Make a Statutory Declaration and contact eBay again using the "Have us call you" option. Inform them that you have made a Statutory Declaration and ask for a fax number to upload it, and add that you can send the original by mail if they provide a physical address.
Very politely state that if they are not willing to review the decision, you will be lodging a dispute with the Financial Services Ombudsman. You may want to make it clear (in a very polite and friendly way) that you are aware that the complaint will be against PayPal as the financial organisation involved, and that PayPal would of course subsequently seek to recover funds from eBay in the event that the dispute will be found in your favour. (The funds PayPal would seek to recover would comprise not just the amount refunded to you, but any and all costs involved, such as the fine/costs incurred by PayPal in the event of the FOS resolving in your favour.)
Make certain that you record the call and take notes throughout. Of course make sure that the CS rep gives consent for the call to be recorded. (I give some details about recording calls in this thread: https://community.ebay.com.au/t5/Buying/I-purchased-an-iPhone-from-a-seller-that-is-selling-stolen/m...)
If eBay don't reverse their decision, then call PayPal and outline what has occurred. Ask for your funds to be refunded. If they say that it's an eBay matter, politely ask for a fax number to which you can upload the Stat Dec. State that you are doing so because you wish to offer them every opportunity to protect you, so that you won't need to lodge a dispute with the FOS.
(Again, record the call; get permission from the PayPal rep for the call to be recorded at the start. Take notes as well.)
Call PayPal Customer Service
1800 073 263 (toll free)
+61 2 8223 9500
Go to this page (https://www.paypal.com/au/smarthelp/contact-us) for your one-off passcode.
[You'll be asked to enter this unique code on the phone.)
Customer Service hours
6am to 10pm AEST Monday to Friday
8am to 7pm AEST Saturday and Sunday
IT'S IMPORTANT TO ENSURE THAT YOU ONLY USE AN EXTERNAL RECORDING DEVICE IF YOU ARE RECORDING THE CALL.
(Put your phone on speaker, and use a phone or tablet or tape recorder to record. Remember also to record the permission at the start of the call. If no permission, you must turn off the recording device.)
(Don't neglect the taking of notes. Date, time, name of person to whom you're speaking, details of what is discussed, and don't forget to go through the process of summarising as you come to the end of the call. Summarising ensures that you specify what's been discussed; the other person agrees that the points you specify were discussed, and agrees that certain things have been agreed upon / decided / etc. You can then be certain that clarity has been achieved, and if you have to lodge a dispute, you will have evidence that your version of events and any discussions is lucid and correct.)
BE PREPARED BEFORE YOU MAKE ANY PHONE CALLS. Have everything to hand, and have all the details ready for you to provide.
If PayPal don't agree to remedy the situation (and I suspect they won't in this case), then do go ahead and lodge with the FOS.
Even if the FOS can't assist (although I think you have a good chance of being able to get satisfaction), there are other options. Post again if you do all the above and still find yourself in the doldrums, but post anyway to keep us updated!
