eBay

davebhop · ‎05-10-2018

I recently sold a BRAND NEW $6500 embroidery machine. The customer had the machine for 2-3 days then opened a NOT AS DESCRIBED case. I sent return FedEx label and received the return a week later. when I opened the box there was a very used $1500 embroidery machine inside. I immediately contacted eBay and gave them the serial number of the item I shipped and the serial number of the item that was returned. I sent pictures of the item that was sent and pictures of the item received on the return. I filed a police report. I contacted FedEx and found the return shipment weighed 15 pounds less than the original shipment. I contacted the customer to see if there was a mistake on the item the returned. They told me they did not know what I was talking about.

This is what eBay told me... There was nothing we could or would do. because the customer did not admit to the fraud in the emails. They told me I was on my own and that they would send the full refund! at the end of the case's waiting period.

I then contacted Paypal and was told they only protected buyers and that sellers are on there own. And that I should hire a lawyer and open a civil case against the buyer. MY HEAD ALMOST POPPED OFF!

So sellers, I would just like you to know you are not protected from buyer scams on expensive items... by eBay or Paypal and for you scammers buying expensive items and then returning inexpensive items...IT WORKS. And works very well!

Need to upgrade your equipment? just buy new and send back your old wore out item. Ebay and paypal will help you. Just remember never admit to what you are doing in email! And you will get it for free!

jbos2466 · ‎07-15-2018

Also,

Please keep in mind Amazon just recently cracked down on return scams... It even made the news Many scams were going on. People buying broke or used things at auction then buying the item new from Amazon and returning the broke defective one in place of the new item. People sending used factory car parts back in place of high dollar new aftermarket parts. People sending back lower model items for much higher end items. People strippping valuable parts or batteries out of items. Amazon has banned a lot of these professinal scam artist. They even are banning buyers with a history of returns in general.

So now all these scammers lost their gold mine ......

BOOM Ebay changes their policies and now all these scammers have a new similar platform they can scam on.

This is a scary scary thing for sellers. Litterally have 0 protection for anything you sell. Ebay is saying you should factor in getting scammed through their process as a cost of doing buisness. This is almost an exact quote from an American customer service agent.

twnpopcards · ‎07-15-2018

@caninekopz wrote:
Dave any updates?

Rich

I will let him explain all the fun details, but Ebay, as usual sided with the buyer.

castlemagicmemories · ‎07-15-2018

It's sad that there are people in this world who would do that.

dirk12955 · ‎07-15-2018

@davebhop wrote:
I contacted the police in the city he lives in and they only take reports in person, not over the phone. They have to wait until my local police contact them. Ebay is going to do the refund to the scammer on Friday, so I'm screwed! Thanks for the info on the Trust and Safty.

For $5,000.00 or $6500.00 I would fly myself to the buyers city and get a Police report.

fab_finds4u · ‎07-16-2018

SMDH This is just wack. Messed up for real. Hon, it coulda been 28K. See here.

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Archive-Shipping-Returns/Buyers-sends-back-empty-box-we-are-told-to-is...

What's pzpoor on eBay's part is what they plastered on the site here to give sellers a false sense of security.

"If the buyer returns a different item, or the same item but in worse condition, the seller should appeal to eBay immediately. We'll review the case, and if we find in the seller's favor we'll repay the seller any refund sent to the buyer, and record the incident on the buyer's record. If a pattern emerges, we'll take action against the buyer for fraud. We also track the number of times a seller reports that this happens, to monitor for potential abuse. "

Sellers trust eBay to stand by that statement! But it's nothing but lip service.

Does eBay review the case and restore the money back to the seller? They will return the money if they "find in the seller's favor" but sorry, they can't find in your favor because they won't be able to determine who is lying, you or the buyer. You could be lying and sent the buyer the $1500 machine and they're only returning what they received. The difference in package weight could be explained by one person's packaging materials over the other. See where this is going? I don't believe you'll win the appeal. I believe you got scammed but I'm not the one that gets to decide.

brian@ebay · ‎07-16-2018

@southern*sweet*tea wrote:

@davebhop wrote:

new update!

eBay is now trying to double bill me! They took the paypal $6500 they had on hold they then took $188.00 fee because I lost the case. Now they have made 2 attempts on my credit card of 6500.00

I denied the claims and told my credit card company it was fraudulant...so they blocked the charge.

So this morning I awoke to this email...

Hi Dave,

You'll see the $6,500.00 for case #5169789xxx for Janome mb-7 Commercial 7 needle embroidery machine, Home Business ready NEW on your next invoice.

We refunded xxxxxxbuyerxxxxx and closed this case. You can see the case details in the Resolution Center.

So I looked at my account and they are now saying I owe $6500 again (see included picture)

eBay is the most incompetent sales venue ever!

alan@ebay

brian@ebay

WHY?

Hi @davebhop, I'm going to have your case reviewed today by a specialist. We'll update you through email when we have more information. Thanks for the tag, @southern*sweet*tea!

Brian,
Community Team

abfabvintage · ‎07-16-2018

@fab_finds4u

Hi, this thread started in May. One poster called up a Blue in May to help out. Now as of July 16 there is a reply from eBay..if they had gotten involved early on as was suggested by one poster to possibly put this case on hold until investigated, it would not have gone this far and caused the OP even more stress. Just unbelievable. Thanks for listening. P.S. I know Blues try harder, but this case should have been looked into very early on.

I ain't got the brains to make this up (Fantastic Beasts)

jaring · ‎07-17-2018

Found this thread featured on ecommercebytes this morning.

selling-4-paws · ‎07-17-2018

Thanks ecommercebytes for the heads up. I have been leary selling anything over 100 dollars anymore. I remember selling items for over 1000 dollars every week and never had a hint of not being backed up by eBay. This story however is the final nail for me, pretty **bleep** convincing the seller protection on the wrong item being sent back is **bleep**.

How disgusting that a company decided to really look into this months later.

I would assume the dollar amount is high enough that some of the media outlets would pick this up?

I will be happy to share this on all the facebook groups as I have not seen this story on any of them.

imakesugar · ‎07-17-2018

Op I have read every post,about this. I am just sick about it and I feel so bad.

"We got Your back" seems to be a totally lie. I have some nice stuff to sell. Maybe I "got Your back" Is only to hold You down while being a catcher...

I really hope the Man who stole Your machine is prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

Me? i'd take this and put up a You tube video. Something Like I was ripped off by a sewer in NY on eBay. Tell Your story. I saw one You tube about a person who stole a car engine. The person went back and got it. it was enertaining and enlighting. ebay did the same to him. He did get his engine back! I'd expose Your 'con for the world to see.

I presume that you know the machine and what it does. I'd drive to his shop with an accomplice. Preferably a man. and another women. I'd have the other women go in and act like I had a contract for a large company in NY. I'd have a job ready that I though that only that machine would do. I would make it real professional and ask about the machines the owner had and the capability of his machines. I'd ask to see them. ( try and talk about a job ONLY that machine would do.) The person could ask to see his machines and check to see If his shop was modern enough to do the hard 5 figure job that You are taking estimates on.

I'd also bundle up the machine he sent You. I still think finger prints and even the DNA on the machine You got back would Have DNA and fingerprints on it to match the con artist. From what I've read on other posts IF You do all the investigating then they probably would handle the case. it is in the felony class already. I am pretty sure that IF You had enough information for the he said You said **bleep** to be eliminated then the "Con" would be easy to convict.

I do think it would be a good idea to find out IF the company the machine he sent You had a warrantee on it. You might pretent to be checking to see If it was stolen. Say You bought it and wanted to make sure it wasn't stolen from the person You bought it from before You sold it. You can give the person's name that you Sold Your machine to and see what they said. Maybe he ripped that machine off also or they would say that IT was bought in his name and then You have a link back to the "con"

I think privacy that is in place Now versus the old eBay does make it harder to see what he is buying. Like others have said. Start doing reviews of the "cons" business. Make it public on every search that lets You discuss businesses. Google, yelp. yellow pages, etc. Make it so the man wants to get the money back to You. Usually it is businesses that use embrodery for caps, uniform etc. That could put him and his business in jeopardy. It might get more attention from his local athorities.

I have possitive thoughts going Your way and hopefully You get Your money back. again I am so sorry that You have to deal with this. Just too sad...

Hopefully, some nuts would fall off of the tree to help You with this problem.

I have expensive things to sell and I know NOW that I wouldn't sell them on eBay. That is why their company is 3rd instead of first like Amazon!

firstbase1515 · ‎07-17-2018

You can try reporting here as wel

jester-king · ‎07-17-2018

started on eBay over 20 years ago. In those days we had to wait on the check to clear before mailing out. Sadly, I think it is time to move on. What was once a great idea and well executed business has become a haven for thieves and liars fully embraced by the eBay staff. They adore their scammers like beloved children protecting and coddling them all the way to bankruptcy. My suggestion is a nice and ginormous class action suite against ebay for accessory to fraud and theft. their are enough of us who have been scammed to make it work.

jester-king · ‎07-17-2018

if that were true they would NOT refund the money and have the buyer take the seller to court. Instead they became an accessory to theft and fraud by choice having seized money from the victim and given it to the criminal.

readabouthorses · ‎07-17-2018

@jester-king wrote:
if that were true they would NOT refund the money and have the buyer take the seller to court. Instead they became an accessory to theft and fraud by choice having seized money from the victim and given it to the criminal.

I agree. Ebay may not think they are involved in the actual crime but they are driving the getaway car.