This is the first time i have bought something from ebay, I think I've been scam.What do I do?

[michellegardener1]

I paid $360 for a Galaxy S4, sent messages to the seller and told me that she has sent it, her excuse is that she lives outbush in QLD and post will be busy this time.  I've been waiting for 3weeks now.  I have tried to ring her on the mobile ebay sent me, no answer.  As this was my first time to buy online I paid it with my credit card.

[lyndal1838]

If the seller is in outback Queensland then 3 weeks is not really long enough to wait at this time of the year.

Did you pay through paypal with your credit card or was it a direct payment to the seller's Merchant Credit facility?

[cq_tech]

Lyndal, given that most of my purchases from China arrive here within 21 days, I disagree that 3 weeks is not an abnormal length of time to wait for something which could have been to Perth and back twice during that time regardless of the season, and that, along with Michelle's constant inability to make contact via telephone, would have even me feeling pretty nervous by now.

If the phone hasn't turned up by early next week, depending upon the method of payment, IMO she needs to either lodge an INR dispute with Paypal, or contact her credit card provider to arrange a chargeback of what is not an inconsiderable amount of money.

For that sort of money, the seller would have to be insane to have sent it without some form of tracking, and that number should appear in Michelle's My Ebay sales summary. If it's there, it should be a simple matter to check the item's current disposition via AP.

[phorum_junkie*]

Keep in mind that if the seller is doing the right thing the parcel will be going with a road only sticker on it. Last parcel I sent road only from just outside Brisbane to NSW it took just over 3 weeks and that was before the Christmas rush.

I would give it 20 working days and then if you used your credit card through Paypal open an item not received dispute and give it another week before escalating to a claim, if you paid using your credit card direct with the seller then contact your bank re a chargeback.

[lyndal1838]

CQ, have you forgotten that mobile phones have to travel by road only?

I have parcels sent from North Queensland by courier taking up to 2 weeks and counting so outback Queensland by road could easily take 3 weeks+ IMO.

[cq_tech]

No Lyndal, I hadn't forgotten, and in fact that's the only reason I'd have not already lodged an INR (assuming that the buyer paid through Paypal as a guest) or been in touch with my bank.

It's not just the purported transit time which is approaching beyond excessive, but also the fact that the seller remains uncontactable by mobile phone, and that as much as anything else is what would be raising a red flag for me.

It's a pity that we don't know if the seller has also been unavailable via email, or whether or not the phone was posted with any form of tracking (assuming it was actually sent), as the only relevant information we have is what was posted by the OP, so I'm rather hoping she can find her way back here to provide us with more details regarding the transaction.

[retailtherapist_8]

Little tongue in cheek comment here but........Maybe she's not contactable by her mobile cos she just sold it to the OP, she may have cancelled that number & not updated her details on ebay as yet.

Just thinkin in type out loud lol......

[michellebartley]

I dont think you've been scammed. Its not worth the risk, ebay have a good name. They wouldnt sell on ebay ifthey were scammers. Far too risky. Good luck anyway. Hope you get your item.

[lyndal1838]

Oh Michelle, please do not post such rubbish....there are plenty of scammers on ebay and believe me they do sell on ebay all too frequently.

Surely you read the boards....the regulars are all too often advising posters to ignore a seller because they are scammers, or they are using a hijacked account.

[springyzone]

CQ said:

Lyndal, given that most of my purchases from China arrive here within 21 days, I disagree that 3 weeks is not an abnormal length of time to wait for something which could have been to Perth and back twice during that time regardless of the season, and that, along with Michelle's constant inability to make contact via telephone, would have even me feeling pretty nervous by now.

If the phone hasn't turned up by early next week, depending upon the method of payment, IMO she needs to either lodge an INR dispute with Paypal, or contact her credit card provider to arrange a chargeback of what is not an inconsiderable amount of money.

For that sort of money, the seller would have to be insane to have sent it without some form of tracking, and that number should appear in Michelle's My Ebay sales summary. If it's there, it should be a simple matter to check the item's current disposition via AP.

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CQ you are exactly right.

My bet is the buyer did not pay with paypal. I think that as they are new to ebay and might think credit card is safer or easier than starting up a paypal account.

They have quite possibly done their dough I think, given there has been no communication from the seller.

I hope I am wrong though.

It is just I have been caught before, people with what looks like a good rating and good feedback, you buy and wham, suddenly they leave ebay in a flurry of negatives but a wad of everyone's cash . Possibly to resurrect themselves later under a new name.

Paypal has made it better but there are still some scammers out there.