eBay Buyer/Scammer Bought Brand New Headphones & Returned Used Faulty Ones For Refund

dins on 01/06/2019 - 03:20
Last edited 01/06/2019 - 09:10 by 1 other user

Hi all just seeking some advice here.

Unfortunately a scammer on eBay (over one and a half decades on eBay with 300+ feedback no less) bought a brand new and sealed Sennheiser headphone worth well over $300 from me a couple of weeks back and then opened a case saying Bluetooth doesn't work and returned a completely dead headphone (same model but used with obvious scratch marks from a screwdriver or something and does not turn on or charge - ie looks to be a botched repair job).

He asked eBay to step in just minutes after I got the return so I didn't have the time to add to the case itself thereafter (so pretty sure he has done this sort of thing before and knows the game) but I was told by eBay help that if I was to message the buyer via eBay messages the details and pics those should show up with the case. Anyways I did all that and included pics which clearly show the damage but of course eBay just now gave the buyer a full refund (ie my money) regardless stating that tracking shows the return has been delivered.

I'm just wondering what I can do in terms of "seller protection" as I'm now out of pocket by around $350 and the headphones are gone as well. It's shocking how easy it was for this scammer to get away with it.

Also I'm trying to appeal the case now but keep getting this message

Access Denied
You don't have permission to access "http://www.ebay.com.au/res/Case/Appeal?" on this server.
Reference #18.cc28d117.1559301655.935bd0f

Any one know what that would be about?

Thanks in advance.

Cheers

Electrical & Electronics

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Comments

  • pinchies on 01/06/2019 - 03:46
    +2

    Yeah, that's ebay for you. Try calling their support line up. At the end of the day, he says she says, and its a tricky one to fight. You're going to have to go off inconsistencies with their story - e.g. completely new and sealed, buyer reports faulty bluetooth not anything about it being used, but the item returned to you is abused to death. Wish you the best of luck, that really sucks. Some people are scumbags unfortunately.

    Personally, I'd name and shame too so in future google searches by their future victims (because there will be future victims) will find their username, but that's not permitted on ozbargain. Don't leave feedback until case is resolved, but leave a polite factual statement in the feedback about the scam. Any kind of personal info / insults and the buyer will be able to get the feedback removed, but that's about the only other place you can post a warning.

  • Axelstrife on 01/06/2019 - 03:54
    +11

    Compare the serial number on the headphones to the box and show ebay as proof they didn't send the same ones back.

    If you didn't take a pic originally and they didn't send the box back then scam the scammer by going to a shop and taking a picture of another brand new one and use that as "evidence" atleast this is what i'd do if i didn't have any other proof.

    • [Deactivated] on 01/06/2019 - 07:55
      +1

      Lol, I actually liked that

    • specks on 01/06/2019 - 12:46
      +1

      and change the date & time of the photo to pre-date the delivery :)

    • dins on 02/06/2019 - 08:26

      Can't see any serial number on the outside unfortunately. It's probably somewhere inside the unit I would presume.

  • garetz on 01/06/2019 - 04:57
    +5

    Ebay do not care, even if you receive an empty box in return, as long as they can confirm you received the return package they will refund the buyer.

    • pegaxs on 01/06/2019 - 08:22
      +3

      This. I stopped using eBay to sell things after being asked for a warranty return and the arsehole just sent me back an empty small padded envelope with tracking on it. I even told ebay that the return package wasn’t big enough to hold the item that was supposed to be returned. They refunded the buyer from my account.

      I have sold 2 things in ebay in the last 8 or so years and it’s it’s only ever payment on pick up. No postage. No PayPal available.

  • SnoozeAndLose on 01/06/2019 - 07:15
    +1

    You will have to raise the ticket with Fair trading. Happened to me once and they just ignored what evident I presented and clearly it is not my fault.

    If you can get a Statutory declaration then it will help your case.

    All the best getting your money back

  • Seedy seed on 01/06/2019 - 07:21
    +1

    You have the buyers address, where is it maybe one of our ozb mafia can pay them avisit.

    Or send them 350 letters with no stamp.

  • [Deactivated] on 01/06/2019 - 07:50
    +2

    Don't use eBay.

    Let the natural course of action sort eBay out, ie. disappear due to being a terrible place to transact.

    • SnoozeAndLose on 01/06/2019 - 12:06
      +1

      buy you still use it as a buyer.

      you may need to wait for long long time until ebay disappear

      • [Deactivated] on 01/06/2019 - 12:25
        +1

        I do but only when there are good deals posted here.

        I cannot remember the last time I used the eBay search function as I'm not a "walk in" customer anymore.

  • Ocker on 01/06/2019 - 08:22
    +1

    This happens all too often on eBay and invariably eBay will side with the buyer. Afraid you have done your money

  • Zonty on 01/06/2019 - 09:56
    +3

    I always delete connected cards after every purchase or sale made. Reason they gotta go through me if you want refund rather then they charge my account without my knowledge.

    • frondono on 01/06/2019 - 11:21
      +1

      I was on the other side of this. I bought a "manufacturer refurbished" from a dodgy seller, that looked straight from the $2 bin, needs a little tlc from the tip shop. Seller wanted to play hardball. I just did a credit card chargeback. and voila… No paypal or ebay rigmarole necessary.

      • jackofspade on 01/06/2019 - 12:10
        +3

        Seller keeps the money due to paypal seller protection. Paypal foot the bill and they may ban your account.

        • frondono on 05/06/2019 - 10:18

          This is a big ebay store that sells Samsung "Manufacturer Refurbished". I think they sent me one they forgot to refurbish themselves, as it was totally trashed and wouldn't even turn on, and it was just lie after lie that I called them out about, to the point they wouldn't communicate with me once they had a pile of evidence very clearly proving they were in the wrong.

  • MilkDrinker on 01/06/2019 - 11:31
    +1

    I reckon police could nab a few people who try this Paypal then refund trick, since they sell off heaps of "stolen goods" at auction houses. But police don't really do civil crimes as much as the criminal ones, so regular joes should sell 2nd hand goods in person most of the time.

  • Kaz0551 on 01/06/2019 - 12:03
    +1

    What's Amazon like with returns in this scenario?

  • jackofspade on 01/06/2019 - 12:13
    +1

    I think your best chance of getting your money back is by lodging a complaint with www.afca.org.au

  • Ifoundabetterprice on 01/06/2019 - 15:29
    +1

    Classic ebay scam. Happened to me twice for items worth $150 and $50. Dodgy buyer sent back faulty returns with different serial just 2 days after delivery and ebay sides with the buyer immediately. Unfortunately, there is no seller protection at all on ebay.

    Stopped selling on ebay for good since then ..

  • dins on 01/06/2019 - 18:51

    Thank you all for your advice and taking your time to help out it is very much appreciated :)

    Another thing I was wondering is how to leave feedback for the scammer to warn other sellers of his ways. So maybe next time a seller can use that feedback against him in an eBay case if he tries it again. He has not left feedback for me yet I think he has done this sort of thing before and hoping that I don't leave any feedback for him (ie if I do he's sure to neg me and mess up my 100% feedback score). Not sure what to do there.

    Any way thanks again y'all. Have a great weekend.

    All the best

  • Some Human on 02/06/2019 - 02:24
    +1

    I bought sealed in the box JBL BT headphones from Myer and they wouldn’t turn on even after spending a full night on charge. I exchanged them the next day.
    It’s possible the BT on your buyer’s headphones stopped working after a few days and they tried to fix it, then thought well this isn’t working, I’ll just send them back.

    Just sayin’.

    • dins on 02/06/2019 - 08:23

      Yeah which is why I had no issues with it being returned I could have had it replaced/repaired under warranty. The one I got back tho was definitely not the one I sent. As I said it's completely dead (doesn't turn on or charge) and looks to be a botched repair job of one he had owned previously (ton of screwdriver scratch marks and the Bluetooth button has been stabbed mercilessly).

      https://i.ibb.co/D7F0frg/pxc550ebayreturnalpol0pic3.jpg

      After I started adding all the info via eBay messages (the guy closed the case the minute return was delivered so I couldn't add anything to the case) a day later he started going on about how he was a 60 something pensioner (highly doubt it looking at his eBay purchases/sales) and the one he received was not brand new and sealed (flat out lie). He mentioned none of that when the case was opened only that Bluetooth didn't work. So if eBay had half a brain should have seen through all his bs. It's just too much to ask for I guess. Had the scammer just stuck a tracking label on a box filled with rocks I'm sure the case would have ended the same way.

      • Some Human on 02/06/2019 - 11:05
        +1

        Oh he played the pensioner card? Definite scammer.
        Did you call eBay and explain the situation? I called them recently because I wasn’t happy with the response I received on live chat, they fixed my problem straight away over the phone.

      • jackofspade on 02/06/2019 - 11:21
        +1

        The dispute process is automated. Your messages, photos, videos, etc are useless. The buyer could have sent you a registered post envelope and still get away it.

  • mckayver on 02/06/2019 - 06:51
    +1

    I don't sell on eBay any more because of stories like this. Gumtree is better.

    • BertieBrown on 02/06/2019 - 10:52
      +1

      Me too. The fees also ruin it.

      • RedCarpet on 03/06/2019 - 13:24
        +2

        Been scammed couple of times. Never ever buy/ sell on eBay since.

  • dins on 07/06/2019 - 15:13

    Update: eBay re-opened the case after I rang them up earlier in the week and they sent me an email asking for a statutory declaration. I did that today as well as providing additional info, pics and original purchase receipt and within minutes they put the money back into my PayPal account :)

    Just wanted to thank you all again for the help it's very much appreciated.

    All the best

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