Lost on ebay...

[The Negotiator]

After being registered since 2001 and 300 odd buys/sales (at a guess, my feedback is 100 % positive and 185) I finally have had my first actual loss.

I bid and won a Denon Tuner for 0.99 p, worth a fair bit more, paid the £5.99 including postage and waited, nothing. Checked the guys feedback (he was a new sale) and he had a positive one for a guitar, ok, fine, just delayed due to christmas. Never came...so I put in a claim with paypal.

Dear Paul *********,
After careful review, we have concluded our investigation of the Buyer Complaint described below.
We have decided in your favour, however, we were unable to recover any funds from the seller's account. As stated in the PayPal User Agreement, recovery of funds associated with a Buyer Complaint cannot be guaranteed.

Well that's a load of good isn't it...the seller did it to at least 2 other people according to his feedback, so now I have to work an hour extra in my life just to end up with the same money as I had before, he can work an hour less.

I have requested his contact details and received them, but they only give out name, town and his mobile number. Great. I forwarded him the contact details and stated that I expect my money back or will follow it up with further action. It's £6 but it's MY £6.

I can't believe paypal

 

[custard]

well paul having suffered a few losses especially when i was ebaying full time with xbox i can confirm paypal are next to useless.
ebay/PP like ot push the 'safety' of paypal but end of the day if you have a CC then use that as under UK law its a lot more helpful than PP

 

[The Negotiator]

Debit card unfortunately as CCs scare me so it stays for emergencies I know about the additional protection that a CC offers but I also know I would have to be organised to make it worthwhile.

I have emailed paypal but only out of anger, I thought they were always buyer-positive and took funds out whenever possible. They have the guy's bank details and address so shouldn't it be referred to the police? He has done it to at least 3 people and there's probably more that like me, haven't left feedback.

I might do what he has done, easy money

 

[custard]

you know paul whe you see what they get away with and the amount of money you could possibly make i see why(but never condone!)they do it.
i always report listing that scream dodgy to me but most still dont get pulled and run till finish.

 

[The Negotiator]

Well you know me, I can usually spot dodgy a mile away, but this guy was a genuine seller, his own pictures of items, selling a load of stuff he would have had in his attic and advertised poorly, like a real newbie. As far as I know, he only never sent the items because they got so little money, but that doesn't mean he can keep mine does it.

 

[Liam]

Agree with you there in your last post Paul, he likely thought this will make fortunes and when it didn't he decided to keep it!

However, how you can safely post a Tuner for 5.99 I'll never know, should've twigged then.

Go back and edit your hi-fi thread!

Liam

 

[beau]

i dont like ebay much tbh, i bought a bonnet about a year ago, paid £10 insurance, turned up damaged, never got a penny, bought a tv with 1 months garrantee, after 2 weeks it broke, never got a penny :bang: thats like £200... gone!

 

[vtec]

Touch wood, i havent been scalded yet, id recommend sticking to the "verified" paypal sellers because your much more likely to get your money back if it goes wrong and paypal cover you up to £500 i think.
Id never buy off anyone who has a low feedback score.,
I once bought a set of custom made car mats from a guy and they didnt arrive after a month and a half so i cantacted the seller and he wouldnt reply so launched a buyer dispute, in the end paypal rufunded me and the guy kept sending me threatening emails and after a week or so the mats arrived!

If he hadnt been such a pr*ck then i would have sent him the money and told him it was all cool but he told me he was going to find out where my house is and all that
Wahoooo! Freebies!

 

[Liam]

PP only gives buyer protection to sellers with 50+ feedbacks of which 98% must be +ve

Lim

 

[Randomman]

PayPal isnt worth the PayPer it's written on. I have heard numerous times of them never bothering to follow up the small claims. They take money fine, if they need to give a large sum back to maintain good publicity - fine, but if you loose <£10 they dont give a F.

 

[The Negotiator]

I give up with Paypal and they have given up with me, repeating the same autotext.

The Buyer Complaint Policy does not replace or reduce your consumer
rights you may have including reversal rights that may be granted by
your credit card issuer. For details regarding your chargeback rights
with your credit card issuer and their policies and procedures, please
contact them directly. We recommend that you attempt to resolve the
issue through any means available to you such as your credit card issuer
or law enforcement agency such as your local police station.

Was their last reply. I am bored of asking them for assistance and instead am considering reporting it as a non-emergency online crime, just in the hope that the police will at least give this idiot a scare, I don't expect ever to see my £5.99 back (LOL) but I feel like doing nothing would mean this guy gets clean off with other people's money.

 

[jug]

I bid and won a Denon Tuner for 0.99 p, worth a fair bit more, paid the £5.99 including postage and waited, nothing.
Checked the guys feedback (he was a new sale) and he had a positive one for a guitar, ok, fine, just delayed due to christmas. Never came...so I put in a claim with paypal.

a seller with a feedback rating of 1 is considered a very very high risk, much like having sex with a wall socket. surely you shouldnt be surprised if you get a shock. why do you think it went for 99p, an ebayer with your experience should know not to go near sellers like that.

 

[The Negotiator]

Well I have been on there for about 6 years, as above, and I know a traditional scam from a mile away, this however was just a new seller selling some crap from his attic. He didn't get enough for a number of items so didn't send them, whilst also the money disappeared from his paypal account (either he spent it, or removed it). I am happy to use sellers like that normally, since they are usually the most genuine and personal, and this is the first time I have lost out. It's just amazing that Paypal can say "yep, he stole from you" but not do anything about it.

It went for £0.99 as it's an old Denon tuner and would cost a fiver on a carboot, hence no demand. I would do it again, although next time I would get in contact before the sale ends as I normally do.

I just hate the fact that at least 2-3 other people have faced the same with this guy, and even if the total is £30, it's still £30 that's not his.

 

[jug]

i agree no matter what the amount paypal should have the legal power to recover funds from registered bank accounts and cards (which they do unless the bank or CC refuses to release funds). but when the person closes the account (the usual scam) there isnt really much paypal can do, they cant legally pursue the seller, and the police say it isnt their responsiblity to go after the scammers either. i thought theft and fraud were criminal matters? its a modern day problem that the legal system will take time to tackle, but hopefully there will be a solution one day, it needs to involve the police to have any effect. althought i think paypal should offer optional insurance to cover fraud or losses. if you deal outside paypal thats your risk, but paypal transactions should have protection against closed bank accounts, even if you have to pay for it.

 

[The Negotiator]

Exactly, they have records of this person stealing money and yet do nothing, it makes my blood boil. I don't expect paypal to give me the money, I expect them to help me get it back.