More needs to be done to protect buyers for rip-off sellers

[tilly1275]

I purchased an item back in April and paid on 13/04/2013 ... the item wasn't marked as posted so I contact the seller numerous times asking if the item had been posted. Eventually in May she responded saying her father had died and she was packing up his house before returning home - and would be another week or two before she was in internet contact again. I patiently waited ... unfortunately now it is 10 weeks later and I still don't have my item.

The dispute resolution centre is useless both on paypal and ebay because it is now more then 45 days later.  I can't even see where I can dispute the closure of the case or argue my case with anyone.

I can't even post feeback on the seller and this seller is still on ebay able to continue ripping people off.  It wasn't a significant amount of money (under $30) but it is the principle of it.  I have just sent her a paypal request for my money ... not that I am holding my breath but at least if she doesn't pay I may still have the option of lodging a dispute for the non-payment of my money request.

Buyers should be able to post feedback for an unlimited time period ...

[janeababe]

WHY OH WHY does everybody blame Ebay and PayPal when its YOU who didn't follow the correct guidelines?????

Im sorry, its harsh I know, but you should have opened an Item Not Received dispute after 21days at least! THEN, you would have got your money back.

Even though you have sent a money request through PayPal from the seller, PayPal will not do anything about it if she declines. You do not really have a leg to stand on because you didn't follow the correct guidelines.

As a sideline, check out the sellers feedback history to see if she has been leaving F/B in that time. Also see if she is still buying or listing during that time of grief too!

Other than that, send her an email requesting she refund you or you will take the matter to the police (though im not sure they can do much about it either)

[*new2vintage]

How can you blame anyone else over 2 months later ? Please always do as advised in future and open a Paypal dispute within 45 days after the date a payment is made. Other buyers have told us that sellers have tricked them into waiting for too long. Please don't let it happen again.

[thecatspjs]

Gosh its a tuff lesson to learn when you have been so patient and very understanding regarding this sellers situation.

Have you tried to ring them via getting their phone number from ebay ?  I find that if all else fails a polite, friendly phone call often does the trick.

[tilly1275]

I am not blaming Paypal or Ebay - I was stupid enough to be consider and understanding to someone when they told me their father died unexpectedly and they had to travel interstate and spend time tidying up his affairs.  Next time I will have to remember to tell them that is just tough luck and demand my money back so I make the 45 days.

Definately my fault - but what I am saying is this seller is still on ebay and trading but I can't do anything about providing feedback on my experience with them as the "item" is closed.  I can't make ebay aware of the issue so others can be warned - instead others will get suckered in the same as I was.

[*sparklz*]

Contact the seller and ask them to either refund your payment or send the item ASAP or you will report them to the police.

If you funded the payment with a credit card via paypal then call your bank about doing a charge back.

IF the seller was genuine then they would have done something about refunding while on line to tell you about their "tragedy" and asked you to repay once she had finished grieving and can post the item.
As I was once told by a very wise lady DO NOT allow others problems to become your own.

It is due to the many lies that we become a bit skeptical about others problems.

As a seller I went through a hard time but I would never make excuses to my buyers and I made sure they still got what they paid for.

[***super_nova***]

How did you finance the PP payment ?  if with CC then you can ask your bank to do a chargeback.

Also, if the item was expensive you can report the seller to police.  Or you can contact them once more and tell them that unless the money is back in your account within 48 hours you are handing the matter to the police on line fraud squad.  They may refund.  If not, you can report them through here:

http://www.police.qld.gov.au/programs/cscp/eCrime/internet/report/

[phorum_junkie*]

Also, if the item was expensive you can report the seller to police.

Who cares if it was expensive or not, the seller has fraudulently kept the sellers money if it is one dollar or one hundred. 

I hope you are going to be less understanding in future and work out that the likelihood of somebody's close relation dying in the few hours before and after an auction ends are pretty slim, almost as slim as the goldfish having bid excuse when a buyer wants to slither out of paying.

[phorum_junkie*]

Who cares if it was expensive or not, the seller has fraudulently kept the sellers buyer's money if it is one dollar or one hundred. 

[wargul]

You are right Tilly, in that it is a shame that there is nothing through Ebay you can do. Expert con people take advantage of good nature and that's what this sounds like.  They are most often believable, charismatic people.  I lost thousands of dollars learning this - you have got off lightly.  There is some good advice above if you want to further, or you can always drop it and move on.  If the seller does this a lot it will come out in feedback - not everyone is as patient as you.