Been scammed with empty box claim

[gavrook]

Sold an expensive item (over $500) on eBay and buyer lodged an "item not received" claim 2 days later saying they received an empty box, they immediately escalated it to eBay to rule on, not giving me a chance to investigate or provide any proof. I spoke to someone on the phone at eBay who basically told me as they lodged it as an "item not received" and not "not as described" and tracking  showed received the claim would be closed in my favor.

This happened but then a couple of days later I got an email saying the buyer appealed and eBay has now ruled in their favor and have taken the money out of my account. I contact eBay again and the guy on the phone agreed with me that this was an obvious scam. The buyer has a brand new account and 0 feedback, i have been a member for 24 years and have well over 1000 transactions and 100% positive feedback.

He said he would escalate it and put his name all over it with his opinion that this was a scam but the offline team have emailed me saying they won't be changing their mind that the buyer has provided enough proof that he received an empty box and i need to pay up. They refuse to tell me what proof he has provided (a picture of an empty box?) They didn't even give me a chance to investigate with Australia Post or provide my own proof, they are no longer responding to my emails. The buyer also redirected it from the home address on the order to a Parcel Locker which could be sus.

I will be closing my eBay account if it's this easy to be scammed, this whole ordeal has been ridiculous.

[imastawka]

As said, the appeal should have been in writing supported by new evidence.

CS staff are notorious for just reading what's on their screen, just to get rid of you asap.

Asking for a supervisor may have helped, but I don't really know.

[gavrook]

You're 100% right the appeal needed to be in writing but there was no way to do so without starting the appeal process as they don't give you a contact option until the appeal is started, only the usual chat and phone options. Until the appeal starts there is no way to contact them via email.

Anyway seems I'm blacklisted, as soon as I mention the item number in the online chat the support representative ends the chat immediately, happened multiple times now. VCAT it is

[*casey*]

This is an absolute disgrace.

Apart from eBay not following their own policy, it should never have come to an appeal from gavrook in the first place.

"eBay who basically told me as they lodged it as an "item not received" and not "not as described" and tracking  showed received the claim would be closed in my favor"

This happened but then a couple of days later I got an email saying the buyer appealed and eBay has now ruled in their favor and have taken the money out of my account.

Just like that !  

An appeal  from a scammer was successful  !

gavrook, I wish you good luck in trying to get help with this outside of eBay.

[twyngwyn]

You could try contacting them on the ‘social pages’, Facebook etc

[gavrook]

I might have to, they won't speak to me at all just end the chat or call immediately as soon as the case is mentioned.

I don't have a Facebook account but going to need one for Marketplace now anyway 

[davewil1964]

A pointless exercise - eBay don't care.

The salient point is that the buyer has breached eBay's MBG and eBay has still sided with them.

Closing an account will not provide any useful resolution.

[gavrook]

Absolutely they won't care in the slightest, the 24 years of loyalty they spout at you every time you call doesn't mean anything but it's a matter of principle now. I can't I'm good conscience keep using them and funding them if this is how I can be expected to be treated next time this happens. My outrageous fees clearly aren't going to seller protection, there isn't any!

[gutterpunkz05]

Walk away if you like, but that wont recover your money.  Build  extra payment into future sales.  About 15yrs ago, I lost close to a grand to an international "buyer", and like you I was fuming and about to give ebay the flick, but I realized if I did,  that grand was gone for good.

That grand has now been recovered  hundreds of times over.

[gutterpunkz05]

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@*casey* wrote:

" I spoke to someone on the phone at eBay who basically told me as they lodged it as an "item not received" and not "not as described" and tracking  showed received the claim would be closed in my favor"

The eBay Money Back Guarantee shows:

"Not covered   -  The buyer used third-party freight forwarding or mail redirection"

So surely the same rule should apply here in gavrook's case

The item was sent to another address after original delivery

Covered: The item was forwarded as part of an eBay program such as: Global Shipping Program eBay International Shipping - opens in new window or tab eBay Authenticity Guarantee Not covered: The buyer used third-party freight forwarding or mail redirection

It looks like that is only applicable if the item is on-forwarded after initial delivery.  As far as I am aware redirection while in initial transit is permitted, with a parcel locker validated as recipients

address as per buyers mypost account.

I also believe there is an option for senders, at time of post, to block shipment redirections.

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[springyzone]

I also think it is a disgrace that you are being cut off. They very obviously are underlings following instructions.

It does look as if you are going to have to go outside ebay to lodge a complaint.

It is very worthwhile to post on their facebook page. Keep it simple. The main facts. 

Whether they will remove it from the website, I don't know but at least it may stay there for a while. That is, if it gets past first base. Some facebook sites have a moderator where posts are vetted before going online.

You'll find facebook a good site to be on for marketplace but one thing to avoid is random ads you'll see come up on facebook. Lots of them are scam sales sites, so be careful.