What is an unauthorised account activity claim?

[charmony]

I sold a small item to a buyer, who paid with Paypal, and I posted the item today. Later today I got an "unauthorised account activity claim" from Paypal. My only multi-choice option for resolving this appears to be providing evidence that I shipped the item (which I don't have, as it was sent regular mail). Failing that it seems I will lose the money, despite the buyer receiving the item in a couple of days' time.

Is there anything I can do about this?

[***super_nova***]

That means that somebody reported the card that paid for it stolen, or hijacked.  There is not much you can do except contact the buyer and ask what is going on. 

[charmony]

Yes, I have done that. So if the buyer receives the item (and tells Paypal so), do I still lose the money? Or does Paypal cover it so neither of us loses?

[foxette-in-sox]

Yes, I have done that. So if the buyer receives the item (and tells Paypal so), do I still lose the money? Or does Paypal cover it so neither of us loses?

Its nothing to do with who bought the item-its the person who owns the card who has reported the unauthorised use.

You will lose your money with Paypal.

What you need to do,is either phone or email buyer & ask them if they're aware of the situation.

Worse case scenario,you would need to send them an email stating that if you do not receive funds in your bank account within 48 hrs,you will have no option but to report them for internet fraud.

Come back here after you've received a response from buyer.

JMO but I'd ring them as well.

[kopenhagen5]

Just as a matter of interest, had you marked the item as posted before you received the notification from PayPal?

[charmony]

Yes, I marked it as posted a few hours before the notification.

This buyer is a return customer so it's all really odd.

Also, if someone stole the credit card and that's the reason for the claim, how did they get access to the buyer's eBay account?

[davewil1964]

Apparently if it's unauthorised card use then Paypal won't cover you.

I would confirm that with Paypal.

Imo you would have a good case to go to the ombudsman with in that event. Regardless of whether or not you sent the item tracked, if the customer doesn't claim INR and Paypal instructed you to post the goods, they should cover you. You have no idea of the funding source - only Paypal do and they won't disclose it.

[putney32]

Yes, I have done that. So if the buyer receives the item (and tells Paypal so), do I still lose the money? Or does Paypal cover it so neither of us loses?

for paypal to cover you for the chargeback, you would have needed to avail yourself of PayPal Seller Protection, by using one of their approved methods of payment.

the Protection is there, you just need to activate it by following correct procedure.

[putney32]

for paypal to cover you for the chargeback, you would have needed to avail yourself of PayPal Seller Protection, by using one of their approved methods of  payment. POSTAGE

the Protection is there, you just need to activate it by following correct procedure.

SORRY that should have read approved methods of Postage... too late at night for me!!!

[digital*ghost]

"Unauthorised account activity" doesn't sound like the standard jargon for credit card chargebacks, more like the wording PP use when dispute is at PayPal's level, not the bank's (in that instance, someone claims their PayPal account was used without their knowledge / consent). 

The email from PayPal should clarify exactly what kind of reversal it is, though, and if you're not able to resolve the issue with the buyer directly (perhaps one of their family members temporarily commandeered their accounts to buy something without their knowledge or consent...though, being a repeat customer of yours, you'd think they might contact you and ask not to post instead of going straight to a dispute), anyway... the following applies if it does turn out to be unauthorised use of the PayPal account rather than a credit card chargeback.

As they're a repeat customer, if the item is going to the same name and address they always use, it should be pretty easy to fight because all the details of the previous transactions will match the details of the alleged unauthorised transaction - how can all the previous transactions be authorised and the latest one not if the buyer's details are consistent throughout?

Check all the PayPal payment notifications and compare the buyer name then the delivery address). I highly doubt - no matter how lovely - that someone who has gone to the trouble to hijack both an eBay and PayPal account (presuming the same accounts were used for previous purchases) is going to purchase a new charm for themselves (perhaps after checking their victim's purchase history? before running rampant in the computer and iPhone categories? Possible I suppose....)