Listing removed but buyer already paid for item and seller already sent item tracked

[lobr2944]

Six days after item sold and payment cleared, ebay removed the listing...MC067. Selling on ebay is newish to me and I have used the service very little. Once last summer for a few months and now this summer for a few weeks so far. Consequently, I ignored the 'listing has been ended' notification, suspecting nothing, if only a mistake or error of some sort. I even thought it could be a new ebay policy that removes sold items. Sounds so daft but I couldn't work out why the listing was removed if the seller had purchased the product in good faith. Then the real problems began.

Although buyers also receive notification of removal which would more than likely panic most buyers, I did not hear anything from the buyer! My first suspicion arose when I emailed the buyer because I was surprised the parcel wasn't received by then but was showing 'in transit 'on my courier service account. The buyer replied by saying 'hope all will be well'. Why wouldn't it be? I thought to myself. I knew then that this was going to end badly.

Three days after the listing removal, the buyer responded to my next email, thanking me for informing them of the listing issue! Ebay email buyers about ended listings, suggesting the buyer already knew about the removal. The buyer also mentioned that the item was a gift and would probably claim a refund. That is a classic! When they receive the parcel and realise it is tracked but not signed for, they can pretty much say what they like. It was so confusing. Along with the listing removal problem, the courier tracking service problem, buyer claiming non receipt of goods problem, the birthday gift trick problem, the buyer was now denying knowledge of the missing listing. Too many unexplained, mysterious events have spooked this sale that the buyer just had to be dodgy.

My main concern is refunding the buyer now that a request has been filed. However, if the listing is removed from ebay, what am I refunding? To top that, the buyer has since sent me an alternative email address to issue the refund to via paypal. This email was not the email used when purchasing. The original payment method used a different email address.

My question is...does this mean the buyer will be refunded automatically via the original email and, if I was stupid enough, by me as well, sent as a payment to a whole other email owner?

Once I make a direct payment on paypal, to an email address that I personally entered and aware of paying, I am responsible! How can I prove the payment was not genuine? The recipient can say anything and I doubt I would be protected by paypal.

Who knows!? Do you?

I'm new to this so I would appreciate the help of a knowledgeable, experienced ebay user. Incidentally, I have provided tracking details for the parcel which is officially still in transit but the seller was still able to open an 'item not received' request. Technically, the item is on its way...the tracking details confirm this! However, an ebay help search using the item number said tracking details had not been sent, which off course had been sent only, that was when the listing was live. What a nightmare!

Help!!!