eBay automatically refunded buyer although I have generated return label and is awaiting item

[clickycatdeals]

Hi,

On Nov 27th this buyer bought a brand new iMac 2024 from me. The item was delivered to him and a few days later, he opened a case saying that the item was defective. (No idea how a brand-new iMac can be faulty). Then I accepted the return and provided him with the label. Today, eBay stepped in and issued a full refund to the buyer without me confirming that I received an item first. Here is the screenshot of the case. What did I do wrong here? How can I claim this is a false return?

[wastingtime101]

Best guess:

Buyer contacted eBay to say they used their own return label and gave eBay a tracking number. And it was a scammer with a fake tracking number.

Send a DM to one of eBay's social CS teams: ebay on facebook, ebayforsellers on insta, askebay on X

[stainlessenginecovers]

Just another thought on your thoughts of 'how can a Brand New blah blah be faulty?' Has happened for over a century. Cars, Washing Machines, Refrigerators, TVs, Computers, Phones, Drills, Saws you name it. Things are DOA all the time.

Although I agree with @wastingtime101 , probably a scammer that gave another tracking number. 

[12345jamesstamps]

I don't see the item sold on this account. Am I missing something?

"Sorry can't accept returns."...Sounds like there was a delay in the claim.

Is it possible you waited too long to send a return label?

[wastingtime101]

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@12345jamesstamps wrote:

I don't see the item sold on this account. Am I missing something?

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https://www.ebay.com/itm/286168783658

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@12345jamesstamps wrote:

Is it possible you waited too long to send a return label?

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No. Timelines shown in screenshot indicate seller approved return within eBay's timeframe for sellers to respond to return requests.

[clickycatdeals]

Thank you. Just thought how could ebay approve this so quickly with just a fake tracking number. I have contacted all the customer support. Hopefully I can get some justice here

[iamcara]

I thought the refund was to be sent by the seller after the item is delivered to the seller's address, as in the item would be in your hands before you issue a refund?

[iamcara]

Are you saying that the buyer provided eBay with a tracking number that shows the return as delivered? Was your address on the fraudulent tracking number?

[robbie31415]

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@wastingtime101 wrote:

Best guess:

Buyer contacted eBay to say they used their own return label and gave eBay a tracking number. And it was a scammer with a fake tracking number.

Send a DM to one of eBay's social CS teams: ebay on facebook, ebayforsellers on insta, askebay on X

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Agreed.

I know this scam, but I'm curious on how eBay can help, and what they will do.

Will eBay give you the tracking number? So you can get a statement from the carrier?

When they alter the sellers label, it's easier to get evidence, but in this case, the system doesn't show the seller the tracking.

I haven't had this happen to me, but this information would be very helpful to combat it if I ever ran into it.

[gurlcat]

But if that screenshot is current, the tracking number still doesn't show any scans, regardless of who provided it to the system.  So they didn't even ship back a face mask or anything.   Then what could have possibly made today the day that the seller's funds could be snatched, if not a delivery scan?    And considering it shows the label pre-shipment date being Dec. 1st -that is only a week ago.  That's not anywhere near enough to treat the package as lost, if it DID have any scans. 

Also @clickycatdeals  that tracking number in the screenshot -is that the same number of the label you purchased and issued? 

[clickycatdeals]

That's the shipping label I provided to the buyer through eBay. After I accepted the return, I provided him with the label on November 30th. He has not shipped any items back yet, and today, suddenly, the case was opened and closed within 5 minutes (I did not have time to react), and the funds were issued back to him.

At least eBay should check the return or let me proceed the refund etc some how. This is just ridiculous.

[gurlcat]

If eBay allows returns to have "secret" tracking that the seller can't see ... ESPECIALLY if it's something expensive that could be stolen from their porch because they had no idea what day it would arrive, not to mention the obvious scammability factor .... I mean that's the level of thing where I'd be one of these "lawsuit"-raving, "I'm LEAVING"-screaming posters.  That would be beyond crooked. 

[gurlcat]

OH!  One more thing -Even if the buyer used a fake tracking number and its' delivery scan occurred long enough ago to force the refund (48 hours prior, right?) .... then wouldn't the OP have received a message the day it was supposedly delivered, prompting them to issue the refund?  -I always do. 

[clickycatdeals]

I accepted the return within the time limit and provided the buyer with the return label. 

Then, he somehow can open the case with Ebay and Ebay decided in his favor in just 5 minutes. I don't have any time to react at all.

At least eBay should let me have time to provide the refund manually (given the fact that they already held fund from me). Or give me time to present my case. In this case, no time to react. I did not receive the item and the refund was already automatically issued.

Think about if 1000 buyers do this what would happen? It would destroy the marketplace right away.

[gurlcat]

Your screenshot shows the Appeal Details.  Do you still see a separate Return Details page?  -Like maybe if you click on that blue string of numbers for Return ID. 
Reason I ask: I don't see any notation of what the buyer's "case" was regarding, nor does it say that eBay found in the buyer's favor (just says 'resolved'), and if they did find in the buyer's favor it doesnt' say why.  That should be SOMEWHERE?  Was there any more information in an email?  Also did you receive any other emails -FROM EBAY (not the buyer) in the days since you provided the return label?  Like one saying "Your return item had been delivered to you, please inspect the item and issue the buyer's refund.  You have until such-n-such date, or we may step in."