Fraud Case - £10K Lost, No Support from eBay

[japan-outlet]

I am writing to share a deeply concerning experience in the hopes of getting help and raising awareness. Recently, I purchased several MacBooks from a seller who claimed they were urgently selling due to medical reasons, offering the items at a discounted price. The total purchase amount was approximately £10,000.

However, instead of receiving the advertised MacBooks, I received boxes of cereal. Despite providing clear evidence, including photos, Royal Mail tracking details, and other documentation, eBay denied my claim, closed the case, and even suspended my account. They cited “abuse of Buyer’s rights” and claimed I had excessively requested returns—despite this being my first-ever return request.

In this case, I specifically informed the seller not to post on a Friday, as the delivery address was my workplace, which I cannot access on Saturdays. Despite this, the seller shipped on Friday anyway. When I received an eBay notification about Royal Mail’s Saturday delivery, I quickly diverted the package to a nearby Post Office for collection.

Unbeknownst to me, the seller had also created two additional shipping labels, and those parcels were delivered to my office on Saturday, where I could not retrieve them until Monday. Upon opening the first one that I collected at the post office, they are cereals only.  The other two packages on Monday, I discovered that they also contained the same cereal boxes instead of the MacBooks I purchased.

This experience raises additional concerns about delivery timing being potentially exploited by the seller to claim that parcels have been received on a weekend—allowing them to trigger payment release from eBay.

This is the first time I’ve ever needed eBay’s assistance, and I’ve always maintained a good record with no negative feedback or complaints. I trusted eBay to step in and protect buyers, especially for high-value transactions like this. Unfortunately, the outcome of this case has left me feeling unprotected and powerless.

If sellers can commit fraud on this scale and go unchecked, how can buyers trust the platform? This situation not only impacts me but raises serious concerns about the safety and integrity of eBay’s marketplace.

I strongly urge eBay to reconsider this case, conduct a proper investigation into the seller’s actions, and ensure that others are not subjected to similar scams.

To anyone reading this: Have you faced a similar situation? What steps did you take to resolve it? Any advice or assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your time and understanding.

Label purchased on eBay and I collect it at Post OfficeDoes not feel rightCerealsThe other two parcels that seller purchase the label at post offices, and I cannot get it collected on Saturday, but deliver to the office.When I open the other 2 parcels on Monday at the office, they are cereals as well.

[john1297576]

Did you open a proper NOT AS DESCRIBED CASE? If you opened a NOT RECEIVED case tgat would close case as you received something.

I suggest you contact your payment provider.

[japan-outlet]

I did open a case of NOT AS DESCRIBED CASE, but eBay considered me abusive of Buyer’s policies, which I have surely not.  And I am so concerned as why eBay will protect the seller when the evidence showing that he did not deliver the MacBook which are actually Custom To Order with nano-texture display, that's why I know that it is harder to get away because the original proof of purchase must be from Apple Store.

[japan-outlet]

Not sure if the payment provider could help, but I will try, thanks for your suggestion.

I wish that eBay can consider this case seriously as a WIN (which is currently the opposite) to strenghten the buyer's protection, since for large amount item, we can only rely on the honesty of the seller if the online platform didn't take it seriously, especially they speed up the payment time, meaning that whenever the parcel is considered delivered, money will be changed hand, and ebay is merely the platform.  And we have no details of who the seller is, due to privacy protection.  So, in case of fraud or scam, it is so hard to use other channels or method to follow up. 

[red_magpie]

When I received an eBay notification about Royal Mail’s Saturday delivery

If this is your first ever money back guarantee case it's hard it's highly unusual for eBay to refuse a claim for abuse of buyer's rights. Assuming of course that there isn’t something that they know and we don't.

One possibility is that eBay staff (or its new AI computer) just selected the wrong auto-response explanation. For example, what could certainly have lost you the case is that delivery was attempted, but unsuccessful. If you read eBay's money back guarantee policy, you will see that eBay accepts as evidence of successful delivery:

  - A delivery status of "delivered" or "attempted delivery" (or equivalent in the country to which the item was delivered)

However bizarre this self-contradictory definition of successful delivery may appear, these are eBay's terms (but not the law) and we all accepted item in the user agreement. If this was the reason for refusal you can try an appeal, if eBay will allow this, but I would be surprised if they reverse their decision.

It would have helped to know how you paid and the exact dates of payment and delivery. If by PayPal, it may still be within the 30 days (from payment) time limit to file a dispute under PayPal's buyer protection policy. PayPal requires sellers to provide proof of actual delivery, not just attempted. (Note that if you file a dispute through PayPal eBay will immediately close any open MBG case with eBay.)

If you paid by credit or debit card (especially by credit card) you should contact your card issuer to see whether they can help.

Finally, for £10k I suggest that you seek legal advice. The situation is complicated. If your seller is a UK registered business seller you may have statutory consumer rights. There might be a question whether you bought this job lot as a business, rather than a consumer for your own use.) But most importantly, unlike eBay, consumer law doesn't allow sellers just to say that delivery was attempted, so forget your £10k! If the seller is registered abroad you have a problem. 

Even if your seller was a private seller you might be able to use the courts to claim damages for breach of contract; a solicitor will be able to advise whether there’s any reasonable prospect of success. Good luck anyway!

[papso22]

I also don't understand how you lost a not as described case, assuming it was your first one and you followed all the rules regarding timing etc.

There were red flags from the start though, multiple high end items sold cheap by what seems to be a private seller.  Some thought prior to sending this member £10,000 would have saved you a lot of grief.  We would definitely have advised against it.

dave@ebay any chance you can check this for the OP?  It's a lot of money and seems a clear cut case for a refund.

[tressygirl]

How heavy is the whole package?  Is it light or heavy?  It may seem like a silly question but have you opened those cereal boxes.

The seller may have wrapped the items in bubble wrap and placed them in those boxes for protection and making it easier to package as a whole.

I only ask as the only item not as described case I ever received ,was from a buyer who informed me I sent them a wrong item , a box of chocolates.  I asked if she has opened the heavily brown taped box as the item she purchased from me was inside.  Being of irregular shape it was easier to place in a sturdy empty box originally made for chocolates.

Happily case closed.

Hope this is the case here but if not then turn to legal advice how to receive back that large sum of money.

@japan-outlet 

[*vyolla*]

Can you copy and paste the message from eBay telling you what reason they've given for not finding in your favour please?

Make sure to leave out any personal information.

I do wonder if the delivery diversion has raised some kind of red flag. If part of the shipment was delivered to a work place and was there over the weekend I guess there's an argument there that others would have access to the packages. 

[japan-outlet]

Thank you for your comment and for highlighting the red flags in hindsight—I completely understand where you’re coming from. Looking back, I see that I should have exercised more caution and perhaps sought advice from the community before proceeding with such a significant purchase.

To clarify, this was indeed my first “not as described” case, and I followed all the required steps within the appropriate timelines. I documented everything, including photos of the packages, Royal Mail tracking details, and even a video of me opening the parcels. Despite this, eBay decided to close the case and deny my claim, citing that I had “abused Buyer’s rights,” which I find perplexing as this was my first-ever return request.

Regarding the transaction, the seller presented a compelling story about needing to sell the MacBooks urgently for medical reasons, which influenced my decision. While I now recognize the risks of dealing with high-value items from a private seller, I trusted eBay’s buyer protection to ensure fairness if anything went wrong. Unfortunately, that trust has been shaken by the outcome of this case.

I deeply appreciate your tagging dave@ebay to review this situation. Given the significant amount involved and the evidence I’ve provided, I hope eBay will reconsider their decision and investigate the seller thoroughly.

[japan-outlet]

Thank you for taking the time to provide such a detailed and thoughtful reply. I really appreciate the insights you’ve shared, as this has been an incredibly challenging situation for me to navigate.

To clarify, this was indeed my first-ever Money Back Guarantee (MBG) case, and I’ve always maintained a good record as a buyer on eBay. I’ve never had negative feedback or claims against me, which makes eBay’s conclusion about “abusing buyer’s rights” particularly baffling.

You make an interesting point regarding eBay’s policy on “attempted delivery.” When I received the notification about Royal Mail’s Saturday delivery, I realized that the address was a workplace that I couldn’t access over the weekend. I immediately acted to redirect the parcel to a nearby post office, where I successfully collected it. Unfortunately, I wasn’t aware that the seller had used additional shipping labels for two other parcels, which ended up being delivered to the inaccessible workplace on Saturday.

When I retrieved those two parcels on Monday, they also contained cereal boxes instead of the advertised MacBooks. I documented the entire process, including photos of the packaging and video recordings of me opening the boxes. This evidence (without the video) was submitted to eBay, but my case was still closed, which I feel doesn’t align with the facts.

As for payment, I used debit card and have will explore with card issuer for assistance.  I am concerned on exploring legal advice, as it could easily be a lengthy and costly way, but as you suggested, I guess this should be the last resort I need to try.

The seller claimed to be selling urgently for medical reasons, which seemed plausible at the time, but in hindsight, it was a major red flag. What’s most concerning is that eBay appears to have overlooked critical evidence in this case. While I understand that eBay has its policies, I was expecting a fair investigation into such a significant purchase, especially for high-value items.

Thank you again for your advice and suggestions. I am really under quite a lot of stress, and I’m very grateful for your guidance or others in the community that has provided to me.  Thank you very much. 

[japan-outlet]

Thank you for your comment and for raising an important question—it’s not silly at all, and I appreciate your perspective.

The packages were quite heavy but the first parcel I collected at Post Office was 2 boxes of cereals, which initially raised my suspicions. When I opened it carefully while documenting everything, and raised the "return for refund" case, the seller told me that there are 3 parcels in total.   I then waited until Monday to get access to the office opened the other two parcels (they were delivered to an inaccessible workplace over the weekend) and found the same situation, another 8 cereal boxes, clearly not containing the 5 MacBooks I had purchased, unless the MacBook can be cut half, but the sellers packed 2 boxes of cereals to simulate the weights of a heay MacBook.  When I send these photos to the seller, he didn't reply much but call me a scammer and raise a refund of £1.  If he really put the MacBook in the cereal boxes, he should have asked me to open and check it, I guess. 

I completely understand your point about creative or protective packaging, but unfortunately, that wasn’t the case here. I double-checked the boxes and confirmed that they contained only brand new cereals.

It’s reassuring to hear that your buyer’s case turned out to be a misunderstanding. I wish this were similar, but sadly, the evidence suggests deliberate fraud by the seller. I documented everything—photos, tracking details, and videos of me opening the packages—and submitted it (except for the video that was not asked) to eBay, but my claim was still denied.

Thank you for the suggestion to seek legal advice. I am exploring that option and other potential avenues to see what can be done.  Your input and support mean a lot, and I’m grateful for any additional advice.  Thank you very much. 

[tressygirl]

Some legal advisors offer a free half hour consultation,  worth ringing around and finding one.  I'm sure a legal route here is your only answer.

Good luck ,  and do come back and tell us hopefully,  your successful outcome.

@japan-outlet 

[japan-outlet]

The email from eBay mentioned that Activity on your account didn't follow our Abusive buyer policy. Buyers may not misuse feedback, returns, buyer protection programmes, or payment dispute processes.

What activity didn't follow the policy

 - Filing excessive returns claiming the item is not as described when the seller described it accurately.

Regarding your point about the delivery diversion and workplace delivery, I can see how it might raise concerns. However, the diversion was done only for one of the parcels (Royal Mail tracking SE278302097GB), which I collected directly from the post office because this is the only one which was notified by eBay of the Saturday delivery with Royal Mail delivery notice, and realized the original address (my workplace) wouldn’t be accessible that day. Unfortunately, I wasn’t aware that the seller had used two additional shipping labels (SP507001239GB and SP507001242GB), so those parcels were delivered to the workplace and remained there over the weekend, and that I did not receive notification from Royal Mail or eBay. 

I retrieved the two parcels on Monday and found the same situation—cereal boxes inside. While I understand the argument about workplace access, I’m confident this wasn’t an issue, as the packages were sealed, and they are the same packages as shown on the Royal Mail proof of delivery photo (see attached), I opened them myself while recording the process for documentation.

I genuinely believe the seller’s actions were deliberate, given the evidence and the circumstances of the transaction. Thank you for taking the time to review this with me.  I greatly appreciate it.

The bottom one + the one under the orange parcel.

[japan-outlet]

Thank you so much for your advice and encouragement.  I wish that I can look for an adviser who can offer free short session to understand the prospect,  which is a practical idea. 

I truly appreciate the support and the time you’ve taken to share your perspective. I will definitely update this thread with any progress or (hopefully!) a better positive outcome, it’s reassuring to know there’s a community here that understands how challenging situations like this can be.

Thanks again for your help and kind words.  Appreciate it very much. 

[*vyolla*]

It's incredibly odd that eBay sent you that message and found in favour of the seller.

Did you have to open 10 item not as described returns?

[japan-outlet]

Thank you for your message and for sharing your thoughts. I completely agree that it’s incredibly odd and disheartening that eBay sided with the seller in this case, especially given the evidence I provided. 

To answer your question, no, I have not opened 10 “item not as described” cases, but just one, as there was only one notification I can have Royal Mail tracking notification on ebay that has the email update to me.   I’ve always maintained a clean record with no complaints or negative feedback from sellers.   That’s why I’m very confused about eBay’s reference to being removed from the Money Back Guarantee program for “abuse of buyer’s rights.”

This situation feels completely uneasy, especially considering the significant amount of money involved and the dishonest behaviour of this seller, who can cause further potential harms to the community.   Instead, they have decided to remove me which I genuinely relied on eBay’s buyer protection on this big amount transaction, which makes this outcome even more difficult to swallow.  

[*vyolla*]

Without naming them, what's your seller's feedback like?

Are they a new seller?

Are they an established seller who was listing these on a multi quantity listing and you ordered 10?

If they are an established seller, do they have history of selling similar items?

[tressygirl]

Just had a thought @*vyolla*  how would this have panned out with Simple Delivery being mandatory.  eBay then would have to have refunded the buyer?

A few £10k claims would not bode well for eBay's mandatory SD surely?  Mmmm maybe clearly showing here, there is a vast black hole for scammers receiving mega bucks from eBay under compulsory SD.  🤔

[*vyolla*]

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@tressygirl wrote:

Just had a thought @*vyolla*  how would this have panned out with Simple Delivery being mandatory.  eBay then would have to have refunded the buyer?

A few £10k claims would not bode well for eBay's mandatory SD surely?  Mmmm maybe clearly showing here, there is a vast black hole for scammers receiving mega bucks from eBay under compulsory SD.  🤔

---

No, eBay wouldn't have to refund anybody because tracking here shows delivery. It wouldn't be anything to do with Simple Delivery (if the item has gone missing en route or arrived damaged it would be).

[japan-outlet]

The seller’s feedback is mixed, with a total score of 37, including 2 negative ratings, which raise some concerns. He is a private seller and do not seem to be established, with around 75 items sold, but usually electronics / computers with nothing high-value items like this.

The listing was a multi-quantity one with a total of 5, and I ordered 5 in total. Based on his selling history, he doesn’t appear to have any track record of dealing with similar items or high-value products. Looking back, this was definitely a red flag, and I regret not investigating their profile more thoroughly before making such a significant purchase.

Thank you for engaging with my case and sharing your thoughts. If you have any additional advice or insights, I would truly appreciate it. Your support means a lot in such a difficult situation.

[japan-outlet]

I cannot understand it as well, and that's why, I was so worried when I knew that the delivery was on a Saturday and so I quickly divert the parcel to collection at the Post Office to see if the parcel is real, which turns out to be just cereals boxes. 

[tressygirl]

Oh of course it's the non delivery eBay dish out for.

Yep, no guaranteed refund then from an SD delivery .

[japan-outlet]

This is exactly my worry when I knew that the delivery was set on Saturday, so that the item will be shown as delivered, and I cannot even have a chance to access to the parcel. 

[*vyolla*]

Okay, thanks for that information.

I think that we need Dave@ebay to look into this to find out why your item not as described claim was denied.

Usually, I'd recommend going straight to your debit or credit card provider (assuming you funded the payment this route), but £10k is a large amount and, as the initial claim was found in your sellers favour, it would be eBay footing the bill here, not your seller, so it would be prudent to find out what happened before doing that.

You have 120 days to issue a not as described chargeback, but I wouldn't leave it for more than a week. You need to present it correctly, you only have one shot.

[tressygirl]

I would start now by calling up solicitors and asking if they offer this free half hour appointment, That would be a good start.

A call to Citizens Advice might prove fruitful too.

I'm as perplexed a others how and why eBay closed this case, but once closed another cannot be opened for the same item.

Were several cases opened and all closed ?

Think it's time to pursue that legal route.

@japan-outlet 

[*vyolla*]

---

@tressygirl wrote:

I would start now by calling up solicitors and asking if they offer this free half hour appointment, That would be a good start.

A call to Citizens Advice might prove fruitful too.

I'm as perplexed a others how and why eBay closed this case, but once closed another cannot be opened for the same item.

Were several cases opened and all closed ?

Think it's time to pursue that legal route.

@japan-outlet 

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I honestly wouldn't bother at this stage without first running an ID check on the seller and checking out if they have any assets (which a solicitor will charge for).  Solicitors always say that you can pursue this kind of thing, but 99% of the time you can't. A half decent scammer uses a drop address, he's not going to have his own on file with eBay.

[japan-outlet]

Thank you for your response and the helpful guidance. I truly appreciate your effort to support me in my case.  Understanding why my “item not as described” claim was denied is crucial, especially since the decision has left me at such a big loss and I just humbly wish that eBay can spend a bit more time to check the details that I have provided in the conversation with the seller (as eBay advised me to do), because there is no way I can provide additional evidence to ebay (which I have clarified on the phone with ebay as well) when a "return for refund" option is initiated, but to wait 3 business days (in my case 4) to ask eBay to step in. 

I used a debit card for the payment, and not sure 120 days is valid only for credit card, but I just afraid that eBay will keep denying to the card issuer's request.  As such, I see the importance of ensuring that everything with eBay is properly reviewed first so that we can shop confidently on this platform.  

I will also aim to take action soon with the card issuer, ideally within the week, while leaving room for any updates from eBay. Your advice on handling the chargeback carefully is noted, and I’ll ensure to prepare everything as thoroughly as possible if it comes to that.

I agree that, given the circumstances, it’s wise to take the necessary steps to present my case correctly, especially considering the amount involved and the dishonest seller's behaviour in this situation. 

The 5x MacBooks purchase was done on 8th Jan, delivered on 11th Jan, and I can only ask eBay to step in on 17th Jan, and 18th Jan (yesterday) was given the feedback that I am removed from Money Bank Gurantee due to abusive buyer's policy. 

[japan-outlet]

Thank you for your response and suggestions, just that it is hard to pursue legal advice in this kind of fraud situation, because I do not have any details of the seller, no phone, no address, no name.   

But I’ll start reaching out to solicitors to see if I can arrange a free consultation to understand my options.   A call to Citizens Advice is also a great idea, and I’ll be following up with them as well.

To clarify, only one case was opened for the 5 items, and is tied to one single transaction.  However, since the case has been denied, and eBay keeps saying that the decision is final, which is why I feel so sad and nervous with emotional stress to see little way to recover my funds.

I appreciate your support and guidance through this process. I’ll update this thread if I make progress or receive further clarification. Thank you again for taking the time to help.

[*vyolla*]

You have 120 days for a debit card chargeback too. I'm assuming that it has a Mastercard or Visa logo on it?

I would hold fire on your chargeback until (hopefully) we can get to the bottom of this eBay case. Just start putting your chargeback case together (which you seem to have done already anyway) - simple and concise is good, it doesn't need any 'padding'.

This may be an error on eBay's part, given that the returns process is largely automated. 

[japan-outlet]

Thank you for your thoughts, this is exactly my concern as well of the 99% - I appreciate the reality check you shared here with me that has zero legal experience.

I see your point about checking the seller’s identity and assets first, however, I don't even know who he is, and eBay is not going to share with me without a legal subpoena (which I learned from the call with eBay yesterday) , which make it difficult, if not impossible, to trace without spending a lot of time on legal route. 

Thanks again for the guidance and for helping me think through the next steps. I’ll keep you updated on the situation and development.