I have a feeling we fell for a scam - buyer claiming counterfeit on a genuine very expensive item

[bright_tomato]

I have listed my husband's very expensive phone (it's over $5000 brand new) and finally sold it at best offer for only $1300, much less than what we were hoping to get. But we really needed the money. I took all precautions - took very detailed photos, sent the buyer the IMEI number  and tracking number, insured the phone for $1300 when posted. She received the phone and literally the next day I receive a message that she believes the phone to be a copy or a fake. I am in a state of shock, I am not a retailer, I only sell my own second-hand goods and this phone was a gift from a close friend of my husband's. There is absolutely no chance that it is fake or a copy. She didn't even investigate,  i suggested that she takes the phone to a TAG store to check and she completely ignored that. I have a feeling this is a scam artist who is now requesting a return for refund and will send us back a fake phone to scam us.

My questions is, does anyone has any experience with what kind of process ebay/pay pal follows when a buyer claims the item to be fake? I listed the item with "no returns accepted" condition so I am also wondering - am I able to reject her return request?

[character_parties_aus]

If you can get the sent went and then the original weight of item and then get the item returned and the buyer is not smart enough to pick up on it then their screwed on the weight. Works every time.

That would stand up in a court of law I reckon it's almost fool proof especially as the buyer has already stated the box was not tampered with when sent out.

I should be a detective.

I should also say from buyers emails they dont seem so smart so I doubt they will realise this issue when they sent back. Certainly not as smart as that dude who did the camera on here recently

[bakeandfry]

Good on you clarry, thinking of dfferent angles. Also im shure if buyer is claiming fake dont they have to prove its a fake from manufacture? Or is that gone out the window with ebays rules?

[classicedge01]

How do you think criminals get rid of finger prints that's right they wipe them off,and if OP did send a fake phone then wouldn't it be in the buyers best interest to leave the prints on the phone if they say that it's fake ?

[k1ooo-slr-sales]

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@character_parties_aus wrote:

I should also say from buyers emails they dont seem so smart so I doubt they will realise this issue when they sent back. Certainly not as smart as that dude who did the camera on here recently

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please keep in mind that English is a second language for many Canadians.  The buyer may well be a French speaker and this may explain spelling and grammatical errors in their emails.  DON'T be too quick to judge.

[lizzy6107]

All I can say, is that if ebay or paypal refund the buyer without a thorough investigation, before the seller has some time and resources to counter the accusations, I will be so disappointed with them, and I think this episode would need to be made public to all sellers on ebay of high priced items. This would be something that would definitely put off selling of high priced items by anyone for good.

No one in their right mind would sell anything of worth again. The scammers always find a way to outsmart the honest man...

there's even a parable in the bible about it!

[bright_tomato]

what happened with the camera? was it also a scam incident?

[i-once-was-bump]

I have just read this thread for the first time and am wondering why the buyer hasn't started a dispute. The seller clearly has said they won't be refunding. Negative feedback has been left and the seller followed up with totally inappropriate comment and they have referred to the buyer as a scammer in communication.

All of that would have me starting a dispute with the seller immediately.

Maybe the buyer is starting to get cold feet and that is the reason for the messages getting a little more abusive.

[clarry100]

Likewise if the OP was a criminal (and I don't think for a minute this is the case) then it would be in their best interests to wipe the fake phone of any prints before packing and sending it.

And yes it would be just as much in the interest of the buyer to leave any OP finger prints on the fake phone if they were to return it. But if there were none there to wipe off then all that would be found would be prints from the buyer. Or blanks if they did indeed wipe it clean.

Just that if the phone is returned I would be taking all kinds of precautions not to destroy and potential evidence. Kinda like tapng off a crime scene.

[clarry100]

Here's a link to the previous story about the camera and a scammer

Camera Thread

[kopenhagen5]

It is very odd they haven't opened the dispute yet.

Also odd they won't send a pic of the IMEI number, even from under the battery. 

BUT going by the long message from them, I am inclined to think it IS possible someone has stolen the phone, charger etc and just thrown in another oldie.

I don't know.

For now it's probably best not to communicate with them until you need to respond to a case.

And I would call PayPal and tell them the story so it's on file.