topic Re: Scammed in Seller Central

Scammed

jus-945317 — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 12:50:15 GMT

I sold a mobility scooter on here didn’t get the 6 digit code from the customer next day they filed for a Refund now I lost money and now eBay’s saying I owe another £43 on top is there a way I can get my money back because I have now lost money and a item

Re: Scammed

papso22 — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 12:54:29 GMT

What case did the buyer open? Not received or not as described?

Unfortunately if you release a collection item without getting any of the evidence required by ebay, you have no defence against an item not received claim.

There is no defence against one for item not as described.

Re: Scammed

cobwebcottage — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 13:00:43 GMT

What reason did they give for asking for a return? Was something wrong with it?

At this stage you should have accepted the return although you would have been responsible for collecting it from the buyer.

If you did not respond to the case, Ebay would have closed the case and refunded them.

Have you contacted the buyer to say that you would like the scooter back?

You have only been scammed if the buyer has said that they did not collect the item when they did. But now you know that you have to enter a code for proof of dispatch.

Re: Scammed

*vyolla* — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 13:36:02 GMT

Is this the one that the buyer left feedback for?

Are they claiming that they haven't received it or that its not as described?

Re: Scammed

jus-945317 — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 13:40:14 GMT

They are claiming they didn’t receive the item

Re: Scammed

jus-945317 — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 13:41:13 GMT

Yes they left a review and everything but then I had a refund thing come up because they are trying to claim they never received the item

Re: Scammed

cobwebcottage — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 13:41:48 GMT

Ok, so as @*vyolla* has asked, is it the one that you have feedback for or another one?

Re: Scammed

jonatjonatjonat — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 13:54:33 GMT

If its the one who left a review I don't believe them having left a review will make a difference.

If you didn't get a collection code - that's the only evidence ebay will bear in mind if an item not received case is opened.

Seems odd they'd collect, leave a review then open an item not received case - but without that code - you've got nothing ebay will consider.

Re: Scammed

cobwebcottage — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 13:58:29 GMT

Agreed. The best they can do is to add a note to the buyers account if it is them.

I don't think it's worth reporting to report/action fraud as it will only become a statistic with no action.

Re: Scammed

4_bathrooms — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 13:59:47 GMT

@jus-945317 wrote:
Yes they left a review and everything but then I had a refund thing come up because they are trying to claim they never received the item

Try this:

File a report with Report Fraud; they will give you a reference number and possibly a report.
At the bottom of the (now closed) case there should be a link to appeal eBay's decision.
In your appeal include the reference number you obtained from Report Fraud in #1 and attach the report if you have one.

If eBay don't overturn their decision after doing that you will have to go through the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Re: Scammed

therenewalworkshopltd — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 15:04:01 GMT

As nobody else appears to have asked this.

When the buyer collected, is it on CCTV?

If it is, then that is unlikely to help with Ebay, but it will enable you to make a claim via small claims against the buyer. You can also report to the police as they have effectively stolen the item.

And even if not, it might well be worth going down the route of sending them a "letter before action".

That might make them think twice about it.

And of course, if they are local, I would be tempted to get a mate to go along with me and turn up the the customers doorstep.
People get away with this kind of thing, because they are allowed to.
When it's not face to face, it's impersonal and they are just getting money off the machine, and not a real person. Which makes it so much easier.

Re: Scammed

abrahamtoast — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 15:06:47 GMT

I know it's unlikely, but is it possible the buyer has opened a case for the wrong item? Perhaps they bought one before, and it fell through?

So, even although they are perfectly happy with the one they got from you, they may have had a bad experience with another one, and accidentally opened the request on the wrong listing?

It is unlikely, but you haven't said that you have been in touch with the buyer. Perhaps you could drop them a note, just to clarify...

Re: Scammed

jonatjonatjonat — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 15:13:53 GMT

Of course - you could only send the letter before action if you took the action of getting the buyers address...not sure if the police would do much with just CCTV either.

Re: Scammed

therenewalworkshopltd — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 15:17:23 GMT

The police might not, though it certainly wouldn't hurt to report them. But surely the buyers details are available to the seller anyway.
Though I must admit, it's been a long time since I did a collection.

Re: Scammed

4_bathrooms — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 15:32:34 GMT

@therenewalworkshopltd wrote:
But surely the buyers details are available to the seller anyway.
Though I must admit, it's been a long time since I did a collection.

As the buyer's address is immaterial when an item is collected it is not provided for CIP purchases - likely a GDPR/DPA thing. The buyer's address would only be provided if a return case was opened as the seller would need it in order to arrange collection.

Re: Scammed

*vyolla* — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 16:04:07 GMT

I think it's odd that a buyer setting out to scam by claiming item not received would leave such a nice well worded feedback, plus they have over 1800 feedback so haven't just set up an account with the intention of scamming.

Re: Scammed

therenewalworkshopltd — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 16:49:48 GMT

That may well be the case for a private sale, but if it's a business sale, the address is required for an invoice.

At least if VAT registered anyway.

Re: Scammed

maldon-jewellery — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 20:37:47 GMT

This is the legal definition from the Theft Act 1968 (England and Wales):

Section 1 defines theft as: a person is guilty of theft if they dishonestly appropriate property belonging to another with the intention of permanently depriving the other of it.

Section 6 defines "intention of permanently depriving": a person is regarded as having the intention of permanently depriving even if they don't intend the other person to lose the thing itself, as long as their intention is to treat the thing as their own to dispose of regardless of the other's rights. This includes borrowing or lending it for a period and in circumstances making it equivalent to an outright taking or disposal.

So if you have evidence of the above then the police SHOULD NOT cast it off as a non crime, o civil or "they can't be bothered"