How do I prevent this scam?

[amesrg]

I have a buyer who wants to return an item.  So I purchased a return shipping label and eBay confirmed he received it.

However, he claims the shipping label does not work.  So I checked with UPS who confirmed it is fine and perfectly valid for the return shipment.

The word I got from eBay is they don't check with UPS - if the buyer says the shipping label doesn't work then they assume he is telling the truth.  eBay says I have only four days until they refund his money and allow him to keep the item (a $1000 camera lens).

Obviously this is a scam.  And, of course, eBay doesn't care.

Other than filing a police report and small claims court case, which I absolutely will do if necessary, what can I do?

[amesrg]

There's an option to upload an image.  That's what I did.

[stainlessenginecovers]

Why would you be purchasing a return label for an item that is listed as NO RETURNS?? 

[buyselljack2016]

When I had a "no returns accepted" policy.................  I purchased (paid for) numerous return labels.

[amesrg]

Because there is no such thing as no returns on eBay.

Sure, you can select that option.  But eBay ignores it.  If a buyer requests a return, the seller has to pay for return shipping.  That's the way eBay works.

[rugerskick]

He is in zero position to claim the label doesn't work.  All he has to do is print it out and put it on the return box.

You have already told him ups says its a valid label, so he needs to follow ebay procedure.

I would contact ebay and make it clear to them that the buyer is not following correct ebay procedure for returning an item.  The buyer is not in any position to determine if a label will "work" or not.  They are not printing out the label you sent themand returning the package, as directed.  Therefore they are the one not following ebay policy.  They are trying to run out the clock with a false excuse.  Make ebay clearly aware of this scam.

[amesrg]

As I stated above, eBay says that if the buyer says the label doesn't work then they believe him because it's not an eBay-provided label.

I have no recourse with eBay.  They're going to refund him and let him keep the lens.

He knows that - that's the crux of his scam.

[r_lresale]

@amesrg What kind of case did the buyer open?

[amesrg]

Item not as described.

[a_c_green]

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@amesrg wrote:

The issue is eBay disallows purchase of return labels for some transactions.  And if you can create that situation, you can buy whatever you want, request a return then deny that the non-eBay label is legitimate.  Then eBay refunds your money and you keep the item.

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Can you elaborate on this at all? How have you learned this much about disallowing purchase of return labels "for some transactions"? I don't doubt that you were told this, but it sounds almost like something made up by Customer Support when they can't find a better answer in their scripts and want to get on to the next caller. 

[amesrg]

I wish I could elaborate but no, that was all the info I could get.  They said they didn't know why but they confirmed the transaction was not eligible for an eBay-provided return label.  Somebody knows, including the scammer, but I don't have access to the people in the know at eBay.

[69heathery]

I know a bit silly, but did he bring it to UPS, not USPS?

[toomuchstuffagain35]

@amesrg 

Have you contacted the actual ebay employees who man the ebay for business facebook page yet?

THEY can give you better answers than some outsourced CSR you get on the phone.

They can at the least look at your account and try to determine why you've been told by ebay CSR that if the buyer can't 'use the label' you have to refund without a return.

[amesrg]

No - have not done that.  Didn't know that was an option.

I'll see if I can reach eBay that way.

Thanks for the tip.

[toomuchstuffagain35]

The reps on the FB page have greater authority (a lot greater) than the phone reps who just follow scripts and haven't a clue (usually).