Report Fraudulent Buyer

[vlad_chirita]

Report Fraudulent Buyer – Username Change from 

Dear eBay users,

I am writing to report a serious case of abuse and fraud involving the buyer who previously went by the username  and has now changed it to 

This individual is clearly using eBay to scam sellers intentionally, as they did with me — receiving a full refund without returning my item (a valuable watch). Despite providing proof and speaking with an eBay agent who confirmed the buyer had the return label, the case was closed in their favor. Now they refuse to return the item and are hiding behind a new username.

This is clearly a pattern of abuse, and yet eBay has taken no action against this user. Changing usernames does not erase misconduct, and this buyer should be banned immediately for violating eBay policies and taking advantage of seller protections.

I urge you to investigate this user and take appropriate action to prevent further abuse on your platform.

I am writing to express my deep dissatisfaction with the way my recent appeal was handled regarding a transaction with buyer. The case was incorrectly closed in the buyer’s favor, and I have been left without my item and without any form of protection or resolution.

The buyer is refusing to return the watch, claiming they never received the return label. However, during my phone conversation with an eBay representative on 21.05, I was clearly told that the buyer had received the return label and that I would get my watch back. This has not happened.

Instead of resolving the issue, I received a generic email from your representative (Shweta) effectively telling me to work it out with the buyer — even though this is clearly a case where eBay should intervene and protect the seller, as the buyer has both the refund and my property. That is not just unfair – it's absurd.

I do not need to be given lessons in return procedures. I need my watch returned or to be refunded for its full value. eBay’s current handling of this situation offers no seller protection, and it is completely unreasonable to refund the buyer in full without ensuring the return of the item. It’s beyond belief that your system would allow this to happen – essentially empowering the buyer to keep both the refund and the product.

Due to this serious mishandling and lack of support, I am left with no choice but to consider closing my eBay account. I no longer feel my transactions or property are safe on this platform.

The appeal was dismissed by eBay due to a full refund being processed, which is an illogical and unfair outcome since I have not received my item back.

eBay’s decision to cancel the appeal based on the refund is unjustified and disregards the fact that the buyer still has my property.

Sincerely,
vlad_chirita

[vlad_chirita]

Not just about a bad buyer — it’s about how eBay’s broken process and careless support that can cost me my item.

The buyer first contacted me through Chrono24, asking about a watch I had for sale. Later, he purchased it via eBay.

Once he received it, he messaged me complaining about a issue with the crystal (scratch) — damage that was clearly shown in photos and listed accurately. He also asked for a refund of £2.30 for underpaid postage. He then began negotiating for money to keep the item and repair it himself, even though he had already opened a return case. Saying he was still deciding whether to keep or repair it himself.

Worried that the buyer might alter the item or drag the return process, I decided to give a full refund, after that i called eBay customer support on the 21st of May, worried that i gave the full refund with no return label.

That phone call was the turning point.

The eBay agent assured me that:

• The buyer had already received the return label,

• And that if I issued the refund, the watch would be returned without any issue.

  I explained clearly to the agent that I was issuing the full refund only because I wanted the watch returned immediately and safely, and I was concerned the buyer might tamper with it if things dragged on.

  The agent said they understood and told me they would escalate the matter internally and that I should expect a message in the following days confirming the return.

  What happened next?
  I received one message: the case was closed in the buyer’s favor.

   Claiming he never received the return label, obviously, he also stated he would be abroad for two weeks, further postponing any return action.

  When I reminded him that he had already been refunded and asked him to return the watch as agreed, he refused, insisted again that I had to provide a prepaid return label, and accused me of being inappropriate in communication. He ended the exchange by saying I was being “harassing,” threatened to block me, and demanded I “stop wasting his time.”, and that the "case is closed".

  Sent him a return label again oh the 30th of May, with no answer since then. 

  Let me be very clear:

  • The buyer got full refunded and has my item .

  • I followed eBay's instructions to the letter, based on what I was told during that call.

  • eBay promised me on the phone that the item would be returned — that didn’t happen.

  • There was no enforcement of the return, despite the case being "officially opened."

  • The outcome was the exact opposite of what I was promised by the agent.

  This isn't just a misunderstanding. It's a failure of eBay’s process. The platform told me I was protected, and I wasn’t.

  Honestly, with how unclear and unbalanced these return/refund rules are, and how fast eBay sides with buyers no matter what — I don’t feel safe selling anymore.

[tobiasd4]

Ebay cases are clear,

If buyer claims item not as described, seller issues returns label and only refunds when item returned. 

If you refund 1st,ebay assume you don't want item back, case closes and label not available. 

This is now between you and buyer. 

If item is valuable, get legal advice to sue buyer.

[vlad_chirita]

I have sent the buyer a polite email requesting either the return of the watch or payment for its value, but unfortunately, I have received no response. Despite being fully refunded, the buyer is still in possession of the item and has chosen not to engage in any further communication.

Is there any way to take legal action against the buyer and eBay for what happened?

I fully refunded the buyer, yet he kept my item and refused to return it, despite multiple polite messages — including an email asking him clearly to either return the watch or pay for its value. He never responded.

I followed eBay’s process exactly. I even called support on the 21st of May and was told the buyer had received the return label and that the item would be sent back. That never happened. Now, the buyer is ignoring me, and eBay closed the case in their favor, leaving me with nothing — no item, no refund, no protection.

This isn’t just a bad buyer. It’s a broken system. And I’m wondering if there’s any way to hold both the buyer and eBay accountable for enabling this kind of behaviour.

If anyone has advice on how to take this further, legally or otherwise, I’d appreciate it.

[jckl1957]

For legal advice, you will need to consult a solicitor.

[vlad_chirita]

Thank you for the suggestion, but I’m not looking to hire a solicitor  I’d prefer a less expensive and more accessible route. I’m just trying to recover my item or its value without having to spend more money on legal fees.

If there are any alternative ways to report this  like small claims court, consumer rights services, or any legal aid options for cases like this. I’d really appreciate any guidance.  

[jckl1957]

You may get some free legal advice from Citizens Advice.

We are other Ebay buyers and sellers like you.

I certainly would never offer legal advice in a public forum.

[vlad_chirita]

I understand your point, and I appreciate your response. Seeking advice in a public forum is entirely fair, especially when the platform itself is fully aware of the details of the case and  allows this to happen, having the expectation for the ones involved to quietly accept the loss.

[jckl1957]

You have had advice - mainly saying that choosing to refund before you had your watch back was unwise.

[vlad_chirita]

Thanks for your input, but this isn’t about judging who made a “wise” or “unwise” decision ,  we’re not in school. We’re using a professional platform where users pay fees for security and proper resolution tools.

eBay has access to every user’s verified information  addresses, payment details, bank accounts, full messaging history. It has the authority and capability to step in when something goes wrong. That’s what sellers and buyers expect when they use this platform  not to be left unprotected.

This situation goes beyond one refund. It highlights a bigger problem: a flawed system where sellers can be left without their item or money, while eBay takes no responsibility, and is biased. That’s the real concern here.

[red_magpie]

It's clear that for some reason the returns procedure was not correctly followed.

The normal sequence is:

• Buyer opens a case requesting a return and refund.
• Seller agrees to the request, sends buyer a prepaid return label.
• Buyer returns item using the label provided.
• If the tracking record confirms the return, eBay initiates the buyer's refund.

You say that an eBay agent told you that if you issued the refund the watch would be returned. If so, this was untrue and contrary to eBay's stated procedure. If the seller has sent a return label no refund is issued until the item had been returned.

Whether you can prove you were given this advice I don't know, but I doubt it. For whatever reason it appears you didn't follow eBay's procedure correctly and they will probably wash their hands of it.

It's very hard to bring a complaint against eBay. They don't have a complaints procedure; or to be more exact, they do, but an eBay rep. told us that "it cannot be used for appeals of suspensions, restrictions, eBay cases or a lot of other things." In other words, any of the things users want to complain about.

Good luck. You can consider the legal route, but it won't be easy. Remember that transactions here are governed by eBay's legal agreement, which complicates things. Take legal advice first.

[vlad_chirita]

At this point, it’s deeply disappointing that eBay continues to ignore the phone conversation I had with customer support, where I was explicitly advised that the issue would be resolved. I was told that eBay would ensure I was not left at a loss.

 And despite all the case evidence, eBay is now choosing to step back and “wash its hands” of the situation.

This isn’t just a case of poor buyer behavior  it’s a failure of eBay’s process. The platform has all the tools at its disposal to resolve this properly:

• eBay can reverse the refund;

• eBay can charge the buyer for the item;

• Or, eBay can compensate me from its own funds and take up the dispute with the buyer directly.

Instead, eBay is choosing to do none of those things. That sends a very clear message: that the platform is unwilling to protect sellers  even when they follow instructions provided by eBay’s own staff. This is not neutrality; it’s bias, and it shows a dangerous precedent that encourages dishonest behavior.

If eBay refuses to honor what was promised to me during that call and fails to either recover the watch or reimburse me for its value, I will close my account. I will not remain on a platform that disregards its own word, punishes sellers for trusting it, and enables loss through inaction.

[red_magpie]

I'm afraid that even if eBay wished to do so, they can't reverse the buyer's refund or charge the buyer for it. eBay can only act within their powers under the user agreement, and this does not  empower them to take money from buyers' accounts or charge them for refunds received.

The classic example is where eBay requires a seller to refund for an item that was even one day overdue, but takes no action if the buyer then keeps the item as well when it arrives - even with proof of delivery. eBay could easily amend the user agreement so that it could require buyers to return either the item or the refund. But eBay has never seemed to care much when buyers cheat sellers. To me, it's almost tantamount to turning a blind eye to dishonesty.

eBay has become a very risky place to sell things, especially anything of value.

[vlad_chirita]

eBay knows exactly what happened, has all the tools to do more, yet chooses not to act. The platform’s inaction, despite clear evidence and a phone conversation promising resolution, feels less like a limitation and more like a willingness to tolerate abuse of the system. eBay could easily amend its user agreement to require accountability from buyers who receive refunds yet fail to return the item. The fact that they haven’t, and show no urgency to do so, does come across as turning a blind eye to seller losses. 

At this point, it’s not just about the money. It’s about principle and trust. If sellers can’t rely on eBay to enforce even the most basic level of fairness, then how is this still a safe marketplace?

I’m still holding out hope for a meaningful resolution, but if none comes, I’ll have no choice but to walk away from the platform, this level of imbalance and disregard simply isn’t acceptable.

[vlad_chirita]

It’s quite ironic that the buyer’s username is.  In legal terms, a bona fide purchaser (BFP) is someone who acquires an item in good faith, for value, and without notice of fraud — someone who acts honestly and fairly.

But in this case, the name feels contradictory, even misleading. This buyer received a full refund, kept the watch, refused to return it, and ignored further communication — behavior that’s the opposite of what a “bona fide” party represents.

It raises the question: why choose a name that implies integrity and lawful conduct, only to act in a way that clearly defies both?

[vlad_chirita]

Weeks later, and we're exactly where we started. Disappointing. No accountability. No action. No meaningful response. 

[*vyolla*]

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@vlad_chirita wrote:

Weeks later, and we're exactly where we started. Disappointing. No accountability. No action. No meaningful response. 

---

I don't understand what you think is going to happen here, there's nothing that we can say that hasn't already been said. 

You refunded your buyer before getting your item back first, so the transaction is now over. 

Any further action you take is now outside of eBay.

[vlad_chirita]

it’s true that I refunded the buyer before receiving the item back, something I did only after being assured by an eBay representative over the phone that the return would be handled properly, that does not mean eBay is now absolved of responsibility. 

eBay advised me to proceed with the refund based on a promise that the item would be returned. That call, and the guidance I received, is a critical part of this case, and should not be dismissed.

This isn’t just about what I did as a seller; it’s about what eBay told me to do and the trust I placed in that guidance. The platform has the tools, the data, and the authority to investigate, to enforce returns, and to take action against buyers who take advantage of the system.

If eBay refuses to act in situations where their own guidance has led to a financial loss, then it undermines any sense of seller protection or platform accountability. So yes, I still believe eBay should take action, to protect its reputation, its honest users, and the trust that keeps this marketplace alive.

[jckl1957]

Then you should contact Ebay.

By complaining in this member to member forum you are not contacting Ebay.

You are complaining to other members who cannot deal with your complaint but can only advise on Ebay policy.

[vlad_chirita]

I understand this is a member-to-member forum, but sharing experiences here matters too. eBay should already be aware of the case — they have all the details, the phone call records, and the messages. The problem is not lack of awareness, it’s lack of action. Posting here highlights how these situations affect sellers, and maybe it will push eBay to take responsibility rather than leaving us to accept the loss.

[tobiasd4]

I'm glad you have faith ebay will sort this.

Unfortunately I fear it is unlikely to happen. 

[vlad_chirita]

Months later, I’m still without the watch or the money. The buyer keeps both, and eBay refuses to step in — despite having all the information. This isn’t protection, it’s enabling fraud.

[red_magpie]

This isn’t protection, it’s enabling fraud.

In my reply over a month ago I said that IMO there are situations where eBay's inaction on buyer-on seller fraud is tantamount to turning a blind eye to dishonesty. Especially where a seller has complied with all of eBay's requirements. The classic example is when a buyer opens a case for non-delivery when an item is only a day overdue, and then keeps both the refund and the item when it arrives. eBay could easily amend the user agreement to require either the item or the refund to be returned, but they don't seem to care.

As has been said, it's hard to see how other members can help you. Any complaint you have is against eBay, which will probably just point out that sellers are not required to refund buyers until the postal tracking record confirms that the item has been returned.

[*vyolla*]

This has been covered so many times already in this thread, but you refunded your buyer before receiving your item back.

If you do this then eBay consider the transaction over, and that you don't want your item back, so any further action you'd need to take would be outside of eBay.

It may be months later, but nothing is going to change. You can wait another 6 months and the outcome will still be the same. This is now between you and your buyer.