Seller sold me item; then would only accept Direct Deposit; I paid; nothing sent; can't dispute?

[2minute2]

Hi all,

Long  time seller and buyer but first time on the boards. 🙂

I won an auction for an item on the 30th May. I paid for the item via Paypal immediately, but the following day the money was refunded. I contacted the seller and he informed me he prefered Direct Deposit (which he did not state in the listing). So, I paid via Direct Deposit. 2 weeks later and I have received nothing, and when questioned the seller responds with "Sorry. My wife is sick. Will send ASAP". But I have received nothing. 

So, I tried opening some kind of Ebay dispute. But through MyEbay, using the option to report that "I didn't receive (the item)", all that results is a page stating:

"PayPal reports that a case shouldn't be opened: We're sorry there's an issue with this purchase. Unfortunately, PayPal reports that we can't open a case for this item. You can try to work out this problem by contacting the seller".

Obviously, I can't go through Paypal as the payment was refunded. I have all the Direct Deposit details for my payment, but where can I launch a dispute via Ebay? Could anyone provide a link? 

Thanks so much for any help. 🙂

[ranchorelaxo]

Yes it is the same guy.

I will be reporting him to ACORN tonignt as soon as i gather the info i want to include. Yes i don't want this to happen again to somone.

As far as direct deopsit goes i remember buying a lens on gumtree a while back and putting the cash in the sellers account at a bank branch and texting him that the money was in. He was interstate and texts back that he has sold the lens to someone that had come to his house even though we agreed to me buying it hours earlier. He was a teen i reckon and completly oblivious to whats around him or his responsibility in matters. I could sense the shrugging of his shoulders even in his text. I went back to the bank an hour later and asked if i could reverse the cash direct deposit and they did giving me back the cash.

[imastawka]

edit.................. 

I'm starting to wonder if his name has been hi-jacked.

He's listed as a prominent photographer in Perth.

[ranchorelaxo]

No it's him alright.

It's his phone number, and we did talk a bit before i bought the camera gear and it was about photographic stuff. He is a photographer. A little too good at being a crook though. He knows exactly what he can get away and much of it has to do with all the hands that are tied in the particular justice departments. There is an air of justice but not if you incounter it first hand and i don't mean in just this matter. 

[lovesurfseasong]

REMOVED is a con artist...he buys stuff and says he never received it...done the same thing to me

[bowerbird2007]

I have committed to buy a lawnmower and they state that Paypal paument is accepted. Paypal did not work but then they invoiced me with freight charges and asked for direct deposit. Ebay insists i need to PAY NOW and wont let me cancel the order. What do I do? I want the buyer oritection Paypal offers.

[k1ooo-slr-sales]

firstly, DO NOT PAY BY BANK DEPOSIT unless you have traded with a seller before and trust them 100% . . . and even then only for amounts you can afford to lose in case things go pear shaped.

eBay CAN NOT make you pay . . . and the seller can not make you pay by bank deposit.

If the seller does an UnPaid Item case with eBay you can have any strike withdrawn by calling eBay and explaining that you tried to pay by PayPal and the seller insisted on bank deposit.

[springyzone]

You need to listen to K1000. Seriously, follow every word.

I was once caught out in a situation like this (though thankfully for something much cheaper than a lawnmower). It was with a seller I had bought from before & that my sister had bought from. So you'd think no trouble, a reliable seller, right?

She said the same to me- that they had a temporary problem with paypal, so in the meantime could I please pay by direct deposit. My paypal payment wasn't going through and like you, I was panicking. So I paid into direct deposit and that was the last I ever heard from her and I never received the goods either. Lost my money.

Direct deposit payments are risky.

So stand firm, don't be bluffed.Tell the seller you won't be paying till paypal is working.

I think ebay would not issue a strike if you rang & explained the circumstances, but even in worst case scenario, so what if they did? It wouldn't affect you one iota if it is the only strike and even if it was strike number 2, still better to get a strike than lose your money.

Ebay emails can insist all they like but it is your money & you're in control. Paypal or nothing.