Am I being scammed?

[garryboy1888]

Looking for a bit of reassurance here. I've been using eBay for long time and never had any issues when buying. Until now. 

Last Sunday I place a bid on a gaming PC expecting not to win the auction but low and behold i did.  The price was pretty low. He was a new ebayer but I was thinking I would take a punt and be covered by any money back guarantee.

I paid as I always do and waited to see if the sale would procede. I contacted the private seller asking if he would include the boxes for the components and he replied saying that would be fine. On the Monday the sale got updated with a royal mail special delivery tracking number. Going well I thought. 

I waited overnight and the next day the tracking status remained at "were expecting your item". Into Wednesday and the tracking did not change. No collection scans, no scans at depot or transit scans. 

I contacted the seller explaining above. He said he would check with the RM and that he has claimed his postage fee back. Also would I like the fee returned. I refused at that point. 

I waited again till Thursday. No update to tracking and no attempted delivery of the PC. 

I contacted the seller and explained i was opening an item not received case. He agreed this was the best route to go. 

I opened the case yesterday and have had no further contact from the seller. 

Tonight I got an email from eBay case file to say the tracking number has been updated. It's another RMSD number but it's not recognized. 

Coincidentally he still has a buy it now auction for the exact same pc with identical description. 

What the hell is going on. What scam could I potentially fall victim too? 

Any advice to ensure I don't fall victim to something. 

[roger_roger_over_and_nowt]

Seller may be naive and send an empty box thinking proof of delivery will cover them or they haven't got a clue what they are doing.

I guess you will have to wait and see.

[simon191178]

Maybe he didn’t get what he wanted for the item so has no intention of shipping to you, will let the case refund you whilst acting as though it has gone missing, and selling for the BIN price.

[honeymonster007]

"were expecting your item"

Sounds like he brought the postage but had a change of mind and didn't drop it off or have it collected.

[garryboy1888]

Thanks for input folks. 

I hope it's just something as simple as he doesnt want to sell it to me as the price was too low. Hopefully as suggested his lack of experience selling means he's messing about hoping that il get a refund and hel get to keep his PC. 

The updated tracking number added to the case file is what's puzzling me now though. 

[dch2112011]

Have you checked the  tracking number on the RM website track and trace ?

Just in case it's an old used one or not yet received by RM - 

[garryboy1888]

Just says sorry we dont recognize that number. 

[dch2112011]

You get an idiot of a seller  every so often,  escalate and get your refund as soon as allowed. 

it is far too common where a seller does not get the money they want on an auction type listing to cancel the order or in this case try and sell it again before refunding, it is dishonest. Luckily ebay will make sure you are refunded but it is a hassle that you don't need.

The good news is that with the introduction of SD for private sellers it should remove the incentive for private sellers to make up this type of nonsense, 

The label will be automatically generated and the tracking loaded by ebay and the seller cannot get their funds until the order has been delivered - hopefully this will be enough to deter this type of nonsense.  - it won't stop sellers cancelling but at least cancelling is better than this nonsense even though it is still dishonest.

[garryboy1888]

ive had a pretty long chat with an agent. they have been very helpful and can see the obvious situation that has unfolded. he has reviewed messages between seller and i and also aware the new tracking number is not valid. I also highlighted the seller has the same item on a buy it now auction. I need to wait  untill the 29/05 for ebay to officially step in but the agent has presonally said  he will manage the case for me on the 29/05. 

hopefully no other twists to this and i get my money returned.

[dch2112011]

You did the right thing - you will get your refund  but what an unnecessary palaver ! 

Hopefully when SD is fully rolled out these fools will find idiotic pie in the sky scams a little more difficult to attempt !  Thank goodness ebay are on to them 

[eaelectronicsltd]

I sold a couple of items on the big river website. I then realised i didnt have them in stock. So, I saw the same items on ebay listed for a little higher, i figured it's worth me paying extra to the sellers on ebay with the original buyers address so they get their order. It turns out both sellers were actually doing arbitrage selling and had purchased from me in the same way id purchased from them. they'd sold their items here and purchased them cheaper on the big river from me. i didnt have them in stock so ordered them from those sellers on here. when i asked for tracking info they blew a head gasket at the situation.

im going to assume the seller is doing something similar but there's a problem on the other end and he can't tell you that so wants to just keep you hanging until it's sorted.

[eaelectronicsltd]

in the end, they cancelled the sale and i had to buy the items in a local store for even more than post them out, all within a couple of days.

[dch2112011]

Good on you for honouring your orders - refreshing but then you are a business and look at the wider picture -

Mind you now you know what your customers were doing - it doesn't stop you being ruthless and undercutting them on ebay !

I am guessing the seller in this instance is a private seller who isn't looking beyond the end of their nose - chanced it with a low start auction - didn't get the price and has come up with the whizz idea that they don't have to refund the buyer by telling fairy stories and making up tracking numbers  whilst trying to sell the pc on another listing

- of course it could be a business seller - there are some horrors out there.