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?

[bright_tomato]

I just read the camera thread and now I have no hope left at all 😞

They haven't opened a dispute yet because they can only do it on the 8th of Jan, I believe they have a few days to communicate with me.

Mentally saying goodbye to my money yet again. 😞

It is absolutely beyond me how this can be possible on Ebay - anyone, literally ANYONE, can purchase something very expensive on ebay, replace it with a cheap fake, open a dispute and win automatically? How on earth is this legally allowed? how do any of the sellers that specialise in these expensive goods stay in business?

[character_parties_aus]

The captial letters tend to suggest ignorance. So language regardless I am not being too quick to judge

[character_parties_aus]

it cant just happen on eBay it can happen with any goods unless online sellers have very good terms and conditions and anti fraud measures in place. I recently got done for over 400 bucks worth of party goods sent to the USA which the buyer simply claimed a chargeback on. My recourse is zero. Which is why i prefer paypal as it would never have happened.

[bright_tomato]

is that because of Pay Pal seller protection? I used pay pal as well though, I used an expensive postal service, I bought insurance - what else could I have done in terms of anti-fraud measures? Prior to selling I was thinking of potentially calling a buyer who sends an offer but then didn't get around to it.

[lyndal1838]

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@character_parties_aus wrote:
it cant just happen on eBay it can happen with any goods unless online sellers have very good terms and conditions and anti fraud measures in place. I recently got done for over 400 bucks worth of party goods sent to the USA which the buyer simply claimed a chargeback on. My recourse is zero. Which is why i prefer paypal as it would never have happened.

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Did the buyer pay with paypal or was it a direct credit card payment?

Even if they used paypal but funded the payment with a credit card they can still bypass paypal and initiate a chargeback.  You should still have the opportunity to defend the chargeback.

[lyndal1838]

I am with Bump and Kopes on this one....why hasn't the buyer opened a dispute if they are so sure the item is a fake?

It looks to me as though they are trying to bully the seller into refunding before there is any sort of investigation. 

If the OP does send them the money to return the item I very much doubt that it will ever turn up.

How does the buyer think that any insurance can be claimed if the item has clearly been delivered to the buyer and maybe? even delivered back to the seller.  It is hardly a missing item.

[zelly888]

The way you stay in business is you need to be one step ahead of a buyer who may potentually try and scam you and most sellers know what I am talking about.

[bright_tomato]

they used pay pal. just had a look at pay pal seller protection and it doesn't apply to item significantly not as described cases. 😞

I will call them tomorrow to try and clarify their process of investigation.

[cherry*135]

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@bright_tomato wrote:

How are your questions relevant to this discussion??

The gift was given over 5 years ago! Friend lives in a different country. Please do not ask any more irrelevant questions, otherwise I will be forced to remove this thread which I don't want to do as I do need genuine help and advice from people who actually have something valuable to say.

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My main point was unless a seller bought a high end designer goods themselves from an authorised dealer and holds the receipt in their hands, then they are open to scams when listing the item on eBay... have the receipt easy to prove it is genuine.

You say you are losing your money, as it was a gift, that isn't exactly accurate.

[cherry*135]

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@bright_tomato wrote:

is that because of Pay Pal seller protection? I used pay pal as well though, I used an expensive postal service, I bought insurance - what else could I have done in terms of anti-fraud measures? Prior to selling I was thinking of potentially calling a buyer who sends an offer but then didn't get around to it.

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Not sell an expensive mobile (or other high priced tech items) to an overseas buyer. I have seen that advice posted on here frequently.

Check the buyers feedback left for others first before accepting an offer. If they bid on an item, and buyer looks dodgy, seller can cancel their bid.