but they asked me to contact Ebay.

It almost feels that Ebay was complicit in cheating the seller by easily enabling the buyer to get refund, keep the item, not seeing sellers proof and making it very hard for seller to reach them.

Could someone recommend what I could do? 

[coastaltechsolution]

Try reaching out here: eBay-for-Business-on-Facebook-and-Twitter 

[bonjourami]

That address is a freight forwarder service, since the phone was forwarded, you shouldnt be responsible for a snad complaint..call Ebay and let them know this.

[ogaugeminiaturefigures]

Why would eBay allow a buyer to load a UPS tracking number when you provided a USPS label for them to print. That is just WRONG on eBay's part. If the seller provides a label then there should be NO OPTION for the buyer to load a tracking number. eBay has some SERIOUS holes in their system. I won't sell high priced items on this sight. If I can't afford to lose it then I'm keeping it and using Facebook Buy Sell Trade.

[ittybitnot]

Could someone recommend what I could do? 

You have been a victim of the "cheap trinket from Amazon" scam.  It is a favorite of those that use the reshipper at the address you posted.  The CS reps that answer the phone ONLY look at the delivery notice, and for them any old D/confirmation to you seems to suffice.   

eBay is aware of this scam.  Your problem is going to be to get a higher tier CS rep on the phone to take care of this for you. 

There was a time that using a reshipper voided any MBG that eBay provided for the buyer.  That is no longer the case unless you can provided some sort of proof that the parcel/item was indeed forwarded.  The shipping company may provide that, but they are under no obligation to do so. 

I am going to tag an ebay board rep that perhaps can direct you in the right direction since the usual "calling CS for help" has obviously just made things worse for you as is often the case in this scenario.  Do let us know how this turns out should they provide assistance. 

tyler@ebay 

brittanie@ebay 

[jayjaspersgarage]

Here is where you went wrong.

"I sold my Google Pixel 4a phone on E-bay using buy it now option."

Nothing else needs to be written.

People will never learn that selling expensive electronics privately on ebay results in losing money.

[ittybitnot]

People will never learn that selling expensive electronics privately on ebay results in losing money.

While that statement is often true, I am sure there are plenty of people that refuse to use eBay for same.  It is NOT just electronics.  The seller in this instance fulfilled their obligation, but fell victim to the scam that was unavoidable due to policies in place and customer service unwilling (or knowingly) turning a blind eye.  Blaming the seller does not improve the situation.  

Ebay has not been big on "seller retention" in the past, relying on a  supposed continuous supply of  "newbies" who don't know any better than to trust this venue.  

Had it been me, I would have cancelled the sale the minute I saw the Delaware address and taken the performance hit. 

[fab_finds4u]

Sellers need to learn they are only protected against not received cases. Proof of delivery protects them. For not as described cases there's no protection when the buyer has a tracking number to your city. You'll be forced to refund if you received an empty box or a rock. eBay will just say suck it up bad buyers happen. Retail theft happens. It's part of doing business. 

[brittanie@ebay]

Thank you for tagging us @ittybitnot! We're only able to provide general information on cases and are not able to review the details of a case or appeal a case for a seller. 

@circus_camel - As recommend above, you'll want to get in touch with customer service for more information on any further options or information on this case. I would also recommend using the Report Buyer form here, if you haven't already, to report what you received back on the return, so our security team can review this. 

[ittybitnot]

 We're only able to provide general information on cases and are not able to review the details of a case or appeal a case for a seller. 

I am sorry to hear once again that the eBay staff here are no longer are able to assist individuals other than say to contact customer service.  eBay CS has already denied relief for this recurring well documented scam.  

It is a sad thing to be sure. 

[wrong66]

Why do you keep insisting people call customer service? There basically is NONE. Better to not even answer if the issue (which has been going on forever) can't even be addressed.

[circus_camel]

Thank you all for replying to my message. It feels warm to get such helpful messages from the Ebay seller community that took care to read my message and provide their comments. From the replies it showed that everyone in seller community understood my message easily.

In comparison working with the Ebay customer support was like banging my head against the wall. Today after posting my message on forum, I received a reply from customer service. I do not know whether it was due to the forum message or follow up based on yesterday's contact with them.

I immediately attached my proof and sent the detailed message to customer support about what was going on. After that I received two message from different reps who did not even seem to have read my message or looked at the proof documents. They kept repeating the same "mantra" stating that the buyer returned the item. An elementary school child can better analyze the information to understand my story. It seems the customer reps were either very poorly trained or did not care at all or both.

When I wrote back that CS did not even read my message or look at the proof documents, I got another reply from someone who said he or she would fix the issue manually. I hope that fixing the issue occurs as that CS rep promised.

Now as regard to reporting the buyer. I had reported the buyer twice after I found out that the address given by the buyer had been used to cheat sellers in the past. This should have flagged the Ebay system so that it did not issue the refund to buyer automatically. Yesterday early morning when most people would be sleeping, the buyer created a case without ever adding the UPS tracking number in the return system. It seems the buyer wrote the tracking number in the case. Within a few min the system issued the refund to the buyer and closed the case. It did not appear that any CS human was involved or if there was then he or she was careless and poorly trained as most of the ones who sent the replies to me. First time, the buyer was reported 14 days ago. If your system worked, any automated refunds should have been blocked for the buyer. So brittanie@ebay's reply above seems not to be of any use. Do you guys even act when a fraudulent buyer gets reported? It does not seem to be so in my case.

One of the customer rep today told me to just absorb the loss. If that is the case, what is Ebay here for? When you collect fee from seller are you not supposed to cover the seller in case of buyer frauds. Buyers commit fraud using your poorly designed system and poorly trained reps most of whom do not care for the sellers. You have made it so hard for me to even contact a person who would read my message properly or look at my proof documents. Your "contact us" method was not working for over 90% of the time since yesterday, and when I reached someone the person ignored what I was telling him and typed a poorly written appeal. Appeal replied without ever asking for more documents. From this experience, it appears to me that Ebay is complicit with fraudulent buyers.

[a_c_green]

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brittanie@ebay wrote:

@circus_camel - As recommended above, you'll want to get in touch with customer service for more information on any further options or information on this case. I would also recommend using the Report Buyer form here, if you haven't already, to report what you received back on the return, so our security team can review this. 

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Just so we're clear on this, brittanie@ebay, the buyer did not "return" anything at all. He simply ordered a cheap item from Amazon and had it sent to the seller's address, then uploaded its tracking number to the dispute. The system then awarded a full refund. That's the gaping hole in the process here.

In addition to finding a solution for that (e.g. some way of at least identifying the tracked item as an Amazon order rather than an eBay return), it sounds as if, from the OP's description, Customer Service did not even understand what had happened, instead seizing on certain keywords used by the OP to send their best-guess choice of pre-written or scripted reply. That doesn't really help anyone.

[brittanie@ebay]

@a_c_green I understand that the buyer sent a different item back. I also know that it's frustrating I can't provide more concrete details on what went down, but as we protect all member privacy we cannot provide details on a member's account publicly. 

In general, if an item is returned that is not the one the seller sent originally, we can't detect that from the tracking. The seller would need to file an appeal with the information on what they received and we'd review to determine if the appeal qualifies. It isn't guaranteed we can cover the seller and it depends on what information we're provided at the time of the appeal as to what our options are to assist. 

[silverstatetreasureboxes]

@circus_camel 

     Absolutely insane..Ok you tried the CS route with the 12 year olds, then the moderator on the forum, Now try that Facebook or Twitter route as another poster suggested on message #2.

     I would be calling everyday until you get somebody that has a least a high school education, don't stop now at this point what else is there to lose? Man o Man, hun, feel for you! Please keep us updated!