Got SCAMMED on eBay, and eBay is unresponsive and has given me the complete run around

[tonestar1821]

Ill try to keep this short:

From the beginning, I sold an iPhone 11 PRO Max Unlocked Phone. This phone is still to this day is under factory warranty. A month ago, I sold it to a buyer with very low feedback. They were responsive at first, they asked me to verify the IMEI/ serial numbers on the phone which obviously I did. After verification by the buyer that it was good to go, I shipped the phone out. 

A day or two the seller decided to open a case, stating the phone had a black screen and wouldn't power on. I emailed the buyer 6 days in a row to please give me further details because the phone is covered under warranty through Apple and they could just go to the store and get a new one. No response, for weeks. I starting opening cases with eBay on my end so I can give the money unfrozen. I called eBay roughly 15-20 times in response to this case and the answers were different almost every time I called. 

So the case was put on hold as they were reviewing the details, I randomly received an email from eBay saying to ship the phone back, I called eBay and a nice gentleman from the UK it sounded like on their customer service team said the email didnt make sense and to just "sit tight" until the case was put off hold. 

Listening to the eBay rep, I waited until October 30th when the case was put off hold, I called in eBay- explained everything to a nice lady and she put the decided case in my favor. (meanwhile I was emailing the buyer daily, still no response at all) 

Not even 30 minutes after the case was ruled in my favor, the buyer must have called in and said I never sent him a return label (this wasnt an option and I didnt send him one because the eBay rep told me to hold off) They reversed the case, ruled it in the buyers favor as he still has my phone. 

Ive been in contact through email about this with eBay on numerous occasions and im getting the run around. I've sold over $100,000 worth of items on eBay in my lifetime with little to no issues (nothing major).

They ruled in favor of a 3 feedback buyer who was obviously scamming.

a week ago I was promised my $760 in a new case where another ebay department said that it wasn't fair and "guaranteed" me eBay would give me a refund. Well guess what? no refund. I've bought and sold on eBay for many years, but will not be giving them anymore business until this is handled correctly and I'm refunded my money. I've spent over 10 hours on the phone and emailing eBay with no help just "other department will call you back" 

this is truly unbelievable, and I'm looking for advice and I want to make sure everybody is aware of this.

[calntom]

I agree. Listing a newer or any iPhone is just begging for it.  

[tonestar1821]

the system would not allow me to accept the return, so i followed what eBay told me... Doesnt change the fact that eBay TOLD me to do nothing until the case is off hold, and then just went ahead and refunded the buyer and allowed them to keep the item.

[tonestar1821]

then why bother even buying or selling on eBay in the first place? makes no sense

[calntom]

It makes sense to not sell expensive iPhones online since the absolute majority of the $500+ scam cases discussed here on this forum over the last 8-10 years involve iPhones. Laptops would be a close 2nd followed by Xboxes, expensive video cards and other electronics. 

Same goes for selling on other venues as well. Not just eBay. 

[bonjourami]

"the system would not allow me to accept the return, so i followed what eBay told me..."

Did I misunderstand? Thought you said when the buyer opened a case,rather than accepting the return, you continually emailed him for weeks, then kept calling Ebay fifteen times? Then you started opening cases on Ebay? Not sure what you mean by that..a seller cannot open a case. Unless you mean you asked Ebay to step in? If thats the case, you lost the case immediately,as  Ebay sees that as being an unresponsive seller,and immediately rules in favor of the buyer.

[tonestar1821]

Yes, but the circumstances here- if I listened to eBay themselves on the case, followed EXACTLY what they said... then they turned around and ***, thats my issue. eBay should cover the item simply because they advised me on what to do. They literally have the phone calls RECORDED, its all right there for them. That to me is my biggest issue. 

[portkoop-0]

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@tonestar1821 wrote:

This is EXACTLY the issue right now... eBay is terrible and I’m sure the list is LONG of people who are being scammed this exact way. Even if i accepted the return I’m sure my actual device would have never came back. ($760)

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I don't understand this confusion...

Your listing clearly states "Seller does not accept returns."
So why do you want the item back now?

When the item sold, correction...

When that buyer paid they entered into a binding agreement, this agreement clearly stated the seller would NOT accept returns.  That agreement is binding for both sides, seller too.
Maybe if you want your items back start accepting returns?

I don't know, sounds crazy to me, if I want my item back in case of a dispute should I have a no returns policy?

Also the phone sold for $750.

Not $760, little details like these can make the difference between winning and losing a case.

[electronics510]

Unfortunately you have learned the hard way that customer service reps at eBay cannot be trusted to give accurate information.

You can ask for a supervisor and explain your case, that used to work. It's probably too late though, too many calls and messages they can now use against you.

My 2 cents; if anyone asks you to do anything weird like sending serial numbers or IMEI numbers, report the buyer and cancel the order and sell to someone else. You may get a neg, it may count against your seller rating. But these kinds of buyers often end up hassling.

Another strategy - many big sellers simply ignore messages from buyers and let the chips fall where they may.

[albany_sellers]

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@tonestar1821 wrote:

Yes i would have offered the return, eBay advised me to wait until the case was off hold. There was no option for me to get him an eBay label, the same labels i use when I’m selling. For some reason it wasn’t an option. The eBay rep actually supposedly notated my account on this as well, but clearly someone was lying at eBay. I will not buy or sell anything on eBay ever again. Thing is I’ve probably paid them over $5,000 in the last 3 year’s in sellers fees. I have ways to sell locally, and not have to worry about this nonsense. I had a PS5 and an Xbox series X i was going to list on eBay, this issue made me sell them locally. 

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When they tell you they are leaving a note in your account, it's a lie. Last time I was told that, and made promises to, it was confirmed no notes were left and it was all phony. The lying rep even went as far as pretending to read back the note to me when he never really made one.

Take anything a rep tells you with a grain of salt. Odds are they are just telling you what they think you want to hear so that you get off the phone.

[tonestar1821]

Never got refunded from eBay btw... took my business elsewhere, in the end they lost somebody who paid them a lot more fees yearly than what this would have costed to do the right thing. I may sell a small, no risk item here or there but main sales have moved off this garbage site.

[numisnorway]

I'm in the process of downsizing my operation as well after an incident similar to yours. It's the only way we can make our voices heard. Ideally I'd like to quit altogether because it is getting out of hand and every new change is for the worse on this site. It's tyrannical really. Selling high-end stuff is completely out of the question because of the lack of any security, which ironically is where ebay would have made most money, but it's their choice..

In the end all that will be left are sellers of cheap **bleep** they have sourced for next to nothing and their only buyers will be scammers.

[hdc-hiteck]

eBay is not worried about Sellers WHY? because the Customers out number the sellers. 

[fairdeal*lb]

Make no mistake this is not a partnership and never will be, you are only a number to eBay. When you start trusting eBay is when you get bitten.

   eBay will never have your best interest in mind. Diversify as much as possible, try not to over expose yourself to this platform. I promise you will regret it.     

Good Luck  

[doug_5857]

DITTO;

[tonestar1821]

I called eBay asking advice on what to do and told them the story. eBay messed up on their back end with their advice. They told me to "sit tight" and wait for the case to close. Ebay ruled in my favor instantly. I constantly asked the buyer for details- I did everything in my power to do the process the right way. eBay ruled in my favor, then the seller i guess called in (without ever answering me) and they reversed it. I followed exactly what the eBay rep on the phone told me to do after i laid all the details out for them. I FOLLOWED eBays advice. The problem is different departments got involved and they all ruled differently.