Ebay purchase, possible fraud
Discussion
I got rather carried away on ebay last week, I'd been interested in a fairly pricey gadget (£2000 quid new, even 8 year old ones tend to go for around £1300) for ages. Prices are a bit higher in winter for this thing.
Anyway up popped a buy it now ad for £750, seller based in Ireland.
FOMO and I'd clicked and brought it, through paypal.
A few hours later I was still pondering why it was so cheap, on checking the seller had no other sales and no feedback. Yikes.
Item wasn't posted for a few days until this morning, the tracking number I've just been sent is for "Yanwen tracking" which is normally for AliExpress or Wish, not for stuff posted from Ireland. The tracking number is missing a digit so I've messaged the seller asking for the correct tracking number.
It's due to arrive at my house next Wednesday and someone should be available to check what's in the box before signing.....
I'm now fairly sure this is a scam. Anything else I can do with ebay themselves to protect myself?
Can I tell ebay seller is in Ireland how come it's probably coming from China?
Anyway up popped a buy it now ad for £750, seller based in Ireland.
FOMO and I'd clicked and brought it, through paypal.
A few hours later I was still pondering why it was so cheap, on checking the seller had no other sales and no feedback. Yikes.
Item wasn't posted for a few days until this morning, the tracking number I've just been sent is for "Yanwen tracking" which is normally for AliExpress or Wish, not for stuff posted from Ireland. The tracking number is missing a digit so I've messaged the seller asking for the correct tracking number.
It's due to arrive at my house next Wednesday and someone should be available to check what's in the box before signing.....
I'm now fairly sure this is a scam. Anything else I can do with ebay themselves to protect myself?
Can I tell ebay seller is in Ireland how come it's probably coming from China?
I wouldn't fret over much, and let it play out.
You've bought through PayPal, so if it's genuine, you have a bargain. If it's not what you bought, i.e. different thing, you have a few hours of EBay and PayPal form filling and money back. Best case scenario is it's a fake - refund, and you'll probably get to keep the snidey goods to see if it's useful enough to buy the genuine article
You've bought through PayPal, so if it's genuine, you have a bargain. If it's not what you bought, i.e. different thing, you have a few hours of EBay and PayPal form filling and money back. Best case scenario is it's a fake - refund, and you'll probably get to keep the snidey goods to see if it's useful enough to buy the genuine article
Can you get the same item on AliExpress / Wish / Etc. for slightly cheaper (as in a fake/copy version)?
If so, chances are you've just paid a drop shipper who has simply ordered you one from the same supplier and has made profit out of nothing.
But as mentioned, if you paid via PayPal properly you can request a refund if what turns up isn't what you expected (although shipping return costs might be a grey area).
If so, chances are you've just paid a drop shipper who has simply ordered you one from the same supplier and has made profit out of nothing.
But as mentioned, if you paid via PayPal properly you can request a refund if what turns up isn't what you expected (although shipping return costs might be a grey area).
J2daG1990 said:
Can you get the same item on AliExpress / Wish / Etc. for slightly cheaper (as in a fake/copy version)?
If so, chances are you've just paid a drop shipper who has simply ordered you one from the same supplier and has made profit out of nothing.
But as mentioned, if you paid via PayPal properly you can request a refund if what turns up isn't what you expected (although shipping return costs might be a grey area).
I've checked, it's fairly complicated and niche interest electronics, there are no copy products available. There's no mention of any shipping or customs charges. If so, chances are you've just paid a drop shipper who has simply ordered you one from the same supplier and has made profit out of nothing.
But as mentioned, if you paid via PayPal properly you can request a refund if what turns up isn't what you expected (although shipping return costs might be a grey area).
Have you double checked the ebay listing?
A lot will have the 'item location' listed as (in your case) Ireland but when you scroll down or click through to sellers information it will come up with a different address, a lot of Chinese sellers do this trick so any search using 'UK' only still comes up with their listing
A lot will have the 'item location' listed as (in your case) Ireland but when you scroll down or click through to sellers information it will come up with a different address, a lot of Chinese sellers do this trick so any search using 'UK' only still comes up with their listing
I can't specifically help with your query OP, but my experience of ordering stuff from China (or India, come to that) is that it's generally absolutely fine. Delivery times are necessarily long - even when ships don't get wedged in the Suez Canal - and as long as you're OK with non-OEM quality, you should be fine.
Recent (post-Brexit) experience of ordering from Holland was much worse, the item being held in a bonded customs warehouse before reaching me almost a month after order.
Recent (post-Brexit) experience of ordering from Holland was much worse, the item being held in a bonded customs warehouse before reaching me almost a month after order.
Saleen836 said:
Have you double checked the ebay listing?
A lot will have the 'item location' listed as (in your case) Ireland but when you scroll down or click through to sellers information it will come up with a different address, a lot of Chinese sellers do this trick so any search using 'UK' only still comes up with their listing
Cheers, yes everything says Ireland, including the seller information. A lot will have the 'item location' listed as (in your case) Ireland but when you scroll down or click through to sellers information it will come up with a different address, a lot of Chinese sellers do this trick so any search using 'UK' only still comes up with their listing
Turbobanana said:
I can't specifically help with your query OP, but my experience of ordering stuff from China (or India, come to that) is that it's generally absolutely fine. Delivery times are necessarily long - even when ships don't get wedged in the Suez Canal - and as long as you're OK with non-OEM quality, you should be fine.
Recent (post-Brexit) experience of ordering from Holland was much worse, the item being held in a bonded customs warehouse before reaching me almost a month after order.
I agree, I've ordered from AliExpress etc before with no real issues, but that's for cheap generic stuff. This is a specialist bit of kit, no one makes a copy, can't understand why it would be coming from China. Recent (post-Brexit) experience of ordering from Holland was much worse, the item being held in a bonded customs warehouse before reaching me almost a month after order.
Toltec said:
Any mention of how the import duties are going to be covered? If you end up having to pay those to get the parcel then it turns out not to be right getting the money back could be difficult.
That's the sort of thing I'm now worried about. Nothing mentioned on the listing, all the details of the purchase say it's coming from Ireland which should be customs tariff free (?), but now I have this Chinese tracking number. Largechris said:
That's the sort of thing I'm now worried about. Nothing mentioned on the listing, all the details of the purchase say it's coming from Ireland which should be customs tariff free (?), but now I have this Chinese tracking number.
Isn't UK VAT now payable on goods from Ireland?QJumper said:
Largechris said:
That's the sort of thing I'm now worried about. Nothing mentioned on the listing, all the details of the purchase say it's coming from Ireland which should be customs tariff free (?), but now I have this Chinese tracking number.
Isn't UK VAT now payable on goods from Ireland?mattyprice4004 said:
Largechris said:
Well in theory it's from a private seller who is not VAT registered and it's second hand.
That doesn't change anything unfortunately - VAT is still due on both of these points I'm afraid. Hopefully it slips through the net and is a none-issue though.
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