HELP. Scammed by eBay Seller <Removed>

[jayj1004boi]

Could someone please tell me the options I have left in getting my money back?

So what's happened was - I purchased 16 batteries off this eBay seller about 2 months ago now. After around 2 weeks I opened a case that I received only 4 batteries. The rest were apparently held by customs. I asked to resend the remaining 12 batteries now what the <Removed> does is use the trust card that no one can get scammed on eBay and to trust him that he will resend the parcels only AFTER I close the case. I asked for reasons and his replies were just 'please close the case for us to be able to resend the parcels'. He also added the wrong tracking number (there were 3 tracking numbers and only 1 arrived which was the 4 batteries, he used this for all the orders to make it look like he sent and I received the batteries).
So after awhile of waiting I simply closed the case. Biggest regret. Now it's been 2 months and nothing. I checked his feedback and it seems I'm not the only one. This seller deliberately asks to close cases, retract bids with promises to make things right but abuses the fact that once we do there is nothing we can do.

Someone please help on what I can do to get my money back....

I know there is more than enough proof if eBay staff just checks our messages what this seller has done.

[lyndal1838]

Good pickup PJ....I missed the bit where the batteries were being held by Customs.

If the seller used that as an excuse then it needs to be checked from this end for accuracy.

You would usually be notified if the items have been confiscated...if you have received that notification then you may as well forget the dispute as you cannot win it.

[*tippy*toes*]

I noticed the bit about some being held by customs. One has to wonder why they all weren't held? If there were lithium batteries and ordinary ones, they could have removed the lithium ones, but there would have been a note in the package to say that it had been opened by customs. I've had 3 opened and there was a printed card inside saying they had searched and found nothing, and also a sticker on the outside.

[lyndal1838]

There were several parcels with the same tracking number....maybe the missing parcels had batteries that were confiscated.

I've had 2 items opened by Customs......a pot pourri holder which was sent with the cellophane wrapped contents despite me asking the seller to remove them before sending.  The contents were removed and the holder rewrapped and forwarded to me along with a stiff letter.

The other was an antique plate in a used pizza box.....again it was opened but resealed and sent on with a stiff letter about used food containers.....Hardly my fault.  I was surprised that they did not destroy the box to be honest.

I used to get regular Customs inspections a few years ago.  The parcels would take 7-10 days extra and they would have a note in them

that they had been opened by Customs....they were resealed with fluoro yellow tape.

I haven't had a random inspection for years....maybe they decided that my purchases were of no interest to them.

[*tippy*toes*]

Last one I had held I think I told you about. It was a FedEx delivery and they wanted all sorts of paperwork, including ingredient lists and MSDS's for the herbal supplements I'd bought. I hadn't bought any supplements! I told them what was in it, sent the eBay listing and they were still demanding ingredient lists or they wouldn't be able to send it on. I demanded that they open it to look for themselves, which they said they would, but when I received it, they hadn't opened it. I think they must have contacted the seller who sent the appropriate paperwork through and it was released 2 days later.

When it finally arrived, I was really annoyed because all the paperwork was attached to the outside, like it always was when I purchased from that seller. The plastic sleeve was still sealed, so I don't know why they didn't open it. There's a reason the seller puts 6 copies of the paperwork in there!

I did find out only recently that there IS a herbal supplement that bears the same name of the item I had purchased, which is probably why there was confusion at the time. Still, if they'd opened the plastic sleeve, they would have seen that.

[padi*0409]

Good job I buy Batgirl and Jokers food here in Oz otherwise the poor little buggas would spend all there time outside the quarantine door......

[jayj1004boi]

I guess i'll wait and see what happens with the PayPal dispute.

Tbh if not a single battery can be sent from UK to anywhere in the world (They weren't sent to Australia btw sent to Europe) then why are these UK sellers even selling batteries to overseas?

Pretty sure after a few thousand times of customs holding their parcels they should know it won't deliver?

Pretty certain this seller knew. He promised 3 tracking numbers and only provided 2 at the start. Never sent the 3rd.

Who knows how many batteries he sent in the parcels aswell. I purchased 16.

If he does win the case i should just start selling batteries myself. When buyers purchase 1+ i simply just send 1, let it get held by customs, collect the free money and win all the disputes. 

[lyndal1838]

---

@jayj1004boi wrote:

Tbh if not a single battery can be sent from UK to anywhere in the world (They weren't sent to Australia btw sent to Europe) then why are these UK sellers even selling batteries to overseas?

Pretty sure after a few thousand times of customs holding their parcels they should know it won't deliver?

---

Nobody said anything about no batteries being able to be sent.....PJ mentioned Lithium batteries and the same restrictions apply in Australia too.

There are plenty of batteries that can still be sent through the mail....to and from most countries.

If the sellers have proof of posting the batteries they will win a paypal dispute....the batteries are deemed to be delivered if they have been confiscated by Customs.   The only one to miss out is the buyer who has not bothered to find out what their country's import regulations are.

If your batteries have been held by Customs you will not win the dispute.

[phorum_junkie*]

Tbh if not a single battery can be sent from UK to anywhere in the world

Who said anything about the rest of the world? It is an Australian restriction and other countries may have a restriction too which the UK honours by not allowing them to be sent by ordinary mail. Many other countries including China do not honour the restriction and allow them to be sent. Most get through if they only contain one or two batteries but there is always a chance of them being picked up and stopped.

[jayj1004boi]

No no. The batteries were sent to EUROPE. Not Australia.
I get batteries fine here in Austraia.

Plus I stated UK export laws not import laws of other countries. The batteries got stuck by UK customs hence they can't be sent anywhere.

[lyndal1838]

You are on the Australian boards and you are registered in Australia.  

How on earth do you expect to get reliable advice for a transaction between the UK and Europe.

Phorum Junkie can and has helped you with the rules in the UK but no-one here can help you with the rules in Europe, especially when we don't even know which country you are talking about.