Ebay said it was 'Okay' to send Mobile Phone to Ukraine. JESUS !

[iphone_aus_dealer]

I recently sold an iPhone 5 to someone in Ukraine, didn't know if it was dodgy or not but I paid for registered post and insurance.

Rang Ebay to confirm if it was okay to send it there. (No battery of course)

Rep "Yes that is okay, but you have to confirm the delivery address to make sure correct"

Researched it after I got to work and found out it's a crime to send a mobile phone to Ukraine if they don't receive permission from their authority of communcations or something.

I also discovered the buyer had country set to United States but delivery to Ukraine.

Thanks for looking out for my safety Ebay. You are amazing at what you do. Now if the item isn't recovered I will be breaking the law and will lose out of my $500 as this was dodgy from the start. If I have signature on delivery will I still be covered by Paypal if the item reaches the buyer?

[digital*ghost]

Just to clarify - is it confirmed illegal to send a phone, or just illegal for the buyer to import it without permission (to be illegal here, it would have to be an Australian law, a bit like it's not illegal in China to sell laser pointers worldwide, but it's illegal for an Australian to import them).

That being said, there is a risk customs will seize the phone if the buyer does not have permission (and at this stage, I'm guessing you don't know whether they have permission or not). However, sending it registered and insured should (as far as I know) provide you with proof of postage (as opposed to proof of delivery), which is what you need in Australia to defend a claim or chargeback if something goes wrong. 

[iphone_aus_dealer]

It would be illegal for them to receive the item without authorisation from the government.

In addition this is a well known issue, customs usually takes the item.

If the item is delivered and signed for, will I be covered? As I'm thinking that it might end up being a charge back if delivered.

Also the item wouldn't be covered by insurance if I shipped a phone without authorisation from their communications government thing as it's a breach of customs rules.

I'm very worried

[iphone_aus_dealer]

Just been on the phone to Ebay again. I was told that if customs take the item or the customer disputes it and I have proof of tracking I'm still covered and cannot be scammed? Can I check with someone if this is correct?

[digital*ghost]

I'm sorry, I can't really advise on the best course of action here as my knowledge is a bit limited in regards to the specific circumstances. 

Just out of curiosity, were the contents of the parcel correctly declared? (I ask because I would have thought Australia Post etc might be clued in on posting regulations and restrictions, and perhaps might have required documentation proving the buyer had permission to ok the shipment if it was going to cause problems for you without it, including voiding the insurance). 

As far as PayPal is concerned, in normal circumstances they require proof of postage for you to qualify for seller protection - that is generally a document that shows the buyer's postal address as it appears on the payment notification, with verification that the item was posted (eg a dated post office stamp on the document which confirms receipt of the parcel from you, and/or a tracking number which shows at least one tracking event online). That should cover you in the event of a chargeback whether the item is received by the buyer or not, however I don't know for sure if the specific circumstances (i.e. the question of whether the phone was allowed to be sent) would have any bearing on the outcome. 

[iphone_aus_dealer]

It was stated Mobile Phone Parts, and nothing was stated by Aus Post.

I will call Paypal later today and double check as Ebay aren't the ones covering the cost if the item is disputed.

Say for example the person that purchases the item states that there was no phone in the package, or something similar, how would the dispute process go then? As the customer is from Ukraine and can say what he likes, how would I go about proving that?

Thanks for your help Digital

[digital*ghost]

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@iphone_aus_dealer wrote:


Say for example the person that purchases the item states that there was no phone in the package, or something similar, how would the dispute process go then? As the customer is from Ukraine and can say what he likes, how would I go about proving that?

Thanks for your help Digital

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Unfortunately, there's little that can definitively prove what the contents of the parcel are, although PayPal have been known to accept video or photographic evidence in that regard. 

If the buyer claims the package didn't contain the phone, the only thing you can really do is supply as much evidence as possible to support the contrary - eg if your receipt states the weight of the parcel, which should be consistent with a phone - and hope they make a considered decision. If a dispute like that does occur and PayPal find against you, you can appeal the decision, and if still unsatisfied with how PayPal deal with it or the outcome, you can file a complaint with the BFSO (Banking and Financial Services Ombudsman). 

[iphone_aus_dealer]

So pretty much if he tries to scam me in any way, I'm stuffed.... So I have learnt not to sell on ebay. As you will end up getting robbed no matter what 😞 Fingers crossed though, that he isn't a scam artist

[digital*ghost]

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@iphone_aus_dealer wrote:
So pretty much if he tries to scam me in any way, I'm stuffed.... So I have learnt not to sell on ebay. As you will end up getting robbed no matter what 😞 Fingers crossed though, that he isn't a scam artist

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No, I was just referring specifically to if the buyer claims they received the package but without a phone inside, as that is a difficult claim to defend against at the PayPal dispute level. Selling on eBay can actually be safer than selling elsewhere, at least if PayPal is used, as Seller Protection is exclusive to items sold on eBay, and means if they initiate a claim and win, but you qualify for protection, then the refund doesn't come from your account but from PayPal themselves.

If you have all the documentation  that will qualify you for Seller Protection, you should not lose your funds, and as said, if a claim is initiated and the buyer wins, you still have recourse via the BFSO. 

I understand why this transaction is causing you concern, but losing your money is by no means a fait accompli.