Potential Scam

[leafstem741]

Long story short:

I sold a good graphics card to a buyer, after three days of having it, he decided to open a return saying the card does not work. I asked for proof of their claims as they said it was not booting but they refused to acknolodge me asking for proof. We discuss more and he changes his story saying the card does boot through the computer's bios but does not boot into windows and shows a screen with green lines on it. I asked for a picture of this but again the buyer refuses to send a picture of the issue but instead posts 5 pictures of the card in different angles (this of course solves nothing). The buyer says he has installed no drivers for the graphics card and that his older card works fine though with the system. I offer to help walk him through trouble shooting his issues but he refuses any help and says that I am threatening him for not giving a refund and harrassing him even though I have been polite the whole time and offer to help where I can.

He claims to have called eBay support but there are no cases opened against me. 

The buyer has also left me a good review when after they have had the card for a day which makes this all so much more puzzling. 

I have sold a handful of graphics cards and have received good feedback from those sales and this buyer inpeticular is being very difficult and potentially trying to do something shady. I even said I've give him a refund if he simply provided me with pictures of this issue (this was before he admitted to the card actually working and booting past the bios). I feel as if the buyer made up a story and realized he can't actually provide a pic of his claim as he refuses to upload anything relavent to what he actually claims.

I am going to give eBay a call tomorrow and see what they have to say... I am in utter shock at how difficult a buyer can be. I want to trust buyers, but this is something else...

What are the chances of me winning the case? I know eBay does not care about their sellers, but I feel like there is some potential here. The buyers has been extremley rude the whole time as well. 

Thank you for any feedback on this and have a good night, fellow eBayers 

[tunicaslot]

A buyer has no obligation to provide pictures - if they do that's nice but they are not required to. You do not accept returns - so if a buyer chanes their mind they will sometimes falsely claim a problem in order to ficilitate a return. 

Ebay is buyer friendly and lately even more so if you've read the boards - so if they open a SNAD return request you will probably have to accept the return and pay for return shipping to get the item back. Since the buyer has not yet opened a claim and you have offered help - you can either tell them to return for refund with them paying return shipping or hold to your no return policy. Calling CS will probably get you no where - as I stated they have been taking a harder stance in not becoming involved in these disputes as they don't know who's telling the truth - the buyer or the seller - but you can try. Be aware that if the buyer opens a claim - even if a CS rep says it's clearly buyer's remorse and it will close in your favor - that isn't always the case as when the claim gets escalated to the next dept. You may lose the item, lose your money and receive a strike for an unresolved resolution against your account.

Have you considered that the buyer may be telling the truth and there may be a problem with the unit?

[wallshop314]

Your chances of winning are very slim if buyer actually open the case with ebay. Once it's Snad he could pretty much give any excuse and ebay would take it. Of course if it contradicts what he said to you in messages. Then you can call ebay show them that he is lying and they probaboly would close the case in your favor ( might have to call a few times but they should)

To me personally sounds like buyers remorse. I'd just take the card backand relist it. I'd be afriad he might damage the card he could say it really is broken.

[leafstem741]

Thanks for the reply! 

I have had to deal with bad buyers before. A previous case where I sold an  alienware laptop that was not working for parts and the kid who bought realized he couldn't fix it and took a hammer to it to say that it came "all smashed up and SNAD". I got lucky and won the case because the kid did not return the laptop within the return period. 

I'm 100% sure the card works, I tested it in multiple systems before shipping it off. The buyer himself claims the card works as well, he has not installed any drivers and complains it's not working. 

I know I will most likely loose this case because eBay doesn't care about the sellers, but I want to hear what they have to say about this specific case. I am probably done selling on eBay now. This buyer from the start asked to change info about their shipping before messaging as well. I should have caught on.

[*coins]

Might as well just tell them to send it back. They can find a way to send it back, no matter what you do. You can relist it and hopefully sell it to somebody who is nicer.

Put the buyer on your blocked list as well: http://offer.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?bidderblocklogin.

[jawkoo]

I am having the same problem I have been selling on ebay for 18 years. I have been a powerseller for quite sometime now. jumping through Ebays hoops, offering free shipping and shipping withen 24 hours. i have maintained a 100% Feedback rating, Ebay has changed recently to cater to the big box stores and the buyer is always right.  Even the big box store have moved away from the customers is always right.  I have love ebay for so lone because the little guy can make a little extra cash.  I avoid any big box sellers like target and amazon and try to buy from people like me. I sell on ebay to be able to stay at home with my special needs daughter and my other 7 children. I have learned to cover my own but over the years by offering several photos of each item, every angle and also photos of the tags. I provide more measurements then any stores web site would, but it just is not enough any more, with ebay's new no hassle free return policy they want everyone to have will shut us small business sellers down. the latest issue is a buyer wanted to return an item 13 days after receiving it in the mail saying the item was not new and the size tag was faded and falling off. mind you the item they bought and I sent them was new. in the listing i provided photos of every angle and the size tag . ebay still approved it even after I explained the issue with the return. After talking to ebay on the phone it is clear they are catering to the big box and the customer more then the seller. I explained that i will not be taken advantage buy the buyer and them trying to return a different item.  the Ebay lady i talked to sounded more like a recording stating over and over again about how Ebay wants to cater to the buyer and make sure they return to buy more.  I told her if I waked in the a big box store and tried to return a different used item in place of the new item I just bought I would be laughed at.  I was told I could open a appeal after the item is returned. I did let ebay know
 I would be making more money for them then that customer will.  Ebay needs to find the balance between keeping customers and sellers happy. If ebay only is trying to keep the buyers happy they are going to loose a lot of sellers.

[double2trouble]

Return for refund is the only option eBay affords you as a seller. If your lucky, you will get your item back, if not, you will get a brick. I am building the worlds most expensive barbeque out of bricks I have recieved in return in place of the items I sent. 

[lewisburggold]

We would just do the return.    Best regards

[percgrabbe-0]

Dear Leafstem.

Yes yes make them return the item or no refund.

If they still have it (and I know this will sound silly) but make sure they plugged the video cable into the NEW graphics card and not the existing card (which may or may not be a composite one).   

Even without drivers it should still be visible and allow them to install the drivers. It could be one video card is over-riding the other or its just cabled to the monitor wrong. 

[leafstem741]

I just got off the phone with eBay support and they checked over the messages and have agreed that it most likely looks like a case of 'buyer remorse' due to the buyer not wanting to cooperate at all and supplying pictures of the card in their system working despite saying in messages that the card does not work. 

They said I have to wait until the 13th  until I can ask eBay to step in and deside on a decision. 

The buyer and I will not be communicating until then. 

I feel as if I should wait until then. With this new info what do you all think? 

Thank you again for everyone who has replied. I do understand I might get an empty box or a brick, but I am curious if rolling the dice in this situation might be a good idea by waiting until the 13th. (Too bad it is a friday the 13th...) With the previous case of the alienware laptop the kid destroyed, eBay suport said it does not matter if the kid admitted to detroying the laptop or if there even was video evidence of the kid destroying the laptop, that I would still loose and have to offer a full refund even if the kid sent back a empty box which is extremly unfortunate for me as a seller. 

If I lose the case I will simply ask the buyer to return the item and I will offer a full refund, the buyer already hates me because he claims that I am 'harrassing him and threatening his safety' by offering help on fixing his situation and asking for a picture of the card not working... Maybe the buyer realizes he is all over the place with his stories and is panicking? I told him we could just take a break, talk later and that I politely wished for him to take it easy until he was ready to talk.

I am sorry, this is very dificult and I really appriciate all feedback. Thank you all.

[percgrabbe-0]

Also if the buyer wants refund insist they use EBAY and request one on their own. Dont offer them PAYPAL refund and only when you have the item back in your hands.  Graphics cards can be tricky things if the tower isnt up to specs or the operating system cant handle it.  Many people just goof and dont remove the old card or plug the video into the composite port rather than the one on the card.

[leafstem741]

My overall question here is that: should I wait until the 13th when eBay will step in given the new info or should I just accept the return.

The buyer is extremely rude through all messages. I really dislike this person...

[leafstem741]

They have already opened a refund and eBay ripped the funds out of my account. 😞

[percgrabbe-0]

Well what can you do? I would make them return it (which isnt a big deal if you can resell it). 

[hellc-30]

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@leafstem741 wrote:
My overall question here is that: should I wait until the 13th when eBay will step in given the new info or should I just accept the return.

The buyer is extremely rude through all messages. I really dislike this person...

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Okay first of all eBay reps will tell you anything you want to hear just to get you off the phone.

Second of all if you allow eBay to step in you will get a defect on your account for a case closed without seller resolution.

Accept the return.