Sharing the experience of overseas scam, hope it helps you

[vic_tools_home]

Listed a water damaged camera body for auction at eBay, started with 0.99 and no reserve price. Ended $576 or so, by an international buyer from middle east Bahrain. I wasn't even intended to involve International buyer in the first place but since it won by an international buyer I thought I don't have the choice but continue the transaction. 

Postage costed my anohter $65 or so. 

I asked the buyer if he want his item to be insured but he said no.

Aafter 5 days he SIGNED for the parcel, a return case opened against me for "item arrived as damaged", he uploaded pictures to show that screens have been damaged (but camera shelf is in excellent condition). I know it is totally bull**bleep** as I used creazy amount of bubbles to make a safe trip along with other materials inside the package.There is no way to have that kind of side-damage but few cars crashed over precised area or it has been taken out to put into a microwave for 10min. 

This crook is likely to took away the parts he needed and replaced with damaged or just simply manually crashed the screens and mirror inside to get money back, I am totally **bleep** off for this disgusting move. 

Due to the eBay policy I have to offer him a full refund, that is how eBay runs while this crook do not even need to post it back. 

I paid my lesson, hope this would help you when you plan to sell something high valued overseas through eBay and PayPal, I do have transactions between UK, US, CANADA while customers in these countries never get even one fault. No amount they stole would change the status of wealth but grinding, focused work with decency, honor and loyalty.

Still prefer to do local business national wide.

[lyndal1838]

It was listed as water damaged......it was as described.

You need to appeal the decision if the buyer has won.

[kopenhagen5]

Call eBay and explain it was sold as damaged and buyer knew it.

Select help at the top of the page and request a call back.

If the rep is not very helpful then ask for a supervisor.

[papermoon.lady]

But the OP says that the buyer must have damaged it even more or must have replaced some unbroken parts with broken parts and took pictures showing damage that was not there when the camera was sold claiming that it "arrived" damaged (that it was damaged in transit) in spite of the OP saying that the camera had a lot of bubble wrap...

[lyndal1838]

The OP can point that out but the camera was never going to be usable as it was listed as water damaged and for parts.

It may not work but I have seen other sellers win a dispute when the same scam has been attempted.

[papermoon.lady]

I have even read that some scammers send back their own faulty items, or in the case of designer items they send back their own fake items...  I hope the OP has the serial number of the camera, just in case...

[springyzone]

I wish you luck. It screams scam to me. For that price & that postage, you probably should have insisted on sending it insured, but never mind. You're right, international sales are more fraught, or they have the potential to be.

I think you'll have to do as others suggest and actually call ebay to discuss it with them but I am worried for you because it is as papermoon says- although you listed it as damaged, the damage now showing in photos is a lot worse & in a previously undamaged area. In other words, it is no longer as represented in the original sale.

The buyer of course will be claiming it is not as described.

You'll have to work hard to convince ebay that you are being scammed and even so, they may very well still give the benefit of the doubt to the buyer.

It would be interesting if you could come back here & let us know how you get on.

[imastawka]

Can they show the damaged camera with the serial number to make sure it's the same camera?

I notice you have the serial number in one of your pics.

[porcelain_dolls_by_me]

The numbers of scumbags out there that seemingly make a living out of ripping off honest eBay sellers annoys the "bleep" out of me.

I only wish eBay themselves would step up to the plate and do more to protect their sellers.

[clacoste1369]

After a few blatent ripoffs - I refuse, as a western civilisation seller - to deal with those in China, the Middle East, South-East Asia (except Singapore - they seem to be honest), India & Paklstan, South and Central America....which means I give much less away to the stacked deck against me....Even here in Australia, my small dollar customers rip me off a couple times.....I just refund them and take note of their ethnicity - it is the usual.  From now on - I will just reverse their purchase....Not worth the risk....