Fraudulent Seller I lost $1350AU

[jcrosthw]

I have been scammed and lost $1350AU which is about $1000US. The scammer listed an Ipad pro and provided the only option for payment to be direct bank transfer. I decided to proceed with the transaction using the bank details provided through the ebay site itself. I based my decision to proceed on the seller feedback.  The seller was shown as a member of ebay for 10 years and had 115 feedback items all positive some of which were highly commlimentary. Soon after I paid I recieved an email from ebay who had just identified this seller to be suspicious and immediately de-listed the the item I had just paid for. I have put in a non-delivery complaint to ebay and made an official compliant about the seller. I have also request return of the money through my bank as the transaction was conducted within Australia. Unlikely to to have any success there. This is a considerable sum of money and ebay have not responded to any of my complaints. Is there any other way I can contact ebay and ask for immediate action about this scammer.

[digital*ghost]

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@davewil1964 wrote:

My understanding was that eBay withdrew merchant CC acceptance years ago. Maybe that was only in Australia.

Either way, as you said, it is an easy fix. Maybe something the call centre staff could do while not answering the phone. They couldn't be worse programmers than the work experience kids.

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They stopped supporting CC facilities with their own checkout (there were a few that could be paid directly on eBay via checkout, they'd qualify for the MBG etc), but they never withdrew the option for sellers to offer direct card payments (i.e. where you have to phone or message the seller and give them your card details).

Quite possibly the dumbest thing eBay has ever done (particularly without any verification required as Kat mentioned), and I can't imagine the removal of that option would cause more problems than it would solve. 

[yeoldecoinco]

"And to not buy phones/pads/tablets online except from licenced resellers who sell new items with a warranty."

Dave is right, as he usually is.

A pair of expensive lessons for the buyer.

1) As quoted above.

2) Direct deposit offers no buyer protection.

I offer direct deposit and have sent hundreds of items sold via eBay over the years that have been paid this way. On my website, nearly everything sold is paid for by direct deposit. But,as a buyer, you have to know and trust the person you are dealing with.

For most purchases, I use Paypal, unless I know the seller.

Also, 115 feedbacks over 10 years is nothing and many could be for what the person bought, not what they sell.

Buy from experienced professionals and be prepared to pay the price, otherwise, stuff like this happens.

Try the NAB, try ACORN, but at the end of the day, you may have to accept the reality and move on.

[ep000001]

You really need to take ebay's advice.

eBay does not really support claims using that type of payment.

You did it at your own risk. May i ask you a question...Did you perform the transaction during the current Mercury Retrograde Period?

All you can really do is report the seller to eBay for unethical behaviour (which is contrary for sellers to do within eBay operating policy).

Report the incident to the Australian Federal Police Department as fraud (if the seller is in Australia selling).

Or, you may be able to report the seller in the seller's home country by contacting the Police there. You have internet...

At the very least report the situation in the feedback.

Go and check the terms and conditions of the financial service you used to send the Bank Transfer with (there might be a clause that protects you). Make sure you read the fine print and double check everything if yo must do it soon. Otherwise wait until the current Mercury retrograde period has ended (also allow for the shadow periods).

If the item was to be sent with tracking, then ensure that tracking exists. if tracking was promised in the listing, then you have grounds for a claim through the ebay resolution center, if the item has not been sent and you can prove it.

The item however must NOT be covered by ebay's money back guarantee policy enforcement. If it was, eBay Money Back Guarantee Policy will NOT cover you. In other words, if you purchased the item and it had a ebay Money Back Guarantee advertised logo in the listing encompasing the transaction of the item in the listing, you are not covered by using Bank Transfer payment methods.

However, if the item is NOT covered by ebay Money Back Guarantee (such as advertised by the eBay Money Back Guarantee logo on the listing), then you are not bound by eBay's Money Back Guarantee policy. Including the section that states that ebay will not honor claims if Bank Transfer was used. And you have a case.

Especially, if the item can be verified as promised to be sent with tracking within an estimated time of delivery.

You may however have to take the matter outside eBay, and possibly outside Australia to claim.

If the seller is in Australia, then you may have to take the matter up through the Australian Judicial System to claim. And you may have to show evidence that you are not bound by the limitations expressed in the eBay Money Back Guarantee Policy. And that you operated outside such a policy, and that you still acted in a relavent and ethical manner.

Whichever way you desire to tackle the issue, there are way to try and resolve it, oh did i also mention reporting it to INTERPOL?

[ep000001]

Excellent point!

The fact that eBay still allows such methods to be actioned within ebay totally condradicts eBay's promise to make eBay a safe as possible place to trade for buyers.

What I would like to know is how can eBay enforce their commision on sold items if they are paid for in such a manner as Bank Transfer?

And then to state for the record that they will not accept responsibility.

It's obvious that such listings that allow Bank Transfers are just opening the door for unethical traders to rob buyers, and eBay does not seem to try and resolve the issue and protect the buyers.

Instead, eBay allows seller to incorporate such methods to perpetuate unethical activity, and not actively and clearly advise buyers from within the listing.

If ebay policy strictly does not allow transactions outside eBay, then the seller has obviously broken the rules. And needs to be reported.

[ep000001]

It's still fraud and it can be reported to the Australian Federal Police, if the seller is in Australia. 

Otherwise, you can report it to the Police of the country where the seller resides.

Or, report the seller to INTERPOL.

And, eBay may also be implicated if you can show that eBay acted unethically in the process.

For example, if eBay received financial gains from the seller from a fraudulent transaction. And that it's part of eBay policy to obtain commisions even though the transaction was fraudulent on behalf of the seller.

Or, that eBay acted irrisponsibly and allowed fraudulent activity to be actioned on eBay, by allowing known methods previously proven to be in favor of criminal activity, and that place the buyer in jeopardy of being robbed.

Which is totally against eBay's mandate. Especially when eBay has refused to accept responsibility and instead mearly removed it from the checkout.

Honestly, think about it. If there is no gain for eBay (perceivably noticeable), then why is eBay allowing this to continue?

I'm betting that ebay profits from this type of unethical behaviour. I perceive that only a Federal Investigation will resolve it.

If buyers do not pool their authority and take action, it will just keep happenning.

[repentatleisure1952]

My head hurts.

[lyndal1838]

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@ep000001 wrote:

Excellent point!

The fact that eBay still allows such methods to be actioned within ebay totally condradicts eBay's promise to make eBay a safe as possible place to trade for buyers.

It has always been made very clear that buyers are not protected if they pay with bank deposit or any other method other than those that ebay can see that payment has been made such as paypal.

It is not a secret.

What I would like to know is how can eBay enforce their commision on sold items if they are paid for in such a manner as Bank Transfer?

Ebay takes their commission as soon as the buyer hits the button....even before the item is paid for.....and even if the item is not paid for.

And then to state for the record that they will not accept responsibility.

The record is very clear.....ebay does not protect buyers who do not use a safe payment method.

It's obvious that such listings that allow Bank Transfers are just opening the door for unethical traders to rob buyers, and eBay does not seem to try and resolve the issue and protect the buyers.

Rubbish....all sellers are allowed to list with bank transfer as an option....as long as they also list a safe payment option.  It is not up to ebay to make decisions for buyers as to what payment method they use once they have made it clear what payment methods they will protect.

Instead, eBay allows seller to incorporate such methods to perpetuate unethical activity, and not actively and clearly advise buyers from within the listing.

If ebay policy strictly does not allow transactions outside eBay, then the seller has obviously broken the rules. And needs to be reported.

As long as the buyer hits the button on the ebay listing they have bought through ebay and ebay gets their commission.

Outside ebay trading is when a buyer sees the item listed on ebay but contacts the seller privately and ebay does not see that a transaction has taken place.

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[ep000001]

Not many people know this, however, you can download your entire eBay history!

It includes everything! messages, transaction records. You name it, it's all available and you can downloaded it all in one zip file.

It takes a few days to process, although it eventually gets prepared for the download.

[padi*0409]

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@repentatleisure1952 wrote:

My head hurts.

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Mine as well tc - so much information, a lot of it irrelevant/incorrect for various reasons in so many different threads. Sheesh.

[ep000001]

You tend to be outright difinitive in your response in order to place all the responsibility upon the buyer.

The buyer is not responsible for the listing or it's attempts to rob the buyer.

Implying that it's always been clear that the buyer has no protection.

Well...the buyer does have protection and it does not necessarily have to come from ebay. And eBay can be held liable.

However you look at it and try to correct my statements, we the buyers expect eBay to at least try to honor their mandate and impose regulations that make eBay a safe trading place for buyers as they keep promising in their mandate.

Something that obviously is not being done, regardless of your wannabe perfection explanations and difinitives.

I'm betting you are a seller.