Is there any chance I'm NOT being scammed?

[shiver_me_shrimp]

4 weeks ago, a buyer won my auction and did not pay.

After 3 days, I still hadn't received payment and eBay opened an unpaid item case as instructed.

The buyer made no contact, nor did I receive payment.

A few days later the case closed and I got my FVF credit.

Today (4 weeks later) the buyer messages me out of the blue and says they did not receive the item. I said that's because they didn't pay for it. They assure me they paid for it, despite it not showing up in PayPal account AND not being marked as paid on eBay itself. They send me some blacked out "screenshot" of the item and it says simply PAID. No PayPal record, nothing. It did/does not say paid at my end of things. 

First thing I did was check that my PayPal email address was correct, as I've read many tales of the seller being at fault due to the wrong email, but it was the correct one.

I believe the buyer has just marked it as paid for at their end hoping to cheat me out of my item, but they are insistent that I have done a runner with their five dollars, despite never receiving it. 

I have never had a buyer with this "problem" before! So tell me, is there any chance they aren't trying to scam me?

Thanks for reading.

[lyndal1838]

Do you offer bank deposit?  Have you checked your bank account?

If the buyer paid this way it will not show anywhere as paid unless you or the buyer mark it as Paid.

[shiver_me_shrimp]

Sorry, forgot to add I only accept PayPal. This is why I think they're wrong. Thanks for responding.

[collect247 · Accepted solution]

Case closed and if they did pay it would have showed up in ebays records and paypals records.

The case wouldn't have been closed in your favour if the buyer was telling the truth.

[shiver_me_shrimp]

Thanks, I was 99% sure I was right. Just didn't think someone would go through such a hassle to scam a $5 item.

Much appreciation.

[collect247]

May only be a $5 item but what if they are trying to scam say 100 $5 items,it adds up and hopefully other sellers

are on the ball and don't get caught out

[digital*ghost]

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@shiver_me_shrimp wrote:

Today (4 weeks later) the buyer messages me out of the blue and says they did not receive the item. I said that's because they didn't pay for it. They assure me they paid for it, despite it not showing up in PayPal account AND not being marked as paid on eBay itself. They send me some blacked out "screenshot" of the item and it says simply PAID. No PayPal record, nothing. It did/does not say paid at my end of things. 

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You aren't the first seller to report practically identical behaviour from a "buyer", a fact which alone suggests it's not a few random people with the same or similar confusion behaving in oddly similar ways. The sad thing is, sometimes these tactics end up working. 

Personally, I'd be tempted to send them a screenshot saying "refunded" , though ultimately probably wouldn't engage with them if they couldn't provide information anyone who has made a PayPal payment will have (i.e. the transaction ID, so I could "investigate the matter further with PayPal"). 

You may have already done so, but just in case, don't forget to add the member ID to your blocked bidder list so they can't try to purchase from you again. 

[dazzledayz]

In addition to the above, don't forget to report the menber to eBay.

If you received the original message through eBay's mail system, refer them to it.