Ebay bidder: zmah0321 BEWARE!!!!!

[martinola]

Sorry about your ebay woes, Steve.

I agree with the others' advice: talk to a person at ebay. Have all of your evidence (emails, photos, etc.) at your fingertips and remind them that we're talking about a crime. Perhaps you've already thought of this, but it's good to remember that your buyer has committed the crime of fraud. The FBI has a cyber crime unit: http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx and you might get some help from the US Postal Inspector's office: https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/form ... laint.aspx Stick with it. We're pulling for you!

- Martin

[1923VictorFan]

Dear Steve, I've been an eBayer just over 10 years now and have been selling, off and on, for about 3 years. My favorite scam is where I ship the merchandise to the address the buyer submitted to eBay. Then a week later comes the "I never received my merchandise" e-mail. I back track through my paperwork because I keep a notebook where I physically write down every buyers e-Bay name, e-mail, delivery address and zip code. Low and behold, there is now a different address listed on eBay. I google-map both the new & old address to discover that they are just a few blocks apart. Sure it's a scam but when it's just a $10 item it's not worth the aggravation or potential ulcer. I politely tell them that I'm onto their scam but will still issue a full refund of all monies paid. Then I try to move on.
Thanks for your warning. Unfortunately it's all too easy for scam artists to simply create new accounts as soon as their current account starts getting too hot. There are lots of scammers on eBay but over all it's a great place to buy and sell. I guess its just an unfortunate part of the price of doing business online.

[Covah]

I duly purchased Air Mail service for shipping with additional insurance. The item was fully trackable and relied upon a signature at the other end... eBay has already refunded her the item cost plus international shipping

How do you track plus signature required on overseas shipments? Also, air mail must have cost a pretty penny.

Note eBay/PayPal fees are billed at 10% of shipping cost. Since it costs many times more to ship overseas any higher bids will be eaten up by this added fee.

You paid insurance? Then file a claim.

[Covah]

My favorite scam is where I ship the merchandise to the address the buyer submitted to eBay. Then a week later comes the "I never received my merchandise" e-mail.

They can say what they like as long you have tracking number.

Once a shipper copied my address wrong and the package went to my neighbor who was on vacation. The tracking showed "delivered" but I did not receive the package. The postman said he remembered delivering it so I filed a mail theft report with the police. Then the neighbor comes back from vacation, picks up his mail, and hands me the package. In such a case "signature confirmation" would have solved the problem.

[Steve]

Thank you to everyone who has sent in a reply with advice. As and when I hear more I will consider each and every one of your suggestions to counter this blatant fraud which, it appears to me, is not only permitted on Ebay but seemingly condoned by it.

It is not possible to speak to anyone who has authority in Ebay or whom precides over these so-called escalation claims.

I have a file of paperwork now for this one claim. I will, however hard it is, obtain the name of someone in Ebay who has a surname and is accountable and I will send my letter and supporting 'evidence' to them. It is my belief that Ebay is acting illegally and if this is true I will refer the matter to the courts.

[Steve]

How do you track plus signature required on overseas shipments? Also, air mail must have cost a pretty penny.

Note eBay/PayPal fees are billed at 10% of shipping cost. Since it costs many times more to ship overseas any higher bids will be eaten up by this added fee.

You paid insurance? Then file a claim.

Yes it was expensive: $50 equivalent and 10% of the item value BUT who is losing it? Well due to the nice folks at Ebay, me of course! So let's get this right: I sent an item in good faith and paid the shipping money for the best possible delivery service for the buyer. The item was very very well packed and has been delivered safely. Now 2 weeks later I do not have the item or the money for the item OR the money it cost me to send the item to a buyer who has not even got the honesty to contact Ebay and tell them what she has done wrong! If SHE spent 1/10 of the time I have spent trying to get through to Ebay and informed them that she no longer needs the refund, then I would not have had 3 days solid hassle and sleepless nights! This purpose has been cursed by a witch I know!

I can't file a claim because the item was not lost, damaged or stolen (well, the latter is debatable as the buyer apparently now has it without having to pay for it).

[Steve]

Sorry about your ebay woes, Steve.

I agree with the others' advice: talk to a person at ebay. Have all of your evidence (emails, photos, etc.) at your fingertips and remind them that we're talking about a crime. Perhaps you've already thought of this, but it's good to remember that your buyer has committed the crime of fraud. The FBI has a cyber crime unit: http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx and you might get some help from the US Postal Inspector's office: https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/form ... laint.aspx Stick with it. We're pulling for you!

Thanks Martin. I have done as you suggested and filed a complaint with the FBI cyber crime unit, IC3. Many thanks for that link.

The US Postal Office will be next to verify signatures at the address!

[brianu]

even though this is no small matter to you, relatively speaking, it doesn't seem like such a substantial amount of money, or such a significant fraud, that federal law enforcement would get involved... or that it would be worth the time and money pursuing this in court, particularly since you're in the UK and, I'm assuming, the "buyer" - term used very loosely - is in the US.

you received the payment before you sent the phonograph, right? and didn't the money that was transferred to you clear, such that you had it in your pocket, so to speak, or in your bank account - that being the case, I don't see how ebay or paypal can take it back from you on their own, automatically... unless the funds were being held by paypal or something. I'm a little confused. I get that you're out the machine, which apparently is in the buyer's hands, but how are you still out the money if you were paid prior to shipping the phonograph?

either way, it's terrible when these things happen, and it's terrible that they seem to be happening ever more frequently these days.

I recently had a difficult experience with paypal, someone was transferring some money to me for a non-ebay purchase, the funds were held for no reason, then they cleared, then they were held again with no explanation (meanwhile, someone was actually on the way to pick up the item). after several lengthy and stressful telephone calls to paypal people (minions and their supervisors in a couple different departments) by both me and the sender of the funds, things were cleared up. I can't imagine how long it would have taken if I tried to pursue this on paper, or through email or some other such indirect form. if I were in your position, I'd really be pursuing the matter as directly as possible, by phone.

[Steve]

The point is, Brian, that according to Ebay I now owe them in excess of $550 which they are claiming back from me. Yes, I did get that money before shipping but what use is it if i have to give it back and my a/c will be frozen?

[brianu]

The point is, Brian, that according to Ebay I now owe them in excess of $550 which they are claiming back from me. Yes, I did get that money before shipping but what use is it if i have to give it back and my a/c will be frozen?

well, at least you're not out the money itself for now, which should make it much less difficult to sort out with ebay... which, again, I'd really do by phone, and if you're not getting anywhere with the person you're speaking with, ask for the next higher up, and so on, until you get some answers (this worked for me with paypal on a couple of occasions, including the one I mentioned above). you clearly appear to be in the right here, and that just really seems to be the most direct and simple way to resolve the situation (at least to resolve the 550 that they're trying to bill you).