Scammed out of $400 thanks to eBay

[leedx1]

On November 29th, I sold an iPhone 7 for $400 and received an instant payment. Shortly after the buyer paid, I received a message from him, asking me to ship it to a different address than what was on the order. On the same day, I called eBay customer service and asked if this was okay to do. The representative assured me that if the buyer requests me to ship the item to a different address, it is okay to do so, because "we have record of the messages between buyers and sellers, so if the buyer makes a claim, we have the message from the buyer asking you to ship to the new address, so you are still protected". I was smart enough to record this call, so I have proof. I figured okay, eBay would know best, I'm good to ship this item. I shipped the item to the new address, and what would you know, the next day I get an email from PayPal that the buyer is trying to reverse the transaction because it was "unauthorized". I responded to the case, saying that the buyer requested me to ship it to the new address. PayPal closed the case in the buyer's favor because I didn't ship it to the address on file, HOWEVER, I did my due diligence and contacted eBay to make sure it was safe, and they told me it was, so how was I supposed to know better? So now, I'm out $400. I even tried to have USPS intercept the package and they delivered it anyway.

I spent about 6 hours on the phone with eBay and PayPal yesterday, and I have had a 3 way call with myself, eBay and PayPal, and the eBay rep was arguing with the PayPal rep, telling them they need to return my money because they have the message from the buyer. Of course, PayPal won't budge, and eBay says they can't do anything because the case is with PayPal. 

I've filed a complaint with BBB, I tried to have USPS intercept the package but they didn't, I've spoken to multiple eBay reps that think it's okay to ship to a different address if a buyer requests it, I've spoken to so many supervisors and I am getting nowhere. I found out that I shipped it to a freight forwarder, so my last resort is to get ahold of them tomorrow as soon as they open to see if they can stop the package from going overseas. Is there anything else I can do?!

[nawlinsron2]

ebay could write a book about scams...and put a link on every listing.
They choose not to.

[thenobletuckylife]

Evening,

Oh not another good seller getting ripped off because ebay CS didn't bother to tell you that you need to abide by both theirs and Paypals rules.

This gets me so irrate...you call in to make sure and they assure you it's fine yet are negligent to tell you they control your money yes...but there are also laws that govern ecommerce over and above what ebay says.

So sorry this happened to you and sadly, you are out of options here.

Mr C

[chipper01work]

eBay should be forced to cover this. They told you that it was OK and you are covered due to the message. That should be the end of the story. eBay needs to make you whole and fight it out with Paypal. However that would require eBay to operate with moral compass--so it won't likely happen. They are soul less.

[castlemagicmemories]

As you found out, you may be covered with Ebay but not with Paypal.  You must ship to the address on Paypal.

Sorry you had this loss.

[missjen831]

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@chipper01work wrote:

eBay should be forced to cover this. They told you that it was OK and you are covered due to the message. That should be the end of the story. eBay needs to make you whole and fight it out with Paypal. However that would require eBay to operate with moral compass--so it won't likely happen. They are soul less.

---

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The thing is, customer service was right as far as ebay is concerned. Had this been an ebay dispute, OP would have been covered here. Had the OP read paypal's seller protection policy, which anyone who accepts paypal should do, he would have known he wouldn't be covered by paypal if he shipped to the alternate address. This is why is is so very important that sellers know what they are doing what ebay and paypal's individual policies are. They need to remember, ebay and paypal are separate and each have their own policies; ebay may cover you on their end when the dispute involves them but when the buyer goes through paypal, its paypal's rules that matter.

[ittybitnot]

Oh not another good seller getting ripped off because ebay CS didn't bother to tell you that you need to abide by both theirs and Paypals rules.

Correct. The buyer will prevail in a PayPal claim because you did not ship to the address PayPal provided.  Old scam, same old to be sure.  Seller takes the hit.  It is part of their business plan. So sorry. 

[chipper01work]

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@missjen831 wrote:

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@chipper01work wrote:

eBay should be forced to cover this. They told you that it was OK and you are covered due to the message. That should be the end of the story. eBay needs to make you whole and fight it out with Paypal. However that would require eBay to operate with moral compass--so it won't likely happen. They are soul less.

---

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The thing is, customer service was right as far as ebay is concerned. Had this been an ebay dispute, OP would have been covered here. Had the OP read paypal's seller protection policy, which anyone who accepts paypal should do, he would have known he wouldn't be covered by paypal if he shipped to the alternate address. This is why is is so very important that sellers know what they are doing what ebay and paypal's individual policies are. They need to remember, ebay and paypal are separate and each have their own policies; ebay may cover you on their end when the dispute involves them but when the buyer goes through paypal, its paypal's rules that matter.

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This is of course true, however it ignores the fact that eBay has made Paypal the only game in town for the last 10 years and should bear responsibility. At the very least they should have told the OP that Paypal would not see it the same. What would that take? All of two seconds? They are soul less and I stand by that statement. They will risk the $400 of the inexperienced seller EVERY single time as long as they get their $40 and they know a significant number of those sellers who call are, in fact, in the process of being SCAMMED.

[missjen831]

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@chipper01work wrote:

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@missjen831 wrote:

---

@chipper01work wrote:

eBay should be forced to cover this. They told you that it was OK and you are covered due to the message. That should be the end of the story. eBay needs to make you whole and fight it out with Paypal. However that would require eBay to operate with moral compass--so it won't likely happen. They are soul less.

---

---

The thing is, customer service was right as far as ebay is concerned. Had this been an ebay dispute, OP would have been covered here. Had the OP read paypal's seller protection policy, which anyone who accepts paypal should do, he would have known he wouldn't be covered by paypal if he shipped to the alternate address. This is why is is so very important that sellers know what they are doing what ebay and paypal's individual policies are. They need to remember, ebay and paypal are separate and each have their own policies; ebay may cover you on their end when the dispute involves them but when the buyer goes through paypal, its paypal's rules that matter.

---

This is of course true, however it ignores the fact that eBay has made Paypal the only game in town for the last 10 years and should bear responsibility. At the very least they should have told the OP that Paypal would not see it the same. What would that take? All of two seconds? They are soul less and I stand by that statement. They will risk the $400 of the inexperienced seller EVERY single time as long as they get their $40 and they know a significant number of those sellers who call are, in fact, in the process of being SCAMMED.

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I'm not disagreeing with you that they are souless, but I don't necesarily agree that ebay customer service reps should have to know the policies of the approved payment providers. Ebay does allow sellers to use internet merchant processors as well, no one is required to accept paypal on ebay.com. As a seller,  you should know your payment processors rules and protections. If customer service is expected to know that paypal has a different policy, (which most reps probably don't know) then so should the seller, right? Why does the seller get a free pass? He called ebay, he got correct advice as far as ebay's involvement goes. This is an issue with his payment processor. This is again why sellers need to read policies and understand the differences between ebay and paypal.

[chipper01work]

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@missjen831 wrote:

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@chipper01work wrote:

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@missjen831 wrote:

---

@chipper01work wrote:

eBay should be forced to cover this. They told you that it was OK and you are covered due to the message. That should be the end of the story. eBay needs to make you whole and fight it out with Paypal. However that would require eBay to operate with moral compass--so it won't likely happen. They are soul less.

---

---

The thing is, customer service was right as far as ebay is concerned. Had this been an ebay dispute, OP would have been covered here. Had the OP read paypal's seller protection policy, which anyone who accepts paypal should do, he would have known he wouldn't be covered by paypal if he shipped to the alternate address. This is why is is so very important that sellers know what they are doing what ebay and paypal's individual policies are. They need to remember, ebay and paypal are separate and each have their own policies; ebay may cover you on their end when the dispute involves them but when the buyer goes through paypal, its paypal's rules that matter.

---

This is of course true, however it ignores the fact that eBay has made Paypal the only game in town for the last 10 years and should bear responsibility. At the very least they should have told the OP that Paypal would not see it the same. What would that take? All of two seconds? They are soul less and I stand by that statement. They will risk the $400 of the inexperienced seller EVERY single time as long as they get their $40 and they know a significant number of those sellers who call are, in fact, in the process of being SCAMMED.

---

I'm not disagreeing with you that they are souless, but I don't necesarily agree that ebay customer service reps should have to know the policies of the approved payment providers. Ebay does allow sellers to use internet merchant processors as well, no one is required to accept paypal on ebay.com. As a seller,  you should know your payment processors rules and protections. If customer service is expected to know that paypal has a different policy, (which most reps probably don't know) then so should the seller, right? Why does the seller get a free pass? He called ebay, he got correct advice as far as ebay's involvement goes. This is an issue with his payment processor. This is again why sellers need to read policies and understand the differences between ebay and paypal.

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That sounds great on paper but in the real world where eBay makes it appear like a walk in the park when recruiting sellers it does not pass the smell test. They have a responsibility to those new sellers who call in seeking advice. It takes an equivalent of a PhD to navigate the user agreements effectively. Many here have that PhD and there is no reason CS should not have it too.

[18704d]

" The representative assured me that if the buyer requests me to ship the item to a different address, it is okay to do so, because "we have record of the messages between buyers and sellers, so if the buyer makes a claim, we have the message from the buyer asking you to ship to the new address, so you are still protected""

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So the OP heard eBay say the above,

eBay probably only meant you're protected with eBay

and the OP assumed it meant they were "ok" with all other possibilities?

Ok with Paypal?

Ok with a bank chargeback? if it came to that?

I'm sorry this happened,

but I see some validity in jen_proudleowife's comments.

Lynn

[callahanmagic]

@missjen831

Reading this thread just gives me the goosebumps thinking of the bullets that I've dodged not knowing fully that Paypal seller shipment policy that product HAS to ship to the address registered on paypal.

In the pasts, I have send out packages to addresses per buyers' instructions via eBay messages -

not once thinking that I might be 'targetted' for a scam.  Most recent outgoing packages were in

November :

1) buyer purchased 3 items, but instructed to direct the items to a USA hotel resort.

I've marked the package attention buyer's name and the address of the hotel given by the buyer.

2) another buyer purchased 2 items as gifts for daughter and instructed package to be send to

the daughter's USA address.

Todate, all the packages were delivered, verified by tracking routes and ALL the buyers have left

feedbacks that items were received in good order.

Going forward from now, I'll be sure to be more stringent regarding requests to ship to addresses that is not similar to Paypal's.  Since, Paypal is my only payment option on my listings.

@leedx1

I am sorry what had happened to your transaction.

-
Lucas
*still rollin' with the punches*
"Sophie" - Forever Sidekick - April 2007 - Sept, 05, 2017

[leedx1]

Sorry but eBay and PayPal have a pretty exclusive relationship as they were once the same company. Almost every transaction on eBay goes through PayPal. The reps should know to tell their customers if they are using PayPal, you have to ship to the address on file. I verified with 3 different reps and they even told PayPal "since the buyer requested to ship to a different address, you need to reverse the case in the seller's favor". One of the eBay reps even told me that if I didn't ship to the address the buyer gave me via message, that he could file a claim for not shipping to the new address he gave me. So what am I supposed to do when eBay's telling me I could be reported for not shipping to the new address, and then PayPal says that I'm not protected if I don't ship to the address they have?

There is obviously a clear disconnect between eBay and PayPal, and I wonder how many other people get screwed the same way I did.

[chipper01work]

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@18704d wrote:

" The representative assured me that if the buyer requests me to ship the item to a different address, it is okay to do so, because "we have record of the messages between buyers and sellers, so if the buyer makes a claim, we have the message from the buyer asking you to ship to the new address, so you are still protected""

-----------

So the OP heard eBay say the above,

eBay probably only meant you're protected with eBay

and the OP assumed it meant they were "ok" with all other possibilities?

Ok with Paypal?

Ok with a bank chargeback? if it came to that?

I'm sorry this happened,

but I see some validity in jen_proudleowife's comments.

Lynn

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I see validity in her comments too. However it would take two seconds for CS to alert the new seller looking for answers that there is more to the story. Of course eBay will not do that because that may give the new seller a reason to pause and not run off to the blue box on the street corner and make a donation. It's so easy after all: "List, ship, get paid". We are also talking about a company that was joined at the hip with eBay for over a decade, after all.

[newview]

Never ever believe anything an eBay rep says until you verify it here first. Especially if they’re saying it in a foreign accent. Their #1 priority is to get you off the phone. Period.

Sorry to hear you were taken in by slipshod eBay Training and Foreign Call Services modus operandi.