PayPal payment fraud by seller - Beware paying through PayPal is not safe! Here is a catch

LBman17 on 01/10/2020 - 21:10

Hi All,

TL;DR: paid through paypal,seller sent fake item through tracking number, I lodge a case, paypal denied the case since the item(not the one i was expecting but a dodgy) got delivered.

I purchased a laser engraving machine from a shop 2 months ago, paid $70 Paypal.

I suspected that it may be dodgy but I though since it I pay through paypay, I don't need to worry about any fraud, and I purchased it

  • Received an order confirmation email with their website link etc.
  • Received the tracking number.
  • Few days later, their websites were offline, I sent few emails but there was no response.
  • I raised a case through paypal resolution center.
  • Seller submitted the tracking number and Paypal denied my case, and favored the seller as the tracking details were showing that the item got delivered to my address 2 weeks ago.

BUT HERE IS A CATCH:

  • We had received an unwanted (small kid ring) through international parcel, around the same time. We didn't purchase this ring at all.
  • I am sure that the seller had sent a dodgy item using tracking number, instead of sending the engraving machine.
    But paypal is not checking this details and have denied my case/refund.

This means, If i purchase iphone using paypal and seller sends a soap instead with a tracking details, The seller can still getaway by saying that the item got delivered to my place…

Do you have any thoughts on how I can get money back?

Thanks

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Comments

  • WoodYouLikeSomeCash on 01/10/2020 - 21:12
    +3

    Did you try reversing the transaction with your bank?

  • Bman17 on 01/10/2020 - 21:13

    Nope :(, I didn't use the bank. I paid through my paypal balance though.

    • garetz on 01/10/2020 - 23:14
      +3

      Now you know never to use paypal balance, i always transfer any balance to a local bank account, all transactions through paypal should be through a credit card.

      Paypal isnt the protection, your credit card is.

    • TheCutter on 02/10/2020 - 09:46

      Same happened to me - Paypal didnt refund me and ebay just count their money . $900 gone

      i hate ebay

  • Quantumcat on 01/10/2020 - 21:18
    +15

    Submit an item not as described claim. No point trying an item not received claim as you have received something.

    • Bman17 on 01/10/2020 - 21:31

      hmm, I should have tried that instead. Ta.

      • RandomFox on 02/10/2020 - 04:57
        +1

        Quantumcat is correct this only happened because you said not received instead of not as described so their rather poorly automated non-human system did this. Sometimes on the transaction there is a tracking number if the seller adds it. Contact PayPal and they will sort it out.

  • Chirse on 01/10/2020 - 21:18
    +1

    Might be because it's a $100< transaction so they wouldn't care so much about it, but if you could send soap instead of a phone then Richy Rich here I come.

  • plmko on 01/10/2020 - 21:25
    +4

    Yep I've mentioned several times around here that Paypal is not full proof enough that you would tempt price errors or dodge seller/buyers without thinking.

  • amgpa14 on 01/10/2020 - 21:26

    A similar thing happened to me as well. I haven't tried with the bank…it has been more than 6 months or so now and so don't see why would the bank accept this claim

  • jackofspade on 01/10/2020 - 21:28
    +6

    Contact paypal for help. If they won't then lodge a complaint with www.afca.org.au

  • mbck on 01/10/2020 - 21:56
    +6

    You have to submit item not as described. Not item not received

  • MS Paint on 01/10/2020 - 22:49
    +1

    but I though since it I pay through paypay, I don't need to worry about any fraud, and I purchased it

    You thought wrong. What gave you that impression?

  • raptormesh on 01/10/2020 - 23:00

    Seller is dodgy af but if something's too good to be true, it usually is.

  • bdl on 02/10/2020 - 01:17
    +1

    BUT HERE IS A CATCH:

  • picklewizard on 02/10/2020 - 09:20
    +1

    We had received an unwanted (small kid ring) through international parcel

    Nah, this is an unrelated scam. This is why sites like Wish are full of 5 star reviews. Fake, unsolicited items are sent to random addresses to legitimise the reviews as far as Wish are concerned (as they can be tracked) - then reviews for these "legit" orders are allowed to be made.

    Unless the tracking numbers matched?

  • vinni9284 on 02/10/2020 - 10:13

    Is the tracking number for the ring the same as the tracking number provided by the scammer?

    • Bman17 on 02/10/2020 - 13:18

      I didn't make a note of that since we were not expecting any rings. When I checked the delivery date from the tracking number provided, I found that it was on the same date we received that ring.

      • vinni9284 on 02/10/2020 - 13:30
        +1

        it seems like as you said, the scammer addressed a cheap item and had it delivered; masked it as your engraving machine. Therefore a tracking number was provided to PayPal hence the rejection of claim.
        Therefore PayPal will have a record of the tracking number. See if they can give that to you or if you remember the delivery company, you can ask them for details such as weight.
        I'm sure an engraving machine weighs more than rings?

  • netjock on 02/10/2020 - 10:31

    Was the deal too good to be true? Because it sounds like you took a chance and lost.

    • jnewau on 02/10/2020 - 11:20

      Yep, they gambled and lost. They state in their OP they thought it was a scam, so why bother with all of this? The thing is, the scammers are probably smarter than the OP and rely on people who ignore their better judgement and give in to greed. They've probably got enough suckers, cleaned out their account and disappeared, so by the time any further resolution/appeals to Paypal could have been met, there's no money to be recovered anyway.

    • Bman17 on 02/10/2020 - 13:11

      No it wasnt too good to be true, on ebay and amazone similar products were around $80 and i bought for $67

      • Ughhh on 04/10/2020 - 14:27

        I suspected that it may be dodgy

        What gave you the suspicion that it may be dodgy?

  • [Deactivated] on 02/10/2020 - 14:00
    +3

    OP, please lodge a complaint against PayPal with the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA), this will get you in touch with PayPal's executive escalations team who will sort this out and, if necessary, reimburse you the funds.

    Also, here are some executive contacts at PayPal Australia who you might want to reach out to:

    [email protected]
    [email protected]
    [email protected]

    Keep us updated!

    • Bman17 on 02/10/2020 - 14:01

      Oh Great! Thanks heaps.
      Will do :-)

  • dins on 03/10/2020 - 23:37

    Sorry to hear that. Ring them up and tell them about your situation and let them know that you can provide a statutory declaration. See how that goes good luck hope you get your money back.

  • Willco88 on 03/10/2020 - 23:40
    -1

    They make billions I doubt they care about $100 just move on and learn from your mistakes

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