eBay

cocyclesports · ‎08-03-2021

I very nearly got caught up in this widely documented scam today regarding, Miami. I got as far as going to FedEx to drop off a $530 item, but thankfully my printer misprinted the label. So I had to come home and reprint it, at which time I checked the address and the ebay community and came upon the trove of bad experiences with the same address. Cancelled the order and relisted, but i think I'll just stop selling on ebay altogether.

Furthermore, Ebay's new payment system doesn't seem to offer a "verified address" feature like Paypal did. So sellers are even more vulnerable to scams than before.

Other than vigilance, is there any recourse or protection sellers have from this "item not received give me a refund" scam?

cocyclesports · ‎08-04-2021

ittybitnot. You give the appearance of an ebay Community Mentor, meaning that you’re likely being paid to post to the community. While you claim to be an experienced seller, you have nothing for sale, no seller feedback and you’ve apparently purchased nothing on ebay in more than a year. I’m also guessing you’ve never been the victim of an ebay scam. Well, myself and many others have and it’s not pleasant. You feel violated, you lose confidence, you lose money, and you experience firsthand just how little ebay is willing to do to help you. These scams have surged in the last couple years and I personally will no longer take the risk as an occasional seller knowing that there is no safety net.

monroe67 · ‎08-04-2021

Did you ever hear the advice not to judge a book by its cover?

You think "ittybitnot" gives the appearance -- appearance -- of an eBay Community Mentor who is paid to post to the community.

In your case, you are posting a book review based on what you think the book's cover says.

Sheesh!

ittybitnot · ‎08-04-2021

You give the appearance of an ebay Community Mentor, meaning that you’re likely being paid to post to the community.

@cocyclesports

You need to familiarize yourself with the concept of a "posting ID".

Though I started selling here in 1998, I quit a couple of years ago, and now I am just a buyer. Though I try to help others, my reasons are not purely altruistic. Typically, the scams show up here first, so I like to be kept informed of the "latest and greatest" to protect myself with my alternate selling endeavors. I have always felt it is a good thing to explain and warn others so they don't have to find out by the "trial by fire" method.

I don't get paid, but if you want to put in a good word for me, and suggest eBay send me some bank, call customer service.

fab_finds4u · ‎08-04-2021

I'd like to comment. Mentors do not get paid. We should though because we can be more helpful than the paid reps who read from scripts and don't actually know policy and will tell you anything to get you off the phone.

And you have no idea how many buying and selling names Ittybitnot has. Most posters here use a posting ID. I quit selling on this ID and buy only once in awhile on it to keep the account active but that doesn't mean I have no experience or recent experience. I have other accounts and I'm sure Ittybitnot has a few herself.

It saves you from posters ruining your auctions that don't agree with you.

donsdetour · ‎08-04-2021

@cocyclesports wrote:
ittybitnot. You give the appearance of an ebay Community Mentor, meaning that you’re likely being paid to post to the community. While you claim to be an experienced seller, you have nothing for sale, no seller feedback and you’ve apparently purchased nothing on ebay in more than a year. I’m also guessing you’ve never been the victim of an ebay scam. Well, myself and many others have and it’s not pleasant. You feel violated, you lose confidence, you lose money, and you experience firsthand just how little ebay is willing to do to help you. These scams have surged in the last couple years and I personally will no longer take the risk as an occasional seller knowing that there is no safety net.

A lot of folks here use what is called posting IDS. this is done to protect them from fanatics that get upset and attack including listings a user. Such as the post I quoted......

Advice by anyone can be used or ignored as the case may be....

Oh and mentors are not paid.

It is a selected group of board users that have proven them self's on the boards though...

The user stats on the community boards for the poster you claim might be an employee...

Posts
10248
Solutions
99
Helpful Votes Given
10129
Helpful Votes Received
13563

donsdetour · ‎08-04-2021

Now to the topic:

If you find information that an addy is involved in prior scams: you as a seller can always cancel a sale.

You may take a hit on your seller status: but is that worth a loss??

Now on freight forward.. Such I have done: and not had problems with: high dollar items as well.

At this time I would avoid such more to existing problems with shippers and so on.. High risk of them even getting the item.

Note unless you can PROVE it was forwarded ( not just to a company that does so) you will lose a item not received case: might have been an owner or employee that you sent it to. eBay latest ruling to buy pass your seller protection...

Your choice of what to do.

ittybitnot · ‎08-04-2021

Note unless you can PROVE it was forwarded ( not just to a company that does so) you will lose a item not received case:

@donsdetour

Did you mean to say you will lose an "item not described" case? You will likely NOT lose an eBay claim for INR to a forwarder if you shipped to the address provided with the payment and had the appropriate delivery or signature confirmation.

The only time that I saw a seller lose such was through the good old PAYMENT DISPUTE (aka chargeback) program. Being the one of the easiest chargeback reasons for which a seller will prevail, it was unusual that the seller lost after having satisfied the criteria for avoiding INR issues.

Apparently, since the "tracking" showed delivery to the forwarder address instead of the address of the actual buyer, the card company ruled in favor of the buyer. eBay CS threw the seller under the bus with the old stand by "it was the credit card company and nothing we can do" mantra.

I do not know if the said seller ever got this reversed or not.

donsdetour · ‎08-04-2021

@ittybitnot wrote:
Note unless you can PROVE it was forwarded ( not just to a company that does so) you will lose a item not received case:

@donsdetour

Did you mean to say you will lose an "item not described" case? You will likely NOT lose an eBay claim for INR to a forwarder if you shipped to the address provided with the payment and had the appropriate delivery or signature confirmation.

The only time that I saw a seller lose such was through the good old PAYMENT DISPUTE (aka chargeback) program. Being the one of the easiest chargeback reasons for which a seller will prevail, it was unusual that the seller lost after having satisfied the criteria for avoiding INR issues.

Apparently, since the "tracking" showed delivery to the forwarder address instead of the address of the actual buyer, the card company ruled in favor of the buyer. eBay CS threw the seller under the bus with the old stand by "it was the credit card company and nothing we can do" mantra.

I do not know if the said seller ever got this reversed or not.

If I can find the posts on the weekly chats on this I may post them...

Added to the post a freight being forwarded should by eBays rules and policy lose all buyers protection.... Just saying.

soh.maryl · ‎08-04-2021

No one, and I emphasize NO ONE, whose posts you see here is being paid to post.

And have you not ever heard of the fact that eBayers can have more than one ID?

Some have a selling ID, a buying ID and a posting ID.

free.deal · ‎08-04-2021

For disputes related to freight forwarder address, my experience is as follows:

1) INR or "item not received", it is straightforward as long as you provided tracking information showing delivered to US address (signature with $750 sale);

2) IND or "item not as described", eBay requires buyer to ship the item back to refund. in the past, scammers just bought some cheap item online to your address to win the case, but it is not hard to appeal. This year I see scammers just provided with fake police reports and it is difficult to appeal because eBay won't release buyer's police report to the seller.

free.deal · ‎08-06-2021

@ittybitnot

Thank you for the great tip! I contacted eBay for business on Facebook on Tuesday and this morning my money magically sit in my account😀. I have no idea why eBay customer support on twitter gave me a different attitude, but this time customer support on Facebook did help me out after this 1 month fight.

Lesson learned. Police report is ultimate weapon buyers could use to overturn any proof sellers could provide. Unless eBay figures out how to crack down fake police report scam effectively, no more business with freight forwarder addresses.

downunder-61 · ‎08-06-2021

First post on the boards and you insult another member who gives their time freely to offer advice, well done.

@cocyclesports

********************************************************************
I have been imported from Australia and this is my posting ID

ittybitnot · ‎08-06-2021

Unless eBay figures out how to crack down fake police report scam

@free.deal

Thanks for the update on your situation. The regular eBay customer service will NOT verify the police report is real or bogus, nor if the fake tracking scam used for a 'return' is indeed invalid. I don't know whether they are NOT allowed to, or just won't. Most of the CS is outsourced to other countries, and a phone call to the local popo is probably too expensive. If they can make it so miserable that you just give up, they save eBay some money.

So much for eBay claims. If they go directly to their payment provider for a chargeback it will be more difficult. For a Payment Dispute of this sort the seller has no option for a "return for refund" or "send a return label." I would presume the scammers used the 'ebay system' because it repeatedly worked so well for them. They work this site 24/7, and they better have a LOT OF c.cards to run through to keep up the pace.

dbfolks166mt · ‎08-06-2021

Quite agree. Many sellers/buyers have more than one account. A number of people have mentioned that they have an account strictly for posting on this forum so of course it is not going to show any activity. It also provides them with a little bit of anonymity from anyone that might take inappropriate action against them for something they posted on the forum and the reader did not particularly like or agree with.