eBay

steve6782 · ‎12-18-2023

I am in the process of being SCAMMED. I sold a collectible VHS tape to a buyer and now they are claiming that it was damaged before I put it into the box (SNAD claim). However, base of the photos uploaded the video that they are trying to return is NOT the one that I sent!

It turns out that this particular buyer buys up individual titles and assembles them into complete sets to sell for an outrageous amount of money. Apparently my item was in better shape than the one that they already had (and are now going to return to me). I strongly suspect that this particular buy has a history of doing this to other sellers.

To discourage this kind of seller abuse, even though I might not win, I would like to fight this as much as I can. I have wasted several hours this afternoon trying to contact Ebay without success. All phone numbers go to the same dead-end. Anyone know how to get a magic passcode to talk to a human?

Based on research it appears that I have to accept the return but am going to delay sending a label to just before I leave for the holidays. I don't want the return sitting in my mailbox while I am gone and unable to inspect it and then have Ebay step in and issue a refund and give me a defect.

Without any assistance from Ebay I am at a loss of what to do next and the time-frame that I have to do it.

Any suggestions on how to proceed?

heckofagame · ‎12-18-2023

There is no fighting an INAD. No one will investigate. Either approve a return or refund with no return.

a_c_green · ‎12-18-2023

@steve6782 wrote:
Based on research it appears that I have to accept the return but am going to delay sending a label to just before I leave for the holidays. I don't want the return sitting in my mailbox while I am gone and unable to inspect it and then have Ebay step in and issue a refund and give me a defect.

You need to accept the return and actually get something back before you can go further, in terms of appealing a dispute. At this point in time you have only your suspicions (though they may be well-founded) for what is currently just a standard return request due to shipping damage.

Once the package shows as Delivered to your return address, you'll need to issue the refund (from wherever you may be on-line). Blowing the refund deadline after delivery will not end well.

Inspect the item once you are back and let us know what you find.

kensgiftshop · ‎12-18-2023

You only have 3 days to accept the return and provide a shipping label or Ebay can refund the buyer from your account and let them keep it.

Have a great day.

steve6782 · ‎12-20-2023

@a_c_green wrote:
@steve6782 wrote:
Based on research it appears that I have to accept the return but am going to delay sending a label to just before I leave for the holidays. I don't want the return sitting in my mailbox while I am gone and unable to inspect it and then have Ebay step in and issue a refund and give me a defect.
Blowing the refund deadline after delivery will not end well.

So what is the refund deadline? I haven't had much luck finding any of this on Ebay's site and Google hasn't been helpful.

kensgiftshop · ‎12-20-2023

Once the item is returned, you have 2 days to issue a refund, or Ebay will refund for you from your account.

If they refund, you'll earn a defect and they'll keep their fee's.

Have a great day.

a_c_green · ‎12-20-2023

@steve6782 wrote:
So what is the refund deadline? I haven't had much luck finding any of this on Ebay's site and Google hasn't been helpful.

As above, you have two days. Quoting from a return I had in October, the first notice of a return reads like this:

"Hi [first name],

The buyer [ID here] is returning the item. Per eBay's policy, this return has been automatically approved and we've asked the buyer to send the item back.

After the buyer ships the item, we'll share the tracking information with you.

Please inspect the item before issuing a refund. View the return details to issue a refund now, if you like. You must issue a refund within 2 days of item being delivered."

Once eBay sees a Delivered status in the return tracking, you get the following. This example arrived at 7:44 p.m. on October 10:

"Please issue your buyer a refund now

Hi [first name],

Our tracking information shows that the returned item has been delivered. Please inspect it and refund the buyer by Oct 12, 2023.

If you don't, the buyer can ask us to step in and help, or we may refund the buyer using your automatic payment method. Once you refund the buyer, we'll credit eligible fees to you as per our fee credit policy."

steve6782 · ‎12-20-2023

@kensgiftshop wrote:
Once the item is returned, you have 2 days to issue a refund, or Ebay will refund for you from your account.
If they refund, you'll earn a defect and they'll keep their fee's.

I am trying to delay the return shipping a bit so that I will be back from holiday when it arrives. I'll send the label today later this afternoon... just inside the 3-business day return window.

So what do I do if I find that they switched out the item? refund them anyway and then appeal?

The buyer sat on this item for about a week before complaining so suspect that they were trying to use the holidays in their favor (i.e. me, the seller, would be out of town).

kensgiftshop · ‎12-20-2023

If they do send back a different item, you'll still have to refund.

You can appeal, but it would be hard to prove they returned a different item.

Have a great day.

lgreene05 · ‎12-20-2023

I would love to tell you that I had good information for you, but I had a similar thing happen and ebay was ZERO help. Not only did the guy replace what I sent with another one, but he waited till I was on vacation to send the item back, knowing that I would not be able to verify it. As a result ebay sided with the crook, provided a full refund and left me out to dry. I have the serial numbers and pictures to prove everything. I was initially told that they would make me whole and then changed and told me to look into filing a police report, mail fraud or some other **bleep**. It is sad. ebay does not care about sellers or what is right. I am sorry that you had to deal with this as well, it sucks. I have spent many a calls, emails, etc... only to be further disappointed. I say if anything feels strange, just don't make the sale. It is crazy that we would have to do that, but we have no protection. They will suggest adding full return so that you can get 50% back, but that is a sad response to a situation that can be proved. I will be contacting the local police station where he lives. If that doesn't work, I will be in his town next month for a conference and I will go get my property in person.

retro_entertainment_collectibles · ‎12-20-2023

@lgreene05 wrote:
I would love to tell you that I had good information for you, but I had a similar thing happen and ebay was ZERO help. Not only did the guy replace what I sent with another one, but he waited till I was on vacation to send the item back, knowing that I would not be able to verify it. As a result ebay sided with the crook, provided a full refund and left me out to dry. I have the serial numbers and pictures to prove everything. I was initially told that they would make me whole and then changed and told me to look into filing a police report, mail fraud or some other **bleep**. It is sad. ebay does not care about sellers or what is right. I am sorry that you had to deal with this as well, it sucks. I have spent many a calls, emails, etc... only to be further disappointed. I say if anything feels strange, just don't make the sale. It is crazy that we would have to do that, but we have no protection. They will suggest adding full return so that you can get 50% back, but that is a sad response to a situation that can be proved. I will be contacting the local police station where he lives. If that doesn't work, I will be in his town next month for a conference and I will go get my property in person.

Police or County Sheriff tend have an Internet Cyber Crimes division but most are inundated with problems. When the items arrives back take it unopened to your local postal station along with invoice and photo's of what was sent and open it in front of a clerk, original tracking number etc. If its different, file right there with the US Postal Inspectors. That might not go very far either but... Hey, they are swamped too.

If its valuable might want tell the USPS hold you're mail and you'll pick it all up... Do so when the tracking back shows it there. Thus there is no fiddle of "Oh you replaced what was in it."

Now me... Well, I know of other ways deserts be served. Its unwise however to confront anyone face to face as they call the police and now you're deeper in the poison Hockey puck. Two wrongs never make a right unless you happen to be a US President.

rugerskick · ‎12-20-2023

Going in person to get your stolen property back, is not a "wrong". I don't know what you're assuming other than this, but anything more, is your assumptions.

a_c_green · ‎12-20-2023

@lgreene05 wrote:
I was initially told that they would make me whole and then changed and told me to look into filing a police report, mail fraud or some other **bleep**.

Well, that's what you do, because it is theft by way of mail fraud.

You start with a police report to your own PD (not the buyer's, yet). They will take your details and give you a report number for your future use. (Having serial numbers to show what you listed here vs. what you got back will add helpful detail, although that alone is not conclusive.)

At this point you're basically establishing that you're not J. Random Looney who makes threats against everyone, and that you have your local PD's report as a reference. You also contact the Postal Inspector for your local post office and provide the same info. (The USPS has mail fraud jurisdiction even if the package was returned to you via another carrier.)

At this point you should be able to contact the buyer's own PD to report the fraud, providing your local report number in case they want to contact your police department for a chat. (You might be able to schmooze your own PD into calling the buyer's police first, which is another reason for starting with your own local PD.)

@lgreene05 wrote:
I will be contacting the local police station where he lives. If that doesn't work, I will be in his town next month for a conference and I will go get my property in person.

You can certainly try, but start locally first; don't make that your first step. (Just out of curiosity, what was the item in question?)

a*sweet*indulgence · ‎01-02-2024

I was recently scammed by a buyer too. These thieves have gotten very creative in how they cheat people. I sold an Echo Show for kids. I made the mistake of offering free shipping. As soon as they got the item, they filed to return under 'Changed their mind.' I got a tracking number from ebay. The day it was supposedly delivered, I went out to the mailbox to get it. It was not there. I filed a report with the post office telling them I did not get it. They looked into the matter. The item was delivered to a person who lives over 3 miles from me. The original package I sent weighed almost 2 pounds. The item delivered to this accomplice 3 miles away weighed only 5 ounces and came from California, not from Birmingham, AL where I sent the item. Figure that one out. I lost the item, Ebay ripped the money out of my account and gave it back to the scammer, I lost the shipping fee, and Ebay kept the final value fee. I had no idea USPS tracking numbers were able to be scammed like this., and Ebay is helping the crooks.

steve6782 · ‎01-03-2024

To conclude the saga... First the seller claimed shipping damage and submitted a photo that showed crush damage to the edge of the item. For this to happen the outer shipping box would have to have obvious damage. The item was also wrapped in bubble wrap inside of the shipping box. The photo was pretty bad and couldn't tell if it was my original item. When I asked for some photos showing the damage to the box I got no photos and a changed story that the item was put into the box damaged. Huh?

I finally received the return and after close inspection determined that it was the same item that I originally sent and showed no signs of the damage shown in the photo. It was also returned in the same box that it was sent in which showed absolutely NO damage for the round trip.

So it looks like I am only out 2-way shipping cost and have a new buyer to add to my blocked buyers list.

Thanks for everyone's input

Steve