Ripped off on Ebay- updated

[MaMudduck]

Back in June I won my bid on an auction for an digital camera, EOA was June 9, I emailed the seller with a few questions and told him, I was still bidding on some of his other stuff. He replied right away with answers.

I paid for auction via paypal June 16 (7 days)- within the 10days he required in listing. I sent him another email stating I had finished biding on other stuff and confirming Paypal payment.

In his site it says it might take 15 business days to ship- so I waited then on the 18 business day, I sent another email & phoned. No replies, sent another email, nothing, 3rd email and a phone call to his cell phone this morning and still nothing. In the email I had requested the tracking number (thinking maybe is still in shipping)

What do I do now? Do I file a Fraud Alert with Paypal, Ebay & my Amex account?
Is will only be my 3rd buy on ebay and I'm also concerned I'll get "locked out of bidding" of future things, how can I ensure I'm not blamed for this by the seller.

Thanks for your replies. Wendy

****updated- July 21- see end*****Long********New question

 

[floridagirrl2]

File a fraud alert with Paypal immediately--you only have 30 days to file (I believe this is 30 days after payment, not after auction end)..Although I don't think Ebay will do anything about it, I would suggest emailing them anyway and telling them your story and that you are filing for fraud via Paypa. That way, if the seller files an NPB against you, you will have already notified Ebay of problems.

You can have 3 NPB/FVC filed against you before Ebay locks you out of your account. However, if you take action now, there is a chance the Ebay will not allow the seller to take action against you anyway.

How is the seller's feedback? Just curious. Also, where is he from (USA or overseas?)?

 

[mrskay9]

I'd start at Paypal. I've had to file complaints with Paypal twice, maybe three times, and all the times its been resolved. But do everything you can.

There should be a help section at Paypal to help you through it.

Good luck,

Syd

 

[anditoo72]

I got totally ripped off once and the seller would contact me and tell me things like it was sent back to him because he filled out the address wrong, then he just happend to forget to mail the item anyway on and on... Long story short- It was past the 30 days to file with e-bay or paypal, all I had to do was call my credit card company and they gave me my money back right away. Then they fought with the other players, no more headache.

 

[buzz2400]

If you paid by credit card through paypal I would immediately call your credit card company and tell them the problem. I had to do this once (but it was not ebay) and they credited my account back. don't wait for the seller to answer. Time is of the essence. good luck.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

I have never purchased anything off of E-Bay, but the last 2 days I have been looking at purchasing college text books for my son. I did find someone who lived near me selling it so we met in person today. I was going to order one tomorrow.. I have to admit, after reading this ...now I am chickening out....

 

[Disneyland_emily]

^^ I buy all my textbooks from Amazon Marketplace and Ive never had a problem with any transaction-


-em

 

[MaMudduck]

Thanks for your quick relies all! After I read the first 3, I immedately started the process with everyone: Paypal, Ebay- Squaretrade isn't it funny how NOW the guy response to me only after I go to mediation?

He said TOMORROW he would send it (only 1 month later!) ....sorry guy, somehow I don't believe you .

I've sent all the emails to the mediator and told he how I wanted to resolve this. I haven't phoned Amex yet, I will tommorrow depending on what SQ trade says. That's my last option.

Should I leave negative feedback now or wait and see what happens?

 

[Dancind]

Don't leave a neg yet, you might actually get your camera because of the action you've taken. I don't like to leave negs, because people usually retaliate with a neg, even when they are completely in the wrong. Also, don't cancel the complaint with Paypal. They will cancel it if the seller provides them with a Delivery Confirmation number that proves that he seller mailed something to you. I went through this once, and got most of my money back. Paypal cancelled the guy's account after that, which meant he couldn't do business with them anymore. He sent my item really fast after that! I returned his money and let Paypal know that I finally got the item. They do have to work with you, because they have been sued for this.

 

[Cindy B]

You're in Canada, right?

I have to say US Mail to CANADA is SLOW! I remember mailing something December 17th or so in the PRIORITY envelope.

It was delivered Jan 12th.

This was priority. I cant imagine if it was regular parcel post or first class mail.

Could it be stuck in customs? I've had that happen as well.

Its unfortunate you can't have a tracking number for international shipments.

 

[MaMudduck]

Cindy - That's what I thought had happenned at fisrt.- That is was stuck in customs.
I know it can take a while, I get stuff sent up here all the time. So that's why I emailed & called him, was to get the tracking number so I could trace it, but he has repied to the mediator saying "that it has not even been shipped YET"

This was suppose to be shipped UPS Standard- which only takes a days/ maybe a week. Tracked & Insured

If it was shipped I wouldn't be as angry as I am now...but this guy gets your money and the sits on it, until maybe you'll make a big enough deal about it and then he'll sent it.

floridagirrl2- he is a "powerseller" from the USA and his rating was a 98%- a few negetive regarding the 10-15 day thing but I understood that before ordering, his rating has dropped more in the last month...even according to his listing this should have been out 2 weeks ago.

 

[MaMudduck]

Well, this guy's (the seller) a real piece of work.

But the good news is I final got my camera today. This guy wouldn't even reply to emails from Ebay, Paypal or SquareTrade mediators. He did final sent it out on Monday 19- when Paypal either reversed the payment out of his account or put a hold on it, I'm not really sure b/c he said I now owed he the payment again thru the mediator.

He sent it UPS express. I'm still really mad about this. It cost me alot more (time/mediator fee etc) than I wanted to pay for this camera. In the last month- he has had 110 negative & 82 neutrals.... but at least I'm not the only one taken by this guy. All of this neg.feed has been since my auction closed JUNE 9.

Just on a side note Paypal sent me a note saying that sellers AREN'T allowed to make shipping requirements after 20 days of payment! This guy is in violation of that, when he states 15 business days before shipping and in my case, 33days before he shipped it.

I also wonder had I not followed all of everyone’s advice if it would have been shipped at all?

Ok, so now to check out this camera and see if it works Ok, and then (NEED you help again all) what do I leave as feedback?

 

[canwegosoon]

Sounds to me like a very neg. exp, I would state the facts.

 

[ladydancer]

I had problems with a seller a couple of months ago. I made a purchase through paypal. After a week I get an email telling me the item had been damaged and I would get a refund within 10 business days. I started emailing after the mail ran on the 10th business day. Didn't get any responce. So after 5 emails and on the 13 business day I filed a complaint with paypal. Even though it was 13th business day it had actually been almost a month sent I had paid for this item in good faith. I had to act fast as you only have 30 days to file.

The next day I got a responce from him stating he forgot. How he could have forgotten since I had sent him 5 emails is funny. The next day I got a refund through paypal.

He had 20+ neg. feedbacks within a couple of months and many more over the past year. I had no neg. feedbacks. I left a neg. feedback explaining what happened. Guess what? He left me a neg. feedback also. He made a statement in his feedback that I reported him to paypal only after the 10th business day. Which only made my point that I hadn't gotten my money by the day he had promised to refund my money.

I haven't bought anything through ebay since. I'm discussed with the whole thing!

 

[Feelin' Goofy]

Yea it seams if you give a neg you get a neg - been there done that - some one did that to me when they sent me the wrong item then when they replaced it it was damaged because the just stuck the item in an envelope and sent it on on top of that it was misrepresented as a collectable and was not and they wanted me to send them the wrong item that they originally sent back at my expense. You have got to be kidding. Anyway gave neg and got neg and in thier neg they said that it was all my mistake ???????? isn't that nice.

 

[mtblujeans]

I bid on something once and won it. The seller was new and the price was very, very low. He did not send the item and I did not hear from him. I let it go about 10 days and then I noticed that his account was closed. I still had not recieved anything from him, no contact and no item. I called him and he seemed surprised to hear from me. He said it was in the mail. I immediately emailed eBay & Paypal with everything that had happened and I told them that I was concerned that, since he had closed his selling and Paypal accounts and seemed so surprised to hear from me, that I was not really expecting to get the item and how would I go about getting my money back since his eBay and Paypal accounts were gone. I got my money back within a couple of days. Since his eBay account was closed, he could not get my contact info to bother me, either. He really did a job on himself! I feel I got a lucky break getting my money back. Take action right away. No one can blame you for protecting your financial interest even if you are mistaken.

 

[DISLOVE]

This happened to me too! PayPal acted quickly to refund my money. They take it very seriously.

Go to Pay Pal and file a report!

Good Luck
Kristy