Scammed and left with no help from ebay

[albuster8]

I sold a phone to a buyer but before I shipped it, I checked the address. It was a known scamming address and the buyer had two ratings claiming he was a scammer. I contacted ebay who did not get back to me and paypal. Paypal assured me that I was covered by them as long as the tracking showed delivered. I was not sure but I asked her to make a note of my call and her assurance on my records. 

I sent the phone and in transit the tracking stopped. On the first day he could the buyer contacted me for refund and on the first day he could ask ebay to step in he did so....this man was moving fast! 

At this point Paypal put on hold and then reimbursed abay to put my paypal into the negative. 

As soon as the scammer got his money the tracking mysteriously suddenly updated - I am thinking some kind of mail hold was his method. The phone was delivered to his address today so I appealed to ebay and they refused my appeal. The saw that the phone had been delivered but said it was not when they made the decision (but not the appeal today when it clearly was). 

The address is a known scamming address in New Castle, DE and a buyer with scamming alerts in his feedback, the buyer is shown to have the phone but ebay would not give me my money. I tried to get help from paypal but they said it had nothing to do with them and I cant file a lost parcel with USPS because it is shown as delivered. Everyone knows he has the phone and the money and I have nothing but no one is willing to do the right thing.

How is this fair?
What can i do?

[chrysylys]

The address may be a freight forwarder and the delay in tracking was probably while the item was waiting for shipment overseas.  'Delivered' may have been to another transit courier.

[missjen831]

Ebay can't take the refund back from the buyer. The buyer used a forwarding service but that doesn't mean he's a scammer. Forwarding services are used by honest and dishonest people. Did you at point contact ebay and ask them to put the case on hold since the phone was clearly in transit to the buyer?

[justafemster]

Personally, I call their local police dept and file a report.  Then contact the post office where the item was sent and put in an alert.  Enough complaints and their mail is pickup only.  I then contact the carrier of the phone and report it as stolen. Thief now has an unusable brick.  

I don't know if reporting the phone as stolen is kosher with ebay, so take that with a grain.

[dtexley3]

Have you gone to paypal and shown that the item was delivered?  Not sure it will help, but worth a try.

@Anonymous  what avenues are available to this seller.  Item was delivered but they lose both the item and the money?

[gramophone-georg]

eBay and PayPal actually DO help in these situations... a LOT.

Unfortunately, the help isn't for their paying customer who is getting fleeced.

[dhbookds]

How long was it "held up" and did you contact ebay when it was and try to get an extension on the time for delivery?

[siayan]

Not sure if there is anything that can be done. Did you check the USPS site to see if there are anymore details. Maybe call the PO. I am wondering if it was hold for pick-up then after the claim it was picked up.

[luckythewinner]

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@alanking8 wrote:

Paypal assured me that I was covered by them as long as the tracking showed delivered
on the first day he could ask ebay to step in he did so

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How is it fair? It isn't.

Your buyer filed an eBay dispute, and according to eBay's terms you agreed to abide by eBay's decision.  Your assurance from PayPal only covers PayPal disputes.

[siayan]

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@siayan wrote:

Not sure if there is anything that can be done. Did you check the USPS site to see if there are anymore details. Maybe call the PO. I am wondering if it was hold for pick-up then after the claim it was picked up.

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If a package is undeliverable.

"If you don't pick up the package within five days the post office sends out a second notice for you to pick it up. They do not re deliver the package. They will hold your package at the post office for 15 days, and then the package is returned to the sender"

[dtexley3]

I smell the nausiating miasma of the next new scam technique.....

[emerald40]

And another reason why I will not deal with freight forwarders.

Yes some people who use them are honest,

Many others are not.

[odditiesandantiquities1]

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@dtexley3 wrote:

I smell the nausiating miasma of the next new scam technique.....

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Oh Lord, I think you  are both right. I have received notifications when I haven't been able to get to the post office in time and they do extend the pick up time a lot. I didn't realize it would go that far.

My god, so many people could easily be hit with this one. eBay needs to get on board quickly on this and ensure that someone who is extending PO pick up time can't get a refund...

At least there's my hope. 

[skatefool]

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@chrysylys wrote:

The address may be a freight forwarder and the delay in tracking was probably while the item was waiting for shipment overseas.  'Delivered' may have been to another transit courier.

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USPS tracking indicates "delivered" when delivering to a forwarder just like any other address. 

*scan* ... *BEEP*

Maybe this is a USPS carrier in cahoots with buyer thief.   Might be worth a call to the Postal Inspector.

[siayan]

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@dtexley3 wrote:

I smell the nausiating miasma of the next new scam technique.....

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This is similar to the international hold for customs fee scam. The buyer knows the product is being held until the customs fees are paid. They open a case, get the refund then go pay the customs.

GPS and freight forwarders stop this. The product is scanned when delivered to the freight forwarder so that ends that.