eBay customer Service - Fraud

[spraoigorts]

Hello eBay community,

The purpose of this post is to warn you about the incompetence of eBay customer Service.

A seller recently asked me to buy a return label and promised to refund via eBay message. I received assurances from eBay customer Service to ‘go ahead and purchase it’, communicated by phone and email (see below). Both of them let me down. The seller never intended to pay me back and eBay refers to their policy, that says there’s no protection for payments initiated outside of their platform. 

To sum it up, I was scammed by the seller with ‘great help’ from eBay.

I am going to report the seller to eBay, and do the same to the police…

 

[vintique*violet]

Hi, sorry you have experienced this.. did you open a return case through ebay ?  As usually the seller can raise a pre-paid return label.

Or did the seller give you their address for you to post back  without you opening a case? 

Have you received your refund in full for the item you have returned? 

Sorry for the questions, just trying to gather a more complete picture. 

I do not think that the police would be interested , but it is worth you raising/ escalating  a complaint  to eBay, perhaps in writing outlining the details and of course copies of the messages you have received from the seller and from eBay in support.

Edit to add... @spraoigorts  name as the reply button is not working. 

[spraoigorts]

Hi, Thank you for your willingness to help. Yes, I did. The return was approved by the seller but never paid. The seller said he could not buy it himself. eBay sent me his address saying (see photo)

 

I have received the full refund for the purchase (item price + delivery to me). However its return postage fee (was wrong item) never refunded.

[vintique*violet]

@spraoigorts I would definitely escalate to eBay customer service especially as you have the sellers " word" that they would refund you the return post fee and that eBay supported you at that time. 

 Was the seller private or a business account out of interest? 

[spraoigorts]

….and that eBay supported you at that time. 

 Was the seller private or a business account out of interest? 

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I have called eBay customer service several times today, and they are blaming me and not taking any responsibility for what happened.

It was business. I sent her eBay message, warning of the actions I’m going to take.

[vintique*violet]

I thought that  business sellers have to pay or refund you for the postage fee, as they have to accept returns due to consumer laws. I could be wrong, but being as the seller has said that they would refund the fee I would pursue this and question why they could not buy it themselves?  I do not understand why eBay are going along the lines of  " no protection of payments initiated outside of eBay?"  Did you purchase the label via eBay or direct with the post office or another postal courier? 

[spraoigorts]

Did you purchase the label via eBay or direct with the post office or another postal courier? 

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I purchased directly with the post and messaged its receipt as asked by the seller and eBay.

[vintique*violet]

Okay,  well I cannot see how eBay can make a stand of saying payments initiated outside of ebay... as many post using the post office directly and not eBay labels, and this was not for the item itself either. I would write to them or if it is causing too much stress and the postal fee wasn't too much, chalk it down to experience, ( I know, its the principal of the matter also especially as both the seller and eBay have let you down after promising you would be refunded the return label cost)  I would also leave " necessary"  feedback but carefully expressing your dissatisfaction so that it stays on the feedback page and the seller can't get it removed.  

[*vyolla*]

What reason did you select for the return, and was the item a heavy or bulky one?

[moldosgifts]

The simple answer for the future do everything in a case 

Ignore what the buyer said or ebay promised

If you open a case for the correct reason without a label you cannot return = seller problem, what will happen is you will eventually get a refund for that item. and get to dispose of at your leisure.

It's down to the seller to supply the label not a sob story.

They are not you best pal.

[spraoigorts]

I selected the wrong item was delivered. Not at all, the item is tiny. As @vintique*violet rightly noted, it is rather a matter of principle…

[vintique*violet]

A business seller sending you the incorrect item?  Absolutely I would follow this up... There is no way a reputable business seller would ask you to buy the return post label and eBay should look into this again, and refund you the cost. 

I think it is up to you to pursue the best you can ( writing may be best option) and yes I would do this out of principal after being told you would be reimbursed ( as said on my previous comment). 

Good Luck. 

[buffster1963]

To be fair, the email posted on here does not say that op will be reimbursed. It says they can buy their own label if they want to. It also says they can tell the seller the costs and the seller can send them the money to buy it, not that the seller will have to pay for it. It does not say that ebay will pay them for it and ebay have no way to force the seller to pay for it. 

[vintique*violet]

I think the OP had conversations also with customer service. 

Since when can a business seller refuse or say they can't buy a postage label for return so please can the buyer do it? 

The OP received the incorrect item, therefore the onus is on the seller to accept the return and refund ALL costs. 

[buffster1963]

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@vintique*violet wrote:

I think the OP had conversations also with customer service. 

Since when can a business seller refuse or say they can't buy a postage label for return so please can the buyer do it? 

The OP received the incorrect item, therefore the onus is on the seller to accept the return and refund ALL costs. 

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I agree but there is no way to force them to and the refund can not be more than what was paid. 
I am still not sure why op did buy their own postage rather than get a prepaid return from the seller. 
customer service gives out the wrong information all the time.