The old switcharoo

[pepper1202]

I had a potential buyer message me with many questions about an item. From the drift of her questions, she instinctively sounded like trouble so I plainly told her “it sounds like this item may not be for you based on your concerns”. No sooner did I send her that message than she bought it. Today of course I get a message that she wants to return it because one component of the set was sticky inside. I KNOW this is not true because I packed other components of the set inside of it. I have agreed to the return, even though I say no returns, items as is, and I KNOW I’ll be getting back a different item than the one I sent her. I’m pretty sure she is upgrading a set she already has based on the questions. I know there’s not much else I can do but grin and bear it even though if it what comes back is not what I sold her. What do you all do in this situation? (Of course she is now on my blocked bidder list)

[castlemagicmemories]

Hopefully you get back your item.  

Next time, (although hopefully there will never be a next time like this!) block first, then message.  

Or just block, period.

I'm sorry you got this buyer and have to go through this.  

[dtexley3]

You can also do any or all of the following.  It may not help you, but it very well may help another seller down the line.

Please take the following additional steps.  They take time, but eventually it will catch up with the scammer.   eBay expects us to "act like a business" and fraud "is just part of the cost".  But we do have rights and we do have ways that we can reduce the cost and help each other.

1. File mail fraud with USPS.  

2. File fraud complaint with ic3.gov

3. File with your local PD.  Insist on them taking a full report, and forwarding a copy to the buyer's PD.  With some departments you have to be insistent, remind them that mail fraud is a felony, not a civil matter.  Tell them a police report is required to make a claim with eBay.

4. Collect copies and records of all the above.

5. Call eBay and ask for Trust and Safety, supply all of the above documentation.

6. If eBay closes in the buyer's favor, open an appeal and repeat.

It can be a lot of work for relatively small amounts of money, but if the buyer is a repeat scammer eventually the reports will have the proper result.

[extrememobility]

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@pepper1202 wrote:

I had a potential buyer message me with many questions about an item. From the drift of her questions, she instinctively sounded like trouble so I plainly told her “it sounds like this item may not be for you based on your concerns”.         Excellent" the next step for you was to block the buyer immediately!   Most of the time When these buyers do not get what they want they will get even and this issue proves that! The same goes for buyers that make stupid low ball offers even thought you did not list best offer.

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[castlemagicmemories]

Since the OP messaged first, the buyer had already bought before she had the chance to block.

It is no longer a violation to make an offer on a listing that does not have Make an Offer on it.  Ebay changed that quite some time ago.  Now anyone can make an offer on any listing, whether or not Best Offer or Make An Offer is on the listing.

[ed8108]

Good

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@pepper1202 wrote:

What do you all do in this situation? (Of course she is now on my blocked bidder list)

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Good ebay customer service should dictate assisting this buyer with advice as to how to appropriately address this  "sticky" issue, & thereby avoid the costs & inconvenience of a

return. 

[ittybitnot]

 What do you all do in this situation?

If you get something back that was not yours, ebay basically requires you to "suck it up, buttercup".  You can file the reports as suggest  in the above posts if you like.  Though eBay says a buyer is supposed to "return the item in the condition received" it does not matter if they do or not as that is not a requirement for a buyer to get a refund from your proceeds.  

[crimsonred123]

You can report the buyer in the Resolution Center since returning the wrong item is a violation of Ebay policy.  Not to sure what that will do for you but it is the least you can do.  You can also call Ebay.  I would report first then call Ebay and see what they can do.

[crimsonred123]

You can report the buyer here https://spd.ebay.com/RBASellerHub

[mypostingid15]

The old switcharoo? Why not wait before making a judgement?

[jeannicho22]

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@mypostingid15 wrote:

The old switcharoo? Why not wait before making a judgement?

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Sure.... The OP should, but just for fun, wanna make a wager on what comes back?

[fiftee5chevee]

Just Curious...what did you sell?

[pepper1202]

NOW the buyer says she’s waiting for the return shipping label. I went through the return process and the fee has been deducted from my PayPal account so what is she up to now? 

[castlemagicmemories]

The return label would be in the case.  If she cannot find it, she can call eBay CS and they can help her.

[jeannicho22]

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@castlemagicmemories wrote:

The return label would be in the case.  If she cannot find it, she can call eBay CS and they can help her.

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Yeah, and I wouldn't suggest that to her.  I would just wait for it to time out.  She can then go to PayPal and claim INAD, but she has to pay return shipping. 

Let the games begin.