Hi all,

I have been scammed on eBay so thought I would share the details in the hope that no one else gets caught out by them as eBay are no help at all.

On the 26/11/13 I sell a set of ARP headstuds for £184, positive feedback left by the buyer 27/11/13.

On the 20/12/13 I get this email:

"hi. just got a phone call from the guy that's building my engine and he said im a washer, nut and stud short and that there should be 12.. When I recived them I counted 11 in there but thought I only needed 10 and that they give you a spare but what do I no. If you could pop it in the post asap as is holding him up. Many thanks"

I contact ARP who tell me that each box is weighed to make sure that this cant happen. Each box has the date, weight, batch number ect stamped onto the box and is checked as part of their QC procedures. Conveniently the buyer has thrown the box away!

As further proof that the box was complete I have the postage receipt proving the weight of the package when it left me. This weight is consistent with all of the other sets I have sold previously.

Buyer then opens a case, eBay advises buyer to send back the package for a full refund. Buyer returns standard head studs that are completely worthless but because he provides proof of postage eBay refund him in full from my account. I appeal the case telling eBay that I have proof the original box was intact and that the buyer has sent me back basically rubbish and they uphold the original decision!

So basically I lose £184 and am now the owner of 11 standard used head studs to use as paper weights!

Dave

 

Sorry to hear this Dave.
Trouble is it's too easy to run a scam like this if you're inclined that way.
Apart from you putting in a personal appearance at the fellas front door there's almost no chance to put things right. I feel your pain.

 

This is why Ebay is ****e

 

that sucks, I feel that ebay shouldn't allow cases to be raised after feedback has been left. That why I always wait a short while before I leave feedback for others, so I can make sure that I'm satisfied with the item

 

Exactly this. I cant believe how easy it has been for him to rob me.

eBay's resolution centre and appeals process seems totally automated. Even when you call them they are worse than useless.

 

Small claims court?

 

On the 26/11/13 I sell a set of ARP headstuds for £184, positive feedback left by the buyer 27/11/13

how did he open a case after he left feedback

 

Just looking into that.

 

Apparently there is nothing to stop you doing that.

 

So he has them for nearly a month and then says that one is missing? I would contact eBay and threaten to send them the bill or take them to court.

I reckon the builder either snapped a stud or as you say, the buyer is trying to scam you.

 

Ffs that is crap, hope you sort something.

 

There are forums now to help out people who have been burned on eBay, it seems sellers are getting de-frauded more than buyers these days.

eBay themselves are possibly the worse offender of screwing people over.

Such a sorry state of a country we live in now.

 

Intresting read, now im a business user on paypal but i have found them to be great.

I had a buyer purchase a fuel pump on ebay which i posted to Austria to his registered address. Couple of weeks go by and then he mails to say not received. We sent it Royal mail tracked and helpfull guy at royal mail supplied details of how to track RM international signed for in Europe here https://gls-group.eu/EU/en/parcel-tracking royal mails tracking numbers work.

So i tracked to see attempted delivery with the customer and he was carded, he didn't respond to the card so the item was taken to Germany which is the main hub sorting office as Austria apparently doesn't have one.

By this point he has opened a PayPal dispute case. First thing i did was ring business support they checked the tracking details also as they use the same system RM advised me to check on, He saw attempted delivery and parcel was in the hub. He asked me to email a scan of the postage receipt to prove i posted to correct address which i did while on the phone. He received that and advised he was closing the case in my favour as i had sent the item and he was the one not making an effort to receive it.

Been a business and a decent guy i said when closing the case can you advise if it gets returned to sender i will post him it back at my cost. Paypals reply was your are not required to and i cant add the note.

Basically i won the case very easily. Maybe you should call them as it seems to work well.

I then emailed the customer and advise if it did get returned to sender i would post him it out again at my cost to be decent over it as im not trying to rip him off.

Still not had the pump back and he still emails asking for a replacement sending and refuses to call the number on the "while you were out card"

I assume he may have the pump and is just trying for a second one maybe.

 

Yeah I think a stud was threaded or just plain lost. As if ARP would give a spare on such an expensive item!

 

Paypal and eBay are the same company. They refuse to help. The only proof they require is that the buyer sent something back. As long as they have that its job done as far as they are concerned.

 

Something to be aware of is that you can open a case in paypal and you won't get notified if you dont log into paypal. If you don't respond it's decided in the buyers favour! Theres no notification from ebay either.

 

Dont suppose you are interested in 11 standard used head studs are you? Might come in useful on a build.

 

You get an email the second a case is opened. Only way you don't is if they don't have your up to date email

 

sorry to read the above, there are some real crappy people about these days, I had this happen to me , sold a very expensive item and was returned with a big crack in it, im pretty certain the item was swapped there end for the broken unit, but I hadn't taken record of the id bar code on said unit. very clever ! but very dum. these people are simply criminals going about there day to day planned scams. normally unhappy people and not the kind of people u would want to know. but as they say ! what goes around comes around......

 

i had simlaer case, fight it, ring them and also contract finaincial odbunsman(however you spell it lol), ebay **** themselves right away, i had a refund of 500 pound after i got them involved, end of the day they not returned what you sent, you need send them a pic of the wrong parts sent back

 

100% agree

E bay and PayPal advise you that their decision is final, i assure you its not. Financial Ombudsman have the last say.

 

Not a route I had thought of. I will look into it. Thanks for the help.

 

OK I have raised a case with the financial ombudsman against Paypal.

You cant raise a case against eBay as they are not a financial company.

Paypal have 8 weeks to respond to the FO. If they dont I can pass it to the FO to progress further.

Also rung Paypal, they are not interested in helping as eBay resolved it.

 

Have you got a link to the seller?

 

Seller is me. Buyer is:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/whodareswins.11

Why?

 

thats how you spell it lol i even had compo of 50 pound too lol

 

Well that got me no where either! Paypal's response to the Financial Ombudsman case:

As this claim was filed through eBay’s dispute system, PayPal has no control over the outcome of this claim.

The Financial Ombudsman wont help me with a case against eBay as they are not a financial company!

 

Sorry to hear that fella. Not sure what else to suggest. Ebay and Paypal are the same company as far as I know. May be it is time to get a solicitors letter drafted.

 

And yet PP is an eBay company!
Sounds like Catch22 to me

 

Aye - Paypal should be answerable as their ties with eBay and its decision making processes means there is a conflict of interest in making a decision. The Ombusdsman should be the mediator....not eBay as they have vested interests, and a letter to the ombudsman citing this conflict of interest should be given, and saying that the Ombudsman should re-review it. (albeit in better worded and more concise legal speak).

i.e financially, its not in Paypal's best interest to give refunds as they'd make a loss. And its using its partner company 'eBay' as a mediator to circumvent their responsibilities to the FSA. Thats a conflict of interest IMHO.