Help with possible scam

[floopr55]

Hi everyone. I recently sold a handheld gaming console and now i was asked for a refund even though i stated i don't accept returns. The buyer is stating that the item is defective and will not power on, but that is not true as it was tested before shipping and it's very unlikely to be damaged during shipping as it was packed securely.  The problem is that buyers account was created just a few days before he made the purchase and this is looking like a scam to me. He sent me a very low resolution picture and when i asked for clearer pictures, he refused and the reason is that he already packed the item and he only wants to return it, or he will contact ebay. What option do i have? Thank you in advance for to anyone willing to help me

[jckl1957]

You have to accept a return if the buyer claims the item is not working.  Electrical items do often suddenly develop faults or stop working so it is not necessarily  a scam.

Tell the buyer they need to open a return through Ebay.

When you get an email from Ebay saying a return has been opened, accept the return, provide a label and refund the buyer when you get the item back.

You do need to inform yourself about the Money Back Guarantee and returns policy if you are going to sell on Ebay.

[vinylscot]

Unfortunately, you have no option other than to accept the return, and cross your fingers that you get the same item back. DO NOT REFUND until you have the item back in your hands.

The buyer has claimed it is significantly not as described, so eBay will automatically approve the return. You can not refuse returns for that given reason. The best you can do at the moment is hope that it was a change of mind return, and that he's just regretted spending the money.

Once you have received something back, come back to the boards for further advice. I don't want to overload you at the moment.

I'm not familiar with the item. Is there a serial number, or an IMEI, similar to a mobile? If so, you may be able to have it "blocked" so it will be of little use to him.

Sadly, pricey items like this are like magnets for scammers, as they are easy to re-sell for decent money. Your situation, as a relatively inexperienced seller, has left you particularly vulnerable to being scammed. Let's just hope not, for the time being.

[missdollydaydream · Accepted solution]

Tell him to open a return request through eBay. You will then have to supply a pre-paid returns lable. When you receive your item back, you will need to refund. If the item you receive back is not faulty or is a different item, contact eBay customer service or come back here. Don't communicate further with your buyer exept through the open case.

[floopr55]

i looked in more detail at the photo he sent me and it it for a previous model. if i accept the return and i get back a different product or no product at all, what's next for me? thank you 

[myriad*seller]

Unfortunately, you have to refund even if he sends you back his old broken one 🙁 

[floopr55]

Thank you, i accepted your solution. 

[floopr55]

there is no protection for the seller on this platform?

[arkwebus]

We  have heard of this scam.  As said there is very little you can do.   It is odd that the buyer seems to have sent a wrong photo!  He could clearly simply have photoed the real one. 

You can appeal to ebay afterwards but they tend to say "we do not see what was sent"

If it is worth it it may be worth contacting the police but use the word "theft".   Do not use "fraud" else you will be diverted to Inaction Fraud which does no casework. 

When the item comes back

Certainly if you have the IMEI number block the item @floopr55 

[floopr55]

That's very unfortunate.  it is not possible for me to lock the device 

[dougbat20]

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@myriad*seller wrote:

Unfortunately, you have to refund even if he sends you back his old broken one 🙁 

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But the seller of the console will have the buyers postage details, as well as name, on file, so can file small claims court papers against them if they returned a different item to knowingly scam a seller.

[myriad*seller]

Sadly, no, there isn't much! the only seller protection eBay state they offer is where a buyer claims and item is not received but you have proof it was via a tracking number showing delivery. For all other situations, eBay require the seller to refund. 

eBay will auto refund the buyer (from your funds) as soon as the tracking shows delivered back to you - you don't get a choice to delay or prevent the refund (despite what posters above might say..)

Once the buyer has been refunded, you can appeal, and eBay *might* refund you for the refund if the buyer sent back a different item, but they might not

[myriad*seller]

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@dougbat20 wrote:

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@myriad*seller wrote:

Unfortunately, you have to refund even if he sends you back his old broken one 🙁 

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But the seller of the console will have the buyers postage details, as well as name, on file, so can file small claims court papers against them if they returned a different item to knowingly scam a seller.

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Yes, this is the only way to get your money back from the buyer if the eBay appeal (after the buyer has been refunded) is unsuccessful. 

[floopr55]

i accepted the return. i will post an update when  the package arrives 

[missdollydaydream]

I hope you have "called their bluff" and you hear no more of it. Don't forget to add them to your BBL.

[pewzapbang]

That's a lie.

[pewzapbang]

Reply back stating that he the buyer has sent a photo of the wrong item, Get him to take a photo of the item he sent as the condition in the photo will be used to compaire on return.

If he proceeds to send back an item other than what you sold him it's fraud.

[vinylscot]

You haven't bothered reading the rest of the thread, have you? We all KNOW it's fraud if he returns a different item. That doesn't really help at the moment. The OP has been given advice, which he seems to have taken very graciously, given the circumstances.

[pewzapbang]

eBay has a process where if you receive an item other than the one you sent out you report a crime and a specilist team takes over and covers the cost of the goods, I used it when I sold a IPhone and got sent back a damages mess.

This thread was filled with peopole saying you have to refund them regardless tough luck.

[jpredman1]

On a wider point, it's a good idea to avoid selling this sort of item to people with zero feedback or who have very recently joined, exactly because carrying out scams of this nature may be why they joined.