eBay

blokforge_usa · ‎12-15-2017

So to make a long story short, we sell expensive items on ebay, about $3000.00 each, data processors. One buyer purchased 7 of them, he had 10 positive feedback, been on ebay for about a year, paid right away, messaged thanks ect.. so felt it was ok as we had "seller protection".

After receiving the items and signing for htem he opened a claim for item not received, i submitted all info to ebay, and they closed the case showing he did receive them.

Than he opens a claim for all of them are broken, and they are all wrong. Ebay unfortunitly forced us to send them return labels to get the items back. We had documented photos of the items we shipped, serial numbers, weights of packages ect..... we messaged him multiple times with no response to any messages at all.

Buyer shipped back 7 different items worth nothing, and ebay refunded him.

We asked about an appeal, and said we cant appeal it, and also said seller protection does not cover us as we are a "business" and we should account for stuff like this.

I mean, is this really the norm? Where am i supposed to go from here. Coincidentally we see our similar items with serial numbers blocked out for sale now 5 miles from his zip code. This is crazy.

miraculousnoir · ‎12-16-2017

Just to make a comment about this reply, I think it also wise not to sell that much of an expensive item to one sole buyer online. Putting some sort of limit cap, like a quantity number (and alot of sites do this, even on small items) in your description or something would be wise in the future. Not sure how well a seller could enforce this, but the seller need not ship if a buyer decides to buy over the X amount that would be allowed. Especially if the cost of one of the items is in the thousands.

Like others have said, the OP seller should just go straight to the police or take legal action. Forget contacting eBay at this point. This is no small loss, the scamming buyer should NOT be able to get away with this.

Sorry this had to happen too. Good luck...I hope this buyer gets severely punished for their crimes.

chipper01work · ‎12-16-2017

@kensgiftshop wrote:
It sucks, but a buyer can send back any piece of junk laying around and we have to send them a full refund.
If they were shipped USPS, you can file a mail fraud case with them.
I would also let the buyer know that different items were returned so you are going to file a police report and a fraud case through USPS and ask them to help as much as they can with the case.

Shipping by USPS has nothing to do with it. Mail fraud is applicable to ALL private and commericial interstate carriers. It applies just as much to FedEx and UPS as it does the USPS.

"While mail fraud crimes often involve the use of the United States Postal Service, or USPS, you can also commit the crime when you use any interstate carrier, such as FedEx, UPS, or other delivery services. Mail fraud crimes apply to these businesses because the carriers cross state lines when they perform their services."

blokforge_usa · ‎12-23-2017

Just a followup. We submitted to ebay photos of the video from our shipping department, showing the items being packaged, labels going on, going on the fedex truck when shipped, same video of the return coming back, driver unloading differernt boxes, our shipper unpacking different items. Submitted police report we filed, FBI internet crime complaint, our purchae order for the product we sold from the manufacturer, our shippping weights and dims, return shipping weights and dims being different. Buyers other cases closed first for non receipt, than for damaged items, than last one we lost is for wrong items. We sent buyers LLC info with multiple addresses, and to top it off we send over the buyers other ebay account, selling our items he stole on another auction. Still lost the claim as " we as a business sould expect losses may occur and they will send us some links to help prevent them in the future."

So maybe i am missing something here, but what do you actually need to get covered under any type of seller protection?

gone_4_good · ‎12-23-2017

Have you contacted the police? File a report in his town and yours - he is in possession of stolen goods and guilty of theft possibly grand theft. Send the police report to ebay

simple_creations · ‎12-23-2017

I had this happen to me.......A buyer purchased $1000 worth of items, opened an case against me and returned different items....If this really happened to you then you need to contact Ebay.....Ebay WILL NOT offer this information to you but if you press Ebay hard enough what will happen is this. Ebay will ask you to file a police report.....You will then need to go down to your local police office and file a police report........The police will give you a report.........You will then fax the police report into Ebay.......If you were the seller and Ebay is holding funds from you, Ebay will then release your held funds.(once you fax in the police report).....Then Ebay will go after the buyer...But the most important thing is to file the police report.........You want to call Ebay and ask what needs to be done as far as filing the police report......Again, Ebay will not just come out and give you this info...You have to press them....Chances are if you call Ebay and speak with a regular customer service agent, the customer servie agent may not know what you need to do...especially if you get an Ebay customer service agent from India which is very likely...........Best time to call Ebay is around 4pm EST....ask to speak with a manager........This happned to me about 3 years ago so maybe Ebay might have changed their policy but I doubt it......I had my funds released once I faxed in the police report......

lja440 · ‎12-24-2017

@kensgiftshop wrote:
It sucks, but a buyer can send back any piece of junk laying around and we have to send them a full refund.
If they were shipped USPS, you can file a mail fraud case with them.
I would also let the buyer know that different items were returned so you are going to file a police report and a fraud case through USPS and ask them to help as much as they can with the case.

The carrier does not matter. Postal Inspectors handle fraud cases with all carriers.

aramintaca · ‎12-24-2017

@blokforge_usa wrote:
Just a followup. We submitted to ebay photos of the video from our shipping department, showing the items being packaged, labels going on, going on the fedex truck when shipped, same video of the return coming back, driver unloading differernt boxes, our shipper unpacking different items. Submitted police report we filed, FBI internet crime complaint, our purchae order for the product we sold from the manufacturer, our shippping weights and dims, return shipping weights and dims being different. Buyers other cases closed first for non receipt, than for damaged items, than last one we lost is for wrong items. We sent buyers LLC info with multiple addresses, and to top it off we send over the buyers other ebay account, selling our items he stole on another auction. Still lost the claim as " we as a business sould expect losses may occur and they will send us some links to help prevent them in the future."

So maybe i am missing something here, but what do you actually need to get covered under any type of seller protection?

What you need is to get your local news team involved. 20 thousand dollars worth of negative publicity from a news team which covers scams and fraud should do the trick.

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berserkerplanet · ‎12-25-2017

>>The carrier does not matter. Postal Inspectors handle fraud cases with all carriers.

That's what I thought, but I can't find any reference to it online anywhere any more.

imakesugar · ‎12-25-2017

$20,000. Is a lot of money! the amount should garner some Attention! Since it is a federal Jurisdiction I'd copy all My papers and see if the FBI would help!

Did You contact any of the other Sellers of items the Buyer bought? I have seen on eBay before the when every Seller complains about the same Buyer then MORE is done about it. I'd also take screenshots of any other things the Seller has for sale and the Things he has bought from others.

Did You call Trust and Safety on eBay about this??

Did You go to Your own PO and complain?

I have also heard sending/calling in information to the Better Business Bureau in San Jose, Ca. gets eBay attention?

Are You elderly? I guess the fines are higher IF this scam was pulled on an elderly person.

Try posting a message to eBay for business Page on Facebook? They read them pretty often.

mail-fraud

/mail-fraud.html is any thing taken across Interstate fraud including UPS and Fed Ex.

So Sorry this happened!

blokforge_usa · ‎12-26-2017

We did send police report, and FBI report to ebay. They didnt seem to care.

blijeolifantje · ‎12-26-2017

You can contact there local police and file a report . In most state anything stolen over $2000 is a felony. Tell your buyer that you will proceed that way and also file mail fraud with the Buyer.

I am not sure what will happen but that is a large amount and might be worth your while doing it. If you really want to proceed in small claims court then you can do that in their district too. See if you can file a police report in their area though.

b4b4b4b · ‎12-27-2017

I'm kind of just brainstorming with myself here and I have read the replies so far.

I could not imagine that kind of loss.

I will tell you, time is of the essense!

This is a felony, and your local police department is giving you the brush off ?? !! Did you go in person or call them (sorry if I missed this)? I would go in person, seems for $21 THOUSAND dollars your local police could call the police in the buyer's location and get a report started.

Although with this much money at stake I would see about a private investigator and attorney (hopefully wouldn't cost that much for a few hours of work), I say worth it rather than lose $21K.

I don't know perhaps they could arrange to have someone in another zip code (ie one of their relatatives or friends perhaps?) "ask seller a question" regarding the seller in a nearby zip code that has the product for sale on Ebay, try to ask questions, say it's a lot of money, and they need to have more pictures including the serial numbers and make up some story why they need the items? Then if you get photos of the serial numbers and they match yours, have the attorney/private investigator (working together?) to move on that info?

Like I said time is of the essense.

Also like I said, just brainstorming here with myself.

I would try to do things in person. Is there an FBI office in your area? Also I would see about filing fraud report in person at USPS ... rather than internet reports that probably sit for awhile.

Keeping my fingers crossed for you. 😞

Please please keep us up to date.

Tammy

New Hampshire

b4b4b4b · ‎12-27-2017

..... and of course the attorney/private investigator if they get some good information can communicate with the police....

b4b4b4b · ‎12-27-2017

So ebay refunds not $210.00 but $21,000 with ... like .... no questions asked ??????????? Omg.

I also like the idea about calling tv stations/consumer lines. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

blokforge_usa · ‎12-27-2017

Yea, we call and call ebay and the same thing, even though we sent proof of everything, photos, video clips, our items they stole being sold on buyers other accounts, they just say "sorry this is not something we can help you with" I would want evreyone to be very very weary it is that easy to scam sellers on here.....