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?

[evil_akuma_2002]

Damn, that's good news! I haven't commented before, as  I had nothing constructive, but I'm really glad that they awarded in your favour.

Well done!

[kopenhagen5]

Chalk up another for the good guys. Good for you BT. 

There are hundreds of members around Australia whom have been following your plight.

CQ wrote - 

Congratulations BT, I'm very happy for you! A well-deserved win indeed.

I'm just sorry that you had to go through all of that aggro.

You won't hear anything about it, but I hope the ba$tard is prosecuted.

Also my sentiments. 

[englishrosegardens]

Just be aware that he could easily be reading all the comments on here and be aware of your next move. I'd say there's a strong possibility of that, especially as he sent his last message very soon after someone mentioned that he can still appeal.

I've just finished reading the whole thread and I've got a couple of comments. I wouldn't mention them if they had no avenue to appeal, but I'll mention them just in case they appeal.

If you were to ever have the phone disabled, some other poor mug may own it by now and they'd be the one punished, not your buyer.

Also, choosing to sell to Canada is no "proof" that you're not a scammer. A smart scammer (some are VERY smart) would have deliberately chosen to reject higher offers just to look good.

The buyer could have deliberately bought a fake item just to be able to pull a swiftie, just as you could have bought a genuine item in order to be able to sell fake copies. They may now go about buying another phone with an Australian history so that they can 'prove' it was the one you sent. I could be way out with this because the technical side of the phones is way over my head, but this is what I thought when I was reading.

Your main recourse is probably the legal issues that TB1 has described (a sworn statement that you sent the right item), not trying to prove something you can never prove, ie. that you actually sent the listed item.

Please don't think I'm saying you switched it, I'm just playing devil's advocate so that you're aware of the arguments that could be made against you.

Unfortunately, they can now read everything I've written, so feel free to delete my post, or to ask a mod to do it.

[kopenhagen5]

Amazing!

I thought the name looked familiar. (OP's buyer)

Just looked up my BBL.

The name is similar to a scammer I had in Canada. 

A Chinese chap. Account was deregistered.

Luckily PayPal saw in my favour as I could provide photographic proof.

BT, It may not be the same as yours, but the engrish seems it could be Chinese.

If it is the same, I don't think you will hear from him again.

[cq_tech]

i-love-my-sheep wrote:  I don't think the scammer liked being told what to do!

If the buyer was genuinely honest, he had nothing to fear by having the phone inspected by his local TAG Heuer dealer. The fact that he elected not to do so in the time allocated is more than sufficient evidence to suggest that he was well aware that the IMEI number would prove that the phone had never been used in Australia. If his intention is to appeal, Paypal will still need to see the relevant documentation from TAG, and I very much doubt that'll be happening any time soon. Therefore, his emails are nothing but bluff and bluster and should be ignored.

[lyndal1838]

Appealing the paypal decision is not much of a worry, but a bank chargeback may be a possibility if the payment was funded by a Cedit card.

I have no idea how you would go in a dispute of this nature if the banks get involved....most sellers just roll over if a chargeback is involved but I have never known such a large amount to be involved.

Good luck!!!!!!

[digital*ghost]

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@lyndal1838 wrote:

I have no idea how you would go in a dispute of this nature if the banks get involved....most sellers just roll over if a chargeback is involved but I have never known such a large amount to be involved.

Good luck!!!!!!

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When a seller successfully defends a PayPal dispute, they automatically qualify for seller protection should a chargeback be initiated some time later (as long as any promises made to the buyer during the dispute were fulfilled).

I'm not sure what the go is when a seller successfully defends an eBay dispute, though, but I suspect it couldn't hurt to have that in the transaction history. 

[mbselections00]

Wahoo, great outcome, I'm very happy for you.  All the best in the future 🙂

[lyndal1838]

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@digital*ghost wrote:

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@lyndal1838 wrote:

I have no idea how you would go in a dispute of this nature if the banks get involved....most sellers just roll over if a chargeback is involved but I have never known such a large amount to be involved.

Good luck!!!!!!

---

When a seller successfully defends a PayPal dispute, they automatically qualify for seller protection should a chargeback be initiated some time later (as long as any promises made to the buyer during the dispute were fulfilled).

I'm not sure what the go is when a seller successfully defends an eBay dispute, though, but I suspect it couldn't hurt to have that in the transaction history. 

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Thanks for that info Digi....it is a bit more reassuring than just having to wait and see.

[lizzy6107]

Thank God common sense has prevailed. About time!

congratulations bright tomato