In a buy-and-switch scam, what else can do I do?

[vespura-3]

I'm a new seller and I sold a computer processor to this guy for $80, and he's saying that I sent him a rear shock for a vehicle. I called him out as a scammer and reported him, and refused to offer aid as he is clearly trying to rip me off. He has opened a SNAD claim and boasts about how he's a long time customer of eBay and how he has a positive rating and how I'm refusing help all of this other stuff to get eBay on his side. I decided to ask him if the package had already been opened (he had cut the label and tape covering the sides of the package in order to open it) and said that I would contact his postmaster and delivery man to report this issue, as well as contacting a detective at his local police station in order to report mail theft in his neighborhood. Is there anything else I can do in this situation?

[bonjourami]

You absolutely did all the right things, but you must respond to his snad case or you will get a major defect, and Ebay will close the case, refund him, and you wont get any item back. If he does send you the wrong item back, you can appeal.As a new seller, a defect now could end your seller career here.

[coffeebean832]

You need to accept the return before eBay forces it. Wait to see what he sends back- if anything.

Didn't mean to repeat the above poster- there was no reply when I first posted. It took several minutes after hitting the post button for the page to load with my reply- at least it wasn't a red banner logging me out this time.

[papermoneyforme]

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@vespura-3 wrote:

I'm a new seller and I sold a computer processor to this guy for $80, and he's saying that I sent him a rear shock for a vehicle. I called him out as a scammer and reported him, and refused to offer aid as he is clearly trying to rip me off. He has opened a SNAD claim and boasts about how he's a long time customer of eBay and how he has a positive rating and how I'm refusing help all of this other stuff to get eBay on his side. I decided to ask him if the package had already been opened (he had cut the label and tape covering the sides of the package in order to open it) and said that I would contact his postmaster and delivery man to report this issue, as well as contacting a detective at his local police station in order to report mail theft in his neighborhood. Is there anything else I can do in this situation?

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I think Luigi and Guido need to open a collection agency as there would be lots of work for them!

[mam98031]

This is just terrible.  I'm so sorry you are having to deal with this.  What a horrible introduction for you to selling on Ebay.  

The others are right.  You can't ignore the INAD and hope it goes away.  And you can't refuse to deal with it or the buyer can ask Ebay to step in.  Once a buyer does that it is highly likely that Ebay will rule in favor of the buyer.  You will either take the return and refund or ebay will allow the buyer to keep the item and force you to refund the buyer in full.  Also when Ebay steps in, you won't get your FVF refunded and you will get a defect on your selling account.

If you are unsure of what Defects are, just ask.

But lets see if one of the guys can offer a helping hand to a new seller.  I'm mean really a computer processor vs a rear shock for a vehicle?  Clearly not even close to the same thing.  The shipping weights can't be even close either.

tyler@ebay 

brian@ebay 

@Anonymous 

[gwzcomps]

Yeah at the most the processor with heat sink would weigh 3LB packed. Normally 2LB, but that particular one came with a copper aluminum heat sink I believe.

[Anonymous]

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@mam98031 wrote:

This is just terrible.  I'm so sorry you are having to deal with this.  What a horrible introduction for you to selling on Ebay.  

The others are right.  You can't ignore the INAD and hope it goes away.  And you can't refuse to deal with it or the buyer can ask Ebay to step in.  Once a buyer does that it is highly likely that Ebay will rule in favor of the buyer.  You will either take the return and refund or ebay will allow the buyer to keep the item and force you to refund the buyer in full.  Also when Ebay steps in, you won't get your FVF refunded and you will get a defect on your selling account.

If you are unsure of what Defects are, just ask.

But lets see if one of the guys can offer a helping hand to a new seller.  I'm mean really a computer processor vs a rear shock for a vehicle?  Clearly not even close to the same thing.  The shipping weights can't be even close either.

tyler@ebay 

brian@ebay 

@Anonymous 

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Hi @mam98031 & @vespura-3, it looks like all the appropriate steps have been taken. We will review the report filed for any signs of abuse and take appropriate action. Unless notified otherwise, a seller would need to accept a return where the buyer reported receiving a different item than what they ordered. Even if this was not a mix-up on the seller's part when shipping, items are sometimes tampered with in transit and this would fall under the seller's responsibility to resolve for their customer.

[mam98031]

With the current state of Ebay's return system, Seller's don't even have a fighting chance!

[tools*]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@mam98031 wrote:

This is just terrible.  I'm so sorry you are having to deal with this.  What a horrible introduction for you to selling on Ebay.  

The others are right.  You can't ignore the INAD and hope it goes away.  And you can't refuse to deal with it or the buyer can ask Ebay to step in.  Once a buyer does that it is highly likely that Ebay will rule in favor of the buyer.  You will either take the return and refund or ebay will allow the buyer to keep the item and force you to refund the buyer in full.  Also when Ebay steps in, you won't get your FVF refunded and you will get a defect on your selling account.

If you are unsure of what Defects are, just ask.

But lets see if one of the guys can offer a helping hand to a new seller.  I'm mean really a computer processor vs a rear shock for a vehicle?  Clearly not even close to the same thing.  The shipping weights can't be even close either.

tyler@ebay 

brian@ebay 

@Anonymous 

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Hi @mam98031 & @vespura-3, it looks like all the appropriate steps have been taken. We will review the report filed for any signs of abuse and take appropriate action. Unless notified otherwise, a seller would need to accept a return where the buyer reported receiving a different item than what they ordered. Even if this was not a mix-up on the seller's part when shipping, items are sometimes tampered with in transit and this would fall under the seller's responsibility to resolve for their customer.

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How would someone "tampering with" the package in transit fit a 20 lb shock absorber for a car that is likely 5-10 times the size of the CPU, into the CPU box?

[mam98031]

Along with that, the weight is on the shipping label.  How does that get by everyone / the USPS system.  The package would get flagged for postage due.

Something else to consider, it does not appear the OP sells car parts.  So did they go rip it off their car to ship to the buyer in an effort to scam the buyer because they didn't want to ship what the buyer ordered???  That gains the seller what exactly?  Unless it was the goal of the seller to get a return request that counts against them in the Service metrics and possibly a defect if they try to fight the claim.  Exactly what is gained for a seller behaving this way???

[gwzcomps]

Honestly it is probably more profitable to be a scammer on eBay than a seller. I have yet to see any proof of what eBay is doing with bad buyers other than empty promises.

[mam98031]

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@gwzcomps wrote:
Honestly it is probably more profitable to be a scammer on eBay than a seller. I have yet to see any proof of what eBay is doing with bad buyers other than empty promises.

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Maybe yes, maybe no.  I'm not sure how you expect us to know one way or the other.  Ebay doesn't report back to sellers with issues with buyers on what they have done with that buyer, if anything.  They never have.  Nor do they report to buyers what they may have done to the seller.  Private account info.  

How are we suppose to know one way or the other?  What do you think we should be seeing?  

[kensgiftshop]

About all you can do right now is accept the return and provide return shipping and see if they return anything.

If he does end up sending a different item back, then you can appeal, report the buyer and file mail fraud.

Some buyers will come up with a crazy story like this hoping the seller will just refund without having to return the item.

Once they find out they have to return it, you might not hear any more from them.

[punkiesplayhousellc]

Let’s all cut the bull here. eBay is a bad joke to those who sell. They encourage scamming behavior and do absolutely nothing to protect Sellers from fraud. I stopped selling here months ago. I pay less money n have not had 1 return. Do urself a favor n run fast. There’s 5 other viable options to choose from. Dude seriously, RUN. Also, can we stop acting like defects n feedback matter 🤣 this place is a joke. This Seller is trying to charge me $50 to ship 2 dolls n we’re in the same region. Between ebays incompetence n sellers who abuse buyers, it’s no wonder I spend n make my money elsewhere 

[mam98031]

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@punkiesplayhousellc wrote:

Let’s all cut the bull here. eBay is a bad joke to those who sell. They encourage scamming behavior and do absolutely nothing to protect Sellers from fraud. I stopped selling here months ago. I pay less money n have not had 1 return. Do urself a favor n run fast. There’s 5 other viable options to choose from. Dude seriously, RUN. Also, can we stop acting like defects n feedback matter 🤣 this place is a joke. This Seller is trying to charge me $50 to ship 2 dolls n we’re in the same region. Between ebays incompetence n sellers who abuse buyers, it’s no wonder I spend n make my money elsewhere 

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For some of us that isn't something that works well.  It has a great deal to do with what you sell, or I sell or someone else sells.  

For me, I sell on three sites.  Ebay is by far the one with the most sales.  While I absolutely agree that Ebay's return system is in deplorable shape, the vast majority of transactions go off without a hitch.  So that has to be considered too.  

Each of us has to figure out what is best for ourselves.  There is no one size fits all solution.