Advice on getting eBay seller to give refund
Discussion
Am looking for some advice on what's reasonable regarding getting a refund from an eBay seller.
Almost 3 weeks ago I "won" an electronics iitem for over £1,200. I paid using PayPal right away. Seller then asked me to pay outside PayPal as he couldn't take more than £500 per month out. Quick search and this is because the account isn't verified and since PayPal is the only payment vehicle many won't use it.
After a few days I get his bank details, first name and a (working) telephone number.
Money is transferred & I then get the excuse that the Post Office advised it was a busy time to be shipping right after black Friday. Am then promised shipment that Friday, then nothing.
Last Monday I chased, am then told will be delivered in person this weekend just gone and will be contacted Friday. I message back asking exactly when as I am not going to be around the whole weekend. You know what's coming - no response to that question or contact on Friday.
I message and text seller demanding a refund. Saturday morning he proposes a delivery this week saying he'd told me it was being delivered Sunday but had cancelled that trip and suggests a delivery this week or a refund.
I restate the request for a refund.
The question is: the seller is new to eBay but has sold over £10k of goods in 2 weeks: what is a reasonable time to wait for a refund given no goods have changed hands and what's the best way to encourage a prompt refund.
I realise I may well have been scammed, that being the case, whats then the best course of action to try to recover my money?
Almost 3 weeks ago I "won" an electronics iitem for over £1,200. I paid using PayPal right away. Seller then asked me to pay outside PayPal as he couldn't take more than £500 per month out. Quick search and this is because the account isn't verified and since PayPal is the only payment vehicle many won't use it.
After a few days I get his bank details, first name and a (working) telephone number.
Money is transferred & I then get the excuse that the Post Office advised it was a busy time to be shipping right after black Friday. Am then promised shipment that Friday, then nothing.
Last Monday I chased, am then told will be delivered in person this weekend just gone and will be contacted Friday. I message back asking exactly when as I am not going to be around the whole weekend. You know what's coming - no response to that question or contact on Friday.
I message and text seller demanding a refund. Saturday morning he proposes a delivery this week saying he'd told me it was being delivered Sunday but had cancelled that trip and suggests a delivery this week or a refund.
I restate the request for a refund.
The question is: the seller is new to eBay but has sold over £10k of goods in 2 weeks: what is a reasonable time to wait for a refund given no goods have changed hands and what's the best way to encourage a prompt refund.
I realise I may well have been scammed, that being the case, whats then the best course of action to try to recover my money?
GuitarPlayer63 said:
Am looking for some advice on what's reasonable regarding getting a refund from an eBay seller.
Almost 3 weeks ago I "won" an electronics iitem for over £1,200. I paid using PayPal right away. Seller then asked me to pay outside PayPal as he couldn't take more than £500 per month out. Quick search and this is because the account isn't verified and since PayPal is the only payment vehicle many won't use it.
After a few days I get his bank details, first name and a (working) telephone number.
Money is transferred & I then get the excuse that the Post Office advised it was a busy time to be shipping right after black Friday. Am then promised shipment that Friday, then nothing.
Last Monday I chased, am then told will be delivered in person this weekend just gone and will be contacted Friday. I message back asking exactly when as I am not going to be around the whole weekend. You know what's coming - no response to that question or contact on Friday.
I message and text seller demanding a refund. Saturday morning he proposes a delivery this week saying he'd told me it was being delivered Sunday but had cancelled that trip and suggests a delivery this week or a refund.
I restate the request for a refund.
The question is: the seller is new to eBay but has sold over £10k of goods in 2 weeks: what is a reasonable time to wait for a refund given no goods have changed hands and what's the best way to encourage a prompt refund.
I realise I may well have been scammed, that being the case, whats then the best course of action to try to recover my money?
There's a 99% probability you've been scammed and the seller and your money are long gone. eBay have no way of getting your money back as you did'nt use PayPal. If you have no joy with the contact details provided by eBay then it's probably one for the Police. Almost 3 weeks ago I "won" an electronics iitem for over £1,200. I paid using PayPal right away. Seller then asked me to pay outside PayPal as he couldn't take more than £500 per month out. Quick search and this is because the account isn't verified and since PayPal is the only payment vehicle many won't use it.
After a few days I get his bank details, first name and a (working) telephone number.
Money is transferred & I then get the excuse that the Post Office advised it was a busy time to be shipping right after black Friday. Am then promised shipment that Friday, then nothing.
Last Monday I chased, am then told will be delivered in person this weekend just gone and will be contacted Friday. I message back asking exactly when as I am not going to be around the whole weekend. You know what's coming - no response to that question or contact on Friday.
I message and text seller demanding a refund. Saturday morning he proposes a delivery this week saying he'd told me it was being delivered Sunday but had cancelled that trip and suggests a delivery this week or a refund.
I restate the request for a refund.
The question is: the seller is new to eBay but has sold over £10k of goods in 2 weeks: what is a reasonable time to wait for a refund given no goods have changed hands and what's the best way to encourage a prompt refund.
I realise I may well have been scammed, that being the case, whats then the best course of action to try to recover my money?
Good luck getting it sorted, but I suspect you've got a battle on your hands.
Thanks for the replies this far, sort of confirming what i thought (great Christmas present to myself)...
He's sold four items that came to £10K, interesting selling dynamic for a new seller and actually looks more like a business seller than a private one.
To try and answer some of the questions, I was one of the first people to buy from him.
I tried to get his details, but because the transaction is showing as incomplete (it looks like I haven't paid him) then eBay won't release this.
Were the goods worth the price? it was c. £200 less than I've seen it offered at a fixed price for, its rarely auctioned, it's an infrequently sold item.
I don't have his address, I have his bank account details and a live telephone number (he's answered it once so far, the rest of the time its turned off), but I know he reads the texts because he responded almost immediately on Saturday morning via eBay messenger when I demanded a refund. The ad suggests he's at the other end of the country.
Current thoughts are; eBay resolution centre (to report it just maybe to help someone else), Police and then possibly through a claims court but at some stage I need to get his full name and address and don't know how to do that.
I haven't left any feedback for the seller just yet - as you might imagine it is tempting to do so.
He's sold four items that came to £10K, interesting selling dynamic for a new seller and actually looks more like a business seller than a private one.
To try and answer some of the questions, I was one of the first people to buy from him.
I tried to get his details, but because the transaction is showing as incomplete (it looks like I haven't paid him) then eBay won't release this.
Were the goods worth the price? it was c. £200 less than I've seen it offered at a fixed price for, its rarely auctioned, it's an infrequently sold item.
I don't have his address, I have his bank account details and a live telephone number (he's answered it once so far, the rest of the time its turned off), but I know he reads the texts because he responded almost immediately on Saturday morning via eBay messenger when I demanded a refund. The ad suggests he's at the other end of the country.
Current thoughts are; eBay resolution centre (to report it just maybe to help someone else), Police and then possibly through a claims court but at some stage I need to get his full name and address and don't know how to do that.
I haven't left any feedback for the seller just yet - as you might imagine it is tempting to do so.
GuitarPlayer63 said:
Thanks for the replies this far, sort of confirming what i thought (great Christmas present to myself)...
He's sold four items that came to £10K, interesting selling dynamic for a new seller and actually looks more like a business seller than a private one.
To try and answer some of the questions, I was one of the first people to buy from him.
I tried to get his details, but because the transaction is showing as incomplete (it looks like I haven't paid him) then eBay won't release this.
Were the goods worth the price? it was c. £200 less than I've seen it offered at a fixed price for, its rarely auctioned, it's an infrequently sold item.
I don't have his address, I have his bank account details and a live telephone number (he's answered it once so far, the rest of the time its turned off), but I know he reads the texts because he responded almost immediately on Saturday morning via eBay messenger when I demanded a refund. The ad suggests he's at the other end of the country.
Current thoughts are; eBay resolution centre (to report it just maybe to help someone else), Police and then possibly through a claims court but at some stage I need to get his full name and address and don't know how to do that.
I haven't left any feedback for the seller just yet - as you might imagine it is tempting to do so.
1. Go to the Police now.He's sold four items that came to £10K, interesting selling dynamic for a new seller and actually looks more like a business seller than a private one.
To try and answer some of the questions, I was one of the first people to buy from him.
I tried to get his details, but because the transaction is showing as incomplete (it looks like I haven't paid him) then eBay won't release this.
Were the goods worth the price? it was c. £200 less than I've seen it offered at a fixed price for, its rarely auctioned, it's an infrequently sold item.
I don't have his address, I have his bank account details and a live telephone number (he's answered it once so far, the rest of the time its turned off), but I know he reads the texts because he responded almost immediately on Saturday morning via eBay messenger when I demanded a refund. The ad suggests he's at the other end of the country.
Current thoughts are; eBay resolution centre (to report it just maybe to help someone else), Police and then possibly through a claims court but at some stage I need to get his full name and address and don't know how to do that.
I haven't left any feedback for the seller just yet - as you might imagine it is tempting to do so.
2. He may not care about feedback, he's been paid for little outlay, expect a new profile soon.
You have lost you're money im affraid
because you completed outside of ebay they will not cover you or give you any info
http://pages.ebay.co.uk/safetycentre/help.html#gol...
because you completed outside of ebay they will not cover you or give you any info
http://pages.ebay.co.uk/safetycentre/help.html#gol...
Edited by evoivboy on Monday 14th December 11:39
You have lost your money. I did similar in 2008 only for a larger amount. Police can't do anything
Best you can do is try to scupper future auctions although, if he has 10k from this week likelihood is that he will start a fresh account. Also, who knows how many buyers actually paid out of the other sales
Best you can do is try to scupper future auctions although, if he has 10k from this week likelihood is that he will start a fresh account. Also, who knows how many buyers actually paid out of the other sales
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