eBay sides with scammer buyer x2

[temptingauctions]

Hello, first time posting. What has happened to me is so ludacris & unjust that I felt the need to post about it. Lots of details so try to follow me with all of this;

I sold a 21k gold bracelet on a best offer  to buyer in Bulgaria back in January. The buyer asked me to lie on customs form & not write gold or value. I shipped registered mail & buyer receives package 10 days later & signs for package.  A day later she contacts me to claim the bracelet wasn’t inside the box in the package, and how we could take care of this situation in a “friendly way”.  Buyer refused to send me any photos of packaging, or answer any of my questions. The buyer then opens up a claim (through eBay.de/Germany) & after a couple of weeks, eBay Germany decided in buyers favor. All 400$ refunded to buyer by PayPal. In order to appeal, I have to try to fill out a form in (eBay)German, which I cannot do. 

I knew the whole time this buyer was scamming me by the tone of her messages plus refusal to send photos etc.  Apparently she submitted some kind of police report to eBay for proof of theft in her country. That’s all they needed to side in her favor. 

I decide to look into her feedback & I contacted a few other sellers on ebay that have sold to her. There is another seller that has just been scammed by this SAME buyer. 500$ in gold was on its way to the buyer last week. I’ve been communicating with this other seller & the very day her 500$ worth of gold arrived in Bulgaria, delivered to this same buyer, she immediately opens up a item not received case with the other seller via PayPal. Didn’t even bother to message this other seller or eBay, went through PayPal. Paypal has now decided in her buyers favor. So this other seller is out 500$ now. We have both been scammed by the same buyer. 

I have been on the phone with PayPal, eBay, ebay messenger through Facebook, eBay Germany messenger, and they literally keep telling me there’s nothing that can be done & good luck with future selling.  The thing is, eBay knew this buyer was suspicious to begin with because they restricted this buyer’s account to only buying, no selling For awhile now. Before I even had any issues. PayPal the same. PayPal already had this buyer flagged for suspicious activity. So both eBay & PayPal have basically allowed this person to continue to rip off people, for a long time now. eBay just suspended the buyers account last week. 

So I am out 400$ and the other seller is out 500$ and eBay & PayPal will not do anything. They just keep siding with the buyer. I’d be willing to bet there’s a lot more sellers out there that have been scammed by this buyer.  

Wondering if if there’s anything else I can do? That money is rightfully ours. This whole thing has been so unfair. 

[monster-deals]

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@temptingauctions wrote:

I sold a 21k gold bracelet on a best offer  to buyer in Bulgaria

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Next time say that out loud to another person first before deciding if it is worth the effort.

[temptingauctions]

I know, I know. No more gold out of the country! 

But how can ebay side with the buyer!? I’m sure they are well aware of the scams. 

[extrememobility]

Wondering if if there’s anything else I can do? That money is rightfully ours. This whole thing has been so unfair.                       You were targeted because of the valve you placed on the item                                            

[extrememobility]

Sorry did not finish before loosing page, please disregard last post? What i was trying to say was you were targeted by this scammer because of the value you placed on your item, every detail about this sale wreaks SCAM " sending overseas and not disclosing value or contents of the package so as not leave a trail? so sorry for you! I hate seeing scumbags get away with this **bleep**

[castlemagicmemories]

So sorry this happened to you!

Did you check the reliability of Bulgaria's system?  There are some countries that it is not a good idea to ship to.  Of course, this is hindsight and a moot point since you won't be selling internationally any longer.

While you can ask a buyer for pictures, eBay does not require them to provide pictures.

 Again so sorry for this loss.

[mudville_nine]

This isn't the response you're looking for, but perhaps it will help you going forward. I NEVER sell outside of the USA. N-E-V-E-R. Last I knew, all International Buyers had UNCONFIRMED ADDRESSES with Paypal (save for some in Canada, but you get the point). This means all they have to do is cry foul, and Paypal refunds them their money - 100% - and the seller is S.O.L.. 

Yes, this Bulgarian dirtbag ripped you off - and that's not right. However, you must assume some responsibility here, especially if you shipped to an UNCONFIRMED ADDRESS. But regardless, and as a previous poster already stated, this transaction reeked of ripoff from the get-go.

Keep in within the borders of the United States. Chuck Berry had it right; "Anything you want we got right here in the USA!".

[gracieallen01]

There is always the chance that she did receive an empty package, but it should have had a notation with it.

It is illegal to ship gold into Bulgaria and it may have been confiscated.  I mean, besides the fact that that it was the perfect scam item.

Always, with International shipments, look up on Postal Explorer what is not legal to send into another country.

[4pawsfundraiser]

I have friends that has had this happen to them that's why when I sell... I wont sell anywhere outside of the US so if I need too, I can take the buyer to court.  Restrict who can bid on your acct.  Ebay has always favored the buyer. They took away the option to give a buyer negative feedback which shud have set off red flags for all of us sellers.  I had 3 bad experiences with a buyer and quite honestly it's not worth all the headache anymore. I used to list so much but the time you put into taking pictures, adding a description and listing.. it's a lot of work and then u get that buyer.. who rips u off only to find out.. ebay wont back you.  I also cross post all my items on local apps etc and so far.. other then the higher end items.. I have been killing it cash in hand with no middle man.  I meet and great people in person and it's awesome plus I have excellent ratings on my other sites with no issues. Ebay doesnt care. This site has gone down so much. Sales are horrible. It's become a penny auction. It shouldnt be that much longer before .. ebay losses it all. I'm going to try and sell my higher end items for a few more weeks.. then I'm outta here.  Good luck!

[cashvaluerecovery2011]

To answer your question...easily. Why they side with the buyer when they know its a scam? Because that is how ebay and paypal make money. They let it go on with a buyer until the pain outweighs the profit.

[pvcliff]

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@monster-deals wrote:

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@temptingauctions wrote:

I sold a 21k gold bracelet on a best offer  to buyer in Bulgaria

---

Next time say that out loud to another person first before deciding if it is worth the effort.

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Just me and the cats this morning. All three of us said, "well there's the problem" when I read the first sentence of the OP's problem aloud. Then we all laughed merrily at your post!

[temptingauctions]

I know now. She ripped us both off. I did insure it. So hopefully the post office comes through. I should have known. I’m not a high volume seller so the 400$ really hurt me. I’m such an honest person by nature and wasn’t even thinking when I shipped it. I thought if I sent it registered & insured, it would be fine. 🤦🏻‍♀️

[temptingauctions]

I was giving her the benefit of doubt at first, thinking just maybe she was stolen from by customs or confiscated. But now this other seller is ripped off 3 weeks later by same buyer...  

I knew when she refused to send me any photos of packaging that she was lying.

Such a bummer! 

[pctech007]

I am an eBay seller and I have sold some goods overseas. Thing is, I noticed in the global shipping program, all of my international buyers had confirmed addresses. I recently declined a sale as I suspect the person is acting as a middle man for the actual buyer in France. He provided me a phone number claiming "we can talk better here" and I did not feel comfortable giving my goods to this person after we talked. So I blocked the account.

I feel bad for the person who got scammed but I always check the addresses regardless if its in the USA or not. That is something you cant pass up but hey, It happens to the best of us. I was a victim of a scammer with a total loss of $495. eBay didn't help but provide me with a dead end phone number to the buyer but I know scammers can spoof it. So I chalked it as lesson learned.

[ronmacungie]

And do not forget....you can not give a buyer not matter how bad they were with a transaction

a negative....e bay does not allow so....