Help with Buyer Opening PayPal case for Unauthorized Transaction

[bluecuda1971]

I received an email this afternoon that a PayPal case opened for an item I recently sold. It was delivered 04/28 and the case was opened today 05/05. My PayPal balance is already showing negative.

Is this a PayPal dispute or a chargeback, and what is the best way to handle it? I print my labels directly though eBay and shipped to a confirmed address. The buyer’s address on eBay, PayPal and where the tracking shows the package was delivered are all a match.

This is something I've never been through before and it's very frustrating so I appreciate everyone's help. I know it's always best to get your ducks in a row before calling eBay or PayPal.

Thanks to all who can help. 🙂

[slippinjimmy]

Upload the tracling number to the claim. If is shows that you SHIPPED to the address provided at time of payment then you win...a slam dunk win.

Be aware it can take a bit of time for PayPal to close these claims but you have to really mess up big time to lose.

[ymeagainlord]

You CAN lose a chargeback where the cc company claims it's a duplicate payment (even when you can prove that allegation is false), as apparently duplicate payment claims are NOT covered under PP.

[bluecuda1971]

Thanks for the quick replies. It does appear it is a chargeback that has been filed.

I never manually added a tracking number to the case but it seems that was done automatically. The status now says “We're reviewing your case and will get back to you as soon as possible.”

[emerald40]

To understand correctly you sent item to address showing on the paypal account.

And you have tracking that shows it was successfully sent.

Then I agree with the first poster that this should be a slam dunk.

If it were me I would call paypal, upload the tracking and ask that they send this information onto the credit card  company that you complied with all rules in sending this itme out.

And then ask to wait on the phone while they close it in your favor.

And if they cannot do it right then and there, call back the next day until it is done.

[shevey55]

I had this a few months ago. I called paypal CS and they said they had the tracking number and could see I sent the package to the paypal address. She released my funds that day.

For a couple of months there was a notice every time I logged into paypal that there was an unresolved problem. Eventually it disappeared.

[slippinjimmy]

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@shevey55 wrote:

I had this a few months ago. I called paypal CS and they said they had the tracking number and could see I sent the package to the paypal address. She released my funds that day.

For a couple of months there was a notice every time I logged into paypal that there was an unresolved problem. Eventually it disappeared.

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It probably hangs around as an unresolved issue until PayPal finally pays off the credit card company, that could take 30 - 60 days to happen as they are in no hurry to do so.

[bluecuda1971]

Thanks for all the replies.

Unfortunately I’m getting the runaround from PayPal when I call. I’m told that despite being covered under PayPal’s seller protection, they cannot close the case until it is investigated by the bank (which according to them could take up to 90 days). They keep saying things like “while I believe you, there’s nothing we can do to close the case”. This despite the tracking number being uploaded into the case, and the addresses of the eBay and PayPal accounts, and address the USPS tracking number says delivered to are all the same.

It’s frustrating because my account is currently sitting with a negative balance, so I’m unable to ship an item I sold today. I guess I’m going to have to keep calling.

If anyone can provide a link to PayPal’s seller protection policy, I’d appreciate it. I’m having trouble finding it and I’d like to read it back to them word for word next time I call.

Thanks again.

[jklfindings]

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@bluecuda1971 wrote:

Thanks for all the replies.

Unfortunately I’m getting the runaround from PayPal when I call. I’m told that despite being covered under PayPal’s seller protection, they cannot close the case until it is investigated by the bank (which according to them could take up to 90 days). They keep saying things like “while I believe you, there’s nothing we can do to close the case”. This despite the tracking number being uploaded into the case, and the addresses of the eBay and PayPal accounts, and address the USPS tracking number says delivered to are all the same.

It’s frustrating because my account is currently sitting with a negative balance, so I’m unable to ship an item I sold today. I guess I’m going to have to keep calling.

If anyone can provide a link to PayPal’s seller protection policy, I’d appreciate it. I’m having trouble finding it and I’d like to read it back to them word for word next time I call.

Thanks again.

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Call Monday morning.  If you're making the call over the weekend or at night, you are most likely getting the foreign call center, and they can do very little besides read you Paypal policy.  If you call during business hours of a weekday, you will get someone in the US who can actually do something.  As long as you shipped to the correct address, and have tracking, they will release the funds for you.

[ricks_pub]

PayPal is being asked by the Credit Card Company to verify the charge on the Buyer's account. Odds are that the abbreviated info line shown on the Buyer's credit card statement wasn't enough info for the Buyer to recognize the charge. Or, more than one person is authorized to charge on that credit card account, and they're not communicating with one another about their purchases. I had the latter problem with a corporate bookkeeper not recognizing an item purchase by the company's IT Dept housed in a separate building. I did a little on line research and called the buyer; then I provided the details to PayPal. I got the canned response - but really, it was resolved BY THE CREDIT CARD COMPANY within 48 hours once I verified the sale TO PAYPAL. Paypal only had the Book Keeper's contact info in the Charge back request. I suspect that the Buyer's corporate credit card account data was stored on the corporate PC used by IT to place the Order - "Click n Ship". And yes, I included an Invoice and a Packing Slip taped to the item when I shipped so that the IT recipient would be able to recognize the transaction & contact me directly if they had questions - and IT did not contact me. PS: You can still ship the item without using eBay Labels - just take it to USPS or UPS and pay cash. Or you can use eBay Labels by charging the label cost against your linked debit or CC account instead of against your linked NSF PayPal account.

[missjen831]

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@bluecuda1971 wrote:

Thanks for all the replies.

Unfortunately I’m getting the runaround from PayPal when I call. I’m told that despite being covered under PayPal’s seller protection, they cannot close the case until it is investigated by the bank (which according to them could take up to 90 days). They keep saying things like “while I believe you, there’s nothing we can do to close the case”. This despite the tracking number being uploaded into the case, and the addresses of the eBay and PayPal accounts, and address the USPS tracking number says delivered to are all the same.

It’s frustrating because my account is currently sitting with a negative balance, so I’m unable to ship an item I sold today. I guess I’m going to have to keep calling.

If anyone can provide a link to PayPal’s seller protection policy, I’d appreciate it. I’m having trouble finding it and I’d like to read it back to them word for word next time I call.

Thanks again.

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@bluecuda1971Call again tomorrow. They can and should release your funds. The chargeback is between them and the credit card company but you need to make them honor your seller protection and release your funds. They have no reason and no right to hold your funds. Good luck!

[theposhmermaids]

You need to call ebay (preferably during office hours so you get someone in the US), to clarify the following:

Is the address that the item was shipped to the same as the address for the person who paid for it?  If the same, then you are OK.  Talk to both ebay and paypal about seller protection.

If different, then it is possible that the person's ebay or paypal account really was hacked.  In that case, you need to have both paypal and ebay investigate and you should be refunded.  It is also a good idea to make a police report with YOUR PD.  You then have a case number which makes it even more valid in ebay and paypal's eyes.

This happened to me last year.  Someone purchased an expensive car part from an unkown (to me) ebay account, and paid with my paypal account.  It was to be sent in my name, but to a vacant house about 25 miles from me.  I was lucky that I have paypal notifications on my phone, so I caught it immediately and notified the seller not to ship and ebay and paypal of the hacking.  Paypal refunded me while I was on the phone, but it took several days to get the funds back.

If it went to the same address as the 'buyer', then I would send them a very professional email about how concerned you are that someone may have 'hacked' their account.  Tell them that you take their safety very seriously and so you have filed both a police report and a report with the postmaster.  Remind them that mail fraud is a federal offense.  In this case they may 'remember' that their son or grandmother had ordered it!

In reality, in my case, the police investigated for a few weeks, but nothing ever came of it.  But, the seller kept his item and all fees were repaid to him, and I got all my money back.  The officer said that if we had had the seller send an empty box to the address, they could have monitored it the day of delivery and caught the person.

[missjen831]

eBay is not going to get involved since it’s a chargeback. As long as the OP shipped to the address on the buyers payment they are covered by PayPal seller protection. They don’t need to call anyone about addresses either. All that matters is the address on the order. 

[tunicaslot]

May I also add OP - keep a balance in your Paypal acct at all times - so if you get another chargeback - you won't be in the negative and are able to print labels for any sales that come along. 

I always have a reserve in Paypal as you never know when someone will claim a chargeback or a return is being disputed.

[bluecuda1971]

Here's what I've done so far:

- I purchased the shipping label through eBay, and shipped to the address provided.

- I verified the transaction was eligible for PayPal seller protection on the details page - it is.

- I confirmed the addressed listed on eBay and PayPal are the same.

- USPS Tracking says the item was delivered to the city / zip code listed in those addresses.

- I reviewed the seller protection policy page and it meets the requirements... confirmed delivery, well under $750 so no signature required, ect.

The last rep I spoke to issued a credit to bring the PayPal account out of the negative. He also confirmed I met the requirements and should not be charged a chargeback fee, but said he still could not close the case.  I tried explaining, as a previous poster mentioned, it should be between the bank and PayPal at this point... but still have no luck. I will try calling again tomorrow morning.