Buyer lying about 'damages'. HELP please....

[miss_ebabe]

I am in the middle of a dispute with a buyer who purchased a Franklin Mint Scrabble set from me.

I insured the parcel for the full purchase cost. I described this item as 'used' but looks just like the day it was purchased. It also came with a couple of hard to find extras too (Glass Lid and Dictionary).

She is threatening to open a PayPal claim as she has described some very minor imperfections.She wants to return it for a full refund but has not bother to explore her insurance option. (Sent with extra Aus Post Insurance cover).  She has not offered photos and when I asked for some as proof, she says she can not send photos through eBay email (wrong - you can attach 5 photos per message).  She has asked for my personal and business email address. To my knowledge this is not allowed on eBay and is a policy violation.

In her emails she says she bought my scrabble set only for the glass lid because she already has a scrabble set which she intended to sell once receiving mine.

I am very suspicious (understandably so). I think she is trying to claim damages on HER old game as being mine.

The sets are indentical. How would I, eBay or PayPal know (for sure) which scrabble set is which??

She refuses to claim the damage under her insurance with Australia Post (and I have sent her a photo of the PO receipt via eBay messages).

I am thinking of reporting her to eBay but should I wait and see if she opens a claim with PayPal?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[pinktoedannie]

Hi 🙂 One more thing no-one has mentioned - keep an eye on ebay for the item being relisted.  You can save a search or just check manually, since it's rare there won't be much to scroll through.  Also keep an eye on her ID, but don't rely on that alone, as she probably has a separate selling ID.  I have caught a buyer who opened false 'item not received' PP dispute this way, and won.  They had relisted my own item using my own pictures for more money.  

[miss_ebabe]

Yes, "thecatspjs" The buyer paid with PayPal Australia....BUT there are no open cases with PayPal - only in the Buyer Protection Case on www.eBay.com

Accroding to eBay policies and their user agreement,  the buyer shouldn't even eligable to OPEN this case - let alone WIN it!

The buyer protection policy is for items purchased through www.eBay.com ONLY.

My item was listed on www.eBay.com.au and I did not offer international shipping. It's only because the buyer was logged into the USA site at the time of winning the item that she has been successful with her claim.

I have reported ALL of this to PayPal and the FSO. PayPal have until 5th October 2013 to sort this out before the FOS can step in.

Until then...I have to refund the criminal buyer and swallow all the fees!

I've been an eBay seller for 9 years.  eBay is lousy when it comes to PROTECTING their SELLERS.

[miss_ebabe]

Thanks pinktoedannie, thats a good idea -- will certainly do that. Cheers

[thecatspjs]

I'm gobsmacked by this fiasco - should just not have happened, and if it has happened to one seller that does not list internationally, then it can happen to the rest of us that don't.. 

Feel for you OP. Hang in there, justice will surely prevail at some point.

[mandy-gs]

There will be no justice with Paypal and Ebay.

I had a buyer say that they recieved only part of what I had sent them (what!!! only part - did someone open the package on-route and steal parts???) When I asked for the buyer to return for replacement or refund, with me refunding the postage they pay for the return, she opened a case in Paypal for item not recieved and won.

Paypal would not use her messages, that were sent through Ebay Messages, as proof of her having recieved part and not wanting to return. The only thing that mattered is that I did not send it via a trackable method so therefore lost. Ebay & Paypal said that, for privacy reasons, they could not communicate with each other about the transaction.

[chiselman07]

RING FRAUD SQUAD AT THE AFP

[lemmayj]

My guess/hope  is that paypal will fold and give you a "discretionery payment" once FOS gets involved. This is a can of worms that they will definitely not want opened.

Though on second thoughts, it might be better for the rest of us if this issue did get aired. It's totally wrong that a seller, selling domestically on a listing which does not have overseas postage, should be governed by ebay.com rules.

Good luck.

[miss_ebabe]

Well said "lemmayj"!  I will get to the bottom of this .... stay tuned.