Have I Been Scammed

[retroshadoh]

On Saturday, I "won" (using Buy it Now) A Playstation 3 console from a first time seller. The seller had 9 consoles available and they were all grabbed around the same time I bid. As I always do, I paid immediately via paypal.

Sunday I logged into my eBay account and see "payment pending". A little confused, I logged into paypal to see what is going on, as payment is usually instantaneous. Paypal lists the payment as unclaimed be seller. I then send seller a quick note to inform him/her of the purchase and to let them know money is sitting waiting to be claimed. No reply to date from seller

Monday I log back into eBay and notice payment still pending. As I have to date done this all via my iPhone, I log into paypal using my PC, as it displays a little more info. Apart from seeing the payment still unclaimed, I notice it says that the seller is not registered with paypal. I send another message to seller asking that they vheck their paypal email address was entered correctly with eBay and copy and past the info I see on paypal. To date, seller has not replied to this.

Tuesday I log back in to eBay and paypal, no change. I am tempted to click the reclaim funds button on paypal and find a way to cancel the sale with eBay. Instead, I decide to give the seller the venifit of the doubt and send off yet another message asking for a response... Any response. Still waiting for that response.

Wednesday, still no change of sale status or money claimed from paypal. I send seller another message saying that they have 24hrs to honor the sale, or I will reverse the sale and take my money back out of paypal. No reply to this message to date.

Last night I log into eBay. No change in sale status, but seller now has their 1st 2 feedback. Both negative. I go check them out and both say the same thing... The seller/item is fake and do not hand over money to them. Freaking out, I log into paypal and the seller has verified their account and taken the money. Although eBay still says "payment pending".

This morning, eBay still says "payment pending". The seller has not responded once to me and although I am now freaking out about the possibility of being scammed, I don't think I can do anything for at least a couple of weeks, as looking at things from the outside, all that has happened is that I bought the item and the seller accepted payment 4 days later. Am I worrying over nothing? What would you guys do in my position? One thing for sure - I will never deal with a first time seller again.

[lyndal1838]

Just open a dispute in paypal.  That may prompt the seller to contact you and if it doesn't you can escalate in a few days and get your money back.

[*sparklz*]

First up try and open a dipsute for item not received and escalate as soon as you can if this can not be done Call paypal. Tell them what is going on and you want to open a dispute for not received as it was a scam.

You will get your money back.

Also call ebay and tell them as it is a scam.

[tall_bearded]

First time seller, a number of attractively priced high ticket items, paid by PayPal but payment still pending – all the hallmarks of information harvesting exercise.  That is, aside from your eBay ID they now also know you name, address, telephone number, PayPal account details, e-mail address etc and there a people who will pay for that information.

Make no further contact and reclaim all monies paid to PayPal.  Then wait to see what happens. 

My bet is you’ll either hear nothing further or receive an e-mail saying they are having problems with their PayPal account and requesting payment vide direct debit, and in both cases, do not respond.  Instead send everything you have to the online fraud hotline. 

Then run full security check on your system and just to make sure change all your passwords.

[retroshadoh]

Thanks guys.  Tall_bearded, after researching this morning, yes you are right - all the hallmarks of a scam except they verified their paypal account and accepted the money after my message yesterday telling them I would withdraw from the sale.  I'm still going to lodge a dispute as I don't feel right about any of this.  At least the seller will know that all eyes will be on them waiting for their next move...

[boggo58]

Hi, i really dont understand why you persisted in going through all of that bother, should have opened a dispute ASAP

[retroshadoh]

2 reasons boggo - still fairly new at buying online and had such a smooth ride so far with transactions, was willing to give seller benefit of the doubt.  Learnt my lesson now though...

[*new2vintage]

If it happens again follow your instincts and cancel your payment. Always take notice of unfavourable feedback.

[retroshadoh]

Believe me, If there had of been any negative feedback BEFORE I hit "Buy It Now", I wouldn't have bid.  I did hesitate over it being a brand new seller and really should have followed my gut there and then.  It's all in the hands of the paypal dispute department now.  I am sure I'll get my money back. 

[hzak]

The question one should be asking " what steps do Paypal take to verify the bonfides of the person opening the account.

The second question is the so called protection

 1.5. Where we are unable to recover the whole or any part of your payment from the seller we may in our absolute and sole discretion, decide to make an ex gratia payment. Please note payment by us under the PayPal Buyer Protection Policy is at our absolute and sole discretion. You have no automatic entitlement to receive any payments. The PayPal Buyer Protection Policy does not indemnify you for loss which may incur and it is not a contract of insurance. 

I recently purchased 2 items from a first time seller  they failed to communicate ,so i sort details from Ebay  a mobile number  and the person never answers the phone

Ebay solution  leave negative feedback

So what should a service provider do, have they protected you from possible fraud by taking the appropriate steps to ensure that sellers are who they say they are.

I have asked questions about pickups, even when the seller indicates they are 20 km from me, sorry no pickup ,product is in qld ( hang on the product is just down the road according to the location posted in the listing)  more research reveals the seller is in china and they tell you the warehouse is in qld  ,

now that something ebay should be checking.

Out of 250 odd purchases I have had 4 disappointments,  that's 4 to many 

I suppose it is " Buyer Beware "