Help with a fraudulent buyer

[getrealestate_4]

I am desperate for help and cannot reach eBay in anyway shape or form mentioned via the Internet.

my issue is this in mid October I sold a red iPhone 8 64gb in excellent condition fior $146.95 in complete total. I. Even paid to have a new front screen put on because of a slight chip.  Anyhow the buyer receives -this phone and immediately  requests a return .     I never saw this return in my ebay account nor did I ever get any notifications about this request however someone it shows I approved the return request but never initiated a refund.  That’s because I never knew of this.  Anyhow he gets his full money back and Returns to me via the mail a broken smashed up and even bent black iPhone which is not the phone I sold him.  This phone does not turn on anc cannot even charge to tell what version it is.  Not that it matters.  Since this I have been trying to get my money back for this fraudulent sale and have gotten nowhere.  If anyone can suggest or help me in any way I would be eternally great fil.  Thank you

Theresa

[mtgraves7984]

I am desperate for help and cannot reach eBay in anyway shape or form mentioned via the Internet.

@getrealestate_4 

The best way to reach quality C/S is to begin with a message on the eBay facebook page. Quick, concise, intelligible emails are sent by Reps with the ability to help you or to escalate you to those who can.

I don't see the listing under this ID, so I can't check... but you have no protections against what item was returned to you, unless you offered Free Returns or are a Top Rated Seller who offers 30-Day (or better) Returns. Dang it.

[donsdetour]

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@getrealestate_4 wrote:

I am desperate for help and cannot reach eBay in anyway shape or form mentioned via the Internet.

my issue is this in mid October I sold a red iPhone 8 64gb in excellent condition fior $146.95 in complete total. I. Even paid to have a new front screen put on because of a slight chip.  Anyhow the buyer receives -this phone and immediately  requests a return .     I never saw this return in my ebay account nor did I ever get any notifications about this request however someone it shows I approved the return request but never initiated a refund.  That’s because I never knew of this.  Anyhow he gets his full money back and Returns to me via the mail a broken smashed up and even bent black iPhone which is not the phone I sold him.  This phone does not turn on anc cannot even charge to tell what version it is.  Not that it matters.  Since this I have been trying to get my money back for this fraudulent sale and have gotten nowhere.  If anyone can suggest or help me in any way I would be eternally great fil.  Thank you

Theresa Cocozza

getrealestate@live.com

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Click on the little arrow on the right side of your post and report it for personal contact info being posted.

This is not contact eBey: any email messages concerning eBay (or other emails) is now totally suspect as you just gave such info on a board that thousand read..

Do not give out personal info or financial due to your emails.

As for your problem: nothing you can do but file fraud and theft with law enforcement.

You can file a report with eBay about the buyer for return abuse: but do not expect any thing to be done about it; yet such is usefull due to it is on file.

[ckimodog]

Very sorry for your situation.  See if this link can help you out;

https://www.facebook.com/eBayForBusiness/

Credible US agents who can help you and hopefully resolve this issue.  Good luck. 

[eye_of_the_tiger]

AND the buyer put a negative feedback on your account. That must hurt. 

Also, you're not supposed to put your personal info in public. 

[oneblindcat]

Can you report the phone as stolen so that the thief can't use it?

[m60driver]

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@getrealestate_4 wrote:

 If anyone can suggest or help me in any way I would be eternally great fil.  

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Honestly, my best suggestion is to just forget about it and move on as there is little you can do that will have much chance of effecting a resolution that will bring you any comfort.  All you will get is ever increasing aggravation.  Relative to being a new seller, you sold not only an expensive item but one of the most scammed items on Ebay.  Why Ebay does not alert sellers when listing such an item, just as they alert sellers of, say, selling some WWII items, is beyond me as the programming is already there and needs only minor tweaking.

[certifiedcitynet]

Welcome to Ebay, a buyer-friendly site that has no way of knowing who is being truthful so they favor the buyer by default. Chalk up your nonrecoverable loss to the cost of education. 

We have been selling online at numerous sites, including Ebay, for decades. Our firm ALWAYS makes an HD video recording whenever a mailing is opened or sealed. And we use 18 proprietary anti-fraud features to discourage thievery.

And we involve the appropriate law enforcement agency (usually a criminal's county detectives) when a lowlife thug chooses to continue with a theft attempt despite warnings. Over the years, literally thousands have tried to cheat us yet exactly ZERO have succeeded. 

[vintagecraze50]

A lot of folks deactivate the phone through the carrier when an scammer does this so they have a useless piece of plastic and metal for all their scamming efforts. I think they call it bricking the phone. Also with serial numbers etc you can report it as stolen.

[jayjaspersgarage]

"And we involve the appropriate law enforcement agency (usually a criminal's county detectives) when a lowlife thug chooses to continue with a theft attempt despite warnings. Over the years, literally thousands have tried to cheat us yet exactly ZERO have succeeded. "

I love to see that I am not the only one who pulls out the big leverage on thieves.  I have a lawyer on retainer who handles on-line fraud for my companies.  His official registered letters do not cost much and he only bills for twenty minutes to send each one.

[certifiedcitynet]

You are talking about civil threats but I am referring to police investigations of CRIMINAL fraud attempts. But the threats of civil prosecution can also dissuade scammers.