topic Re: Potential scam buyer in Member To Member Support

Potential scam buyer

refutableosprey — Sun, 26 Apr 2026 15:20:48 GMT

Hi everyone I'm looking for some help as I'm being scammed by a buyer on eBay and would like to know how to proceed. I recently sold a guitar effects pedal on eBay, buy it now £700. I sent royal mail special delivery tracked and insured. After several missed deliveries the buyer picked up the item from his local post office. He is now claiming I have sent him 3 cans of tuna instead of a guitar pedal and is looking to return and refund!! He is clearly scamming me here and stolen the item I sent to him. I have opened an investigation with the post office and reported the incident to the police. What are my rights as a seller as eBay only seems to be interested in protecting and refunding the buyer! Any help much appreciated.

Re: Potential scam buyer

papso22 — Sun, 26 Apr 2026 15:31:30 GMT

You shouldn't really have done anything until the buyer opened a case and returned the tuna. Right now they have actually done nothing to report.

There are things you can do through ebay, but only after the buyer returns something other than what you sent them.

Re: Potential scam buyer

refutableosprey — Sun, 26 Apr 2026 15:39:53 GMT

Thanks for the information and fast response. Maybe I jumped the gun but am feeling very angry about this! I managed to phone eBay and was advised to open a case with the post office and police as this will help my case once the item (apparently cans of tuna) is returned. I am currently waiting for the buyer to return whatever he thinks I sent him and will go from there. Was just wondering if anyone has experienced a similar scam and what the outcome was?

Re: Potential scam buyer

jckl1957 — Sun, 26 Apr 2026 15:49:45 GMT

I assume the buyer has gone through Ebay and has started a return case using the Ebay Money Back Guarantee,

The next step is for you to accept the return and provide a label so the buyer can send exactly what they claim they received - insist they return all the original packaging as well.

You should tell the buyer that RM are investigating this already as Special Delivery is a very secure and highly regulated service with little scope for interference in a package. Keep all messages in the case - you have the chance to add a message via an opened case.

If the buyer then returns the tuna, you must report them to Fraud Online (previously Action Fraud) who will give you a case number.

Then, go back to Ebay and say the buyer has returned a different item, you have reported it and RM are investigating. Give them the Fraud Online case number.

Ebay should then look at all the information they have, including the record of you and the buyer, and make a decision on the case.

Re: Potential scam buyer

refutableosprey — Sun, 26 Apr 2026 16:36:00 GMT

You are correct, the buyer has started a return case through eBay money back guarantee. I guess I will have to wait and see what is returned to me and go from there. I will keep a record of everything that can help my case here, luckily I still have proof of postage etc. Thank you for your advice, and the Kierkegaard quote, repetition and the concept of irony are great books by him! Hopefully with all the evidence gathered and correct processes followed I will get a favourable result, this buyer is clearly a scammer!!