I think I am being scammed, please help.

[ibeyondwu]

I listed a watch on eBay for $1500, a buyer with 0 feedback tried to approach me for the purchase, after talking to him, I feel the buyer is reasonable and sold my watch to him. But I am quite careful when doing business with people with 0 feedback. The buyer is from the US, before the item arrived, I sent him a message asking him to check the delivery while the postman is there, if there is any issue get back to me straight away. Turns out he was not home while the postman was delivering the item, and he asked the postman to left the watch at reception.

I have just been contacted by the buyer told me the watch has issues that not been described in my advertisement, and the watch is not functioning. I have checked the watch before I post it out, I know and love watches if I am not in financial difficulty, I would not put it on sale. I am confident the watch is in great condition, without any issues.

So I feel like what I have been worried has come true, this buyer is trying to scam me. I never have this kind experience, but heard eBay always on the buyer side, some buyer even sent back empty box, papers for the refund, return with a different watch, or take the movement out of the watch, and return the case back. 

Please tell me what should I do, how should I handle this, I did purchase the insurance for the shipping if the buyer can prove the watch is damaged on arrival, can I claim the insurance?

Should I accept the return? If I do I will lose 200 for the postage, and I don't know what I will receive.

I can relay on eBay against this kind of scam from 0 feedback buyer?

[collect247]

If you don't listen to what very experienced members on this thread have advised you to NOT do and go with what ebay have told you then you're in for a very bad outcome believe me I've been there and it's not pretty.

[lyndal1838]

I often wonder why members come to the boards asking for help and then go off and do exacly what they have been warned not to do.

[yeoldecoinco]

eBay on the side of sellers??

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT! Maybe the day after hell freezes over..

If you are a seller on eBay, they are NOT on your side, to eBay you are completely expendable "noise" they will shaft you EVERY TIME you escalate a case, despite what eBay "customer service" will tell you.

Do what the other very experienced board members have explained, DO NOT escalate the case, eBay will pay the refund from your funds when you get back the watch, if in fact you are lucky enough to get back the same thing you sent.

People in other countries ARE MUCH MORE LIKELY to scam you, because they know you are not going to come knocking on their door.

This will most likely to turn out to be an extremely painful and costly lesson, you have my sympathies..

[ibeyondwu]

I value the suggestions I got from here, and they help me to decide what to do.

[enigmabear]

H.E. Double L will freeze over before eBay is on the seller's side

OP, a buyer could be the biggest,most famous scammer on the face of the planet and eBay will still side with them

Seriously, do as you please,but please do not base what you do on 'what eBay said' 

[kopenhagen5]

As bear suggests because eBay is mostly an automated system and the individuals you have talked to are only contracted call centre people located in the Phillipines.

Their advice is more than 50% incorrect a lot of the times and they never apologize.

They will mostly suggest you appeal, and there is very little chance of winning one of those if case is closed.

You only have one option - Tell the buyer you will refund when they return the item.

Unless you can negotiate a part refund but it appears to be a scammer so little hope of that.

[brerrabbit585]

Why have you still got your other watch listed as posting worldwide? Do you want to give that one away too (and the postage it costs to send it)?

If you only post to Australia and you get scammed, you can at least report them to ACORN (or whatever it's called now) but with posting overseas you haven't got a hope of getting your money back. High end items like this are prone to scamming and you're literally asking for trouble by offering to sell it worldwide.

With your current dilemma, there's a chance the buyer won't want to return it so you're much safer to offer to accept a return.

[xx3d_tvxx]

So sorry to hear that. I'm going through a similar thing where a buyer/scammer bought a brand new item and returned a different broken one and eBay still sided with him. It's as if sellers info, pics etc of returns does not matter. If the tracking number shows the return was delivered that's it buyer/scammer gets the refund 😞

Any way good luck to you. Hope you get your watch back.

[*tippy*toes*]

What's the bet that despite all the advice here, the OP escalates because "eBay are on my side".

EBay are NEVER on a seller's side. EVER.

[ibeyondwu]

I would like to offer a return, but I what a way to make sure he returns what I have sent. does the postman or the people work at the post office can be a witness? Will eBay care what my witness says?