Seller getting scammed by buyer !!

katyc

Member
Jul 6, 2006
683
2
Any sellers ever got scammed by buyers ??

1) Buyer gets the real thing but turn around and says you sold her a fake and demand her money back etc etc.

2) Buyer gets the goods in good condition but throws a damaged one back to you !!

How do you deal with it as a seller ??


I've never sold anything on ebay. I am so afraid of getting scammed like that :crybaby: :crybaby:
 
Thank goodness, I've never had that happen. I think there are several things you can do to try and protect yourself against that.

1) Post (and keep) lots of pics of the bag. This will help in the case of any dispute.

2) Attach a security tag of some sort. I use the reinforced paper wristbands, sold at party stores, and stamp them. It secures to itself with adhesive and must be cut off. My instructions state that the tag must still be on the bag if it's returned.

3) Give a timeframe and reason for any type of return. I put that the buyer must contact me within 3 days of receipt of the item if they have been told the bag is not authentic. I clearly state the bag's condition in the auction, with any flaws I can find.

People have contacted me with concerns after receiving items, and I address them as best I can. One gal emailed me that a pochette she received had a "dark" strap (patina and surface dirt from use). I responded that I had addressed that in the auction. And that was that!

Most scammers don't want to work that hard. But if you need to accept a return, don't refund any money until you receive your bag! And take the funds out of PayPal immediately, in case a buyer institutes a chargeback.

Like I said, I've heard stories, but never had a problem yet that couldn't be addressed with prompt responses to buyers. Good luck!
 
This charge back thing sounds scary :s

What if the buyer is out to scam ? He recieves the goods but say he did not get it and initiates a charge back !!

Am I a pessimist ? Do such things happen often ?
 
ALWAYS ship to a confirmed address with a tracking number and signature confirmation. If the country does not allow for confirmed address, make sure it's verified. I always state these policies clearly in the auction.

Problems do happen, but it's really on the minority of transactions. I have sold many items on Ebay and never had a problem. If you keep all the shipping information and pictures, problems (if they occur) usually get resolved in your favor.

I know it seems like Ebay is full of nothing but liars and scammers (and there are a fair number of them), but it is fairly drama-free a good portion of the time. We just really write about the problems.

I'm sure others have good suggestions as well.
 
Sadly shipping to a paypal "confirmed" address doesn't guarantee anything.

I sold a pair of jeans to a girl with a confirmed address in NY. A month later Paypal sends me an email telling me that they believed the transaction to be fraudulent (buyer didn't make the payment) and so they had to reverse the payment. I sent it to a paypal confirmed address! I even checked with other sellers who had transacted with that buyer and they confirmed her address to be correct. Paypal said there was nothing they could do! :cursing::cursing::cursing: The buyer confirmed she did actually buy the jeans and that she was trying to sort it out with paypal and I would get my money. Over a year now and nothing! She had the jeans and the money! She won... I lost $300!

It's too easy to scam sellers with Paypal! Way too easy. I have too much of a concience (and a little chicken) to scam someone else. :sad:

Because I'm not from the US, Canada or UK I have no seller protection. :crybaby::censor:
 
Take a video of you wrapping up the package and sending it and receiving it and unwrapping it. I do that for higher priced items I sell (which is one time) and it gives me peace of mind. My digicam can take videos for maybe like 15 minutes. It only takes me 5 or so to wrap it or unwrap it.
 
A good friend of mine (also a PFer) is going thru this with a buyer (another PFer). We think the buyer just didnt want the bag (she's been known according to her feedback to be "difficult" to work with), so she reported to PayPal that she received a fake bag. Evidently PayPal has not been satisfied with what the buyer has been sending to them in terms of proof its fake. I think the seller will win this one. I personally have never been thru this. I hope it works out for everyone here on this Forum who may be dealing with a nasty buyer.
 
Hello, I'm new here. I am a mypoupette rs and have been selling authentic LV on ebay for a number of years. I started around the height of the multicolor craze. I have never had anyone attempt to return a fake or a return at all for that matter. I did however have a customer who wanted to sell me back "the bag I sold her" for less than she paid me for it. It seemed ridiculous but I said okay. When I informed her I would not be paying for it until I was certain it was my bag she disappeared.....POOOOF!

In any event, I think using the USPS is probably the safest method of shipping considering if someone does try to scam you, you'll have the Federal Government to back you up seeing as using the USPS to commit a crime is a federal offense.

You should also check your buyer's prior bidding and buying history as well as feedback prior to mailing anything of high value. Good luck!
 
A good friend of mine (also a PFer) is going thru this with a buyer (another PFer). We think the buyer just didnt want the bag (she's been known according to her feedback to be "difficult" to work with), so she reported to PayPal that she received a fake bag. Evidently PayPal has not been satisfied with what the buyer has been sending to them in terms of proof its fake. I think the seller will win this one. I personally have never been thru this. I hope it works out for everyone here on this Forum who may be dealing with a nasty buyer.


^^That makes me really sad. You'd think PF'er would be the easiest ones to work with. Perhaps I give people more credit than they deserve.

I once had a PF er accuse me of false advertising after receiving an item. Saying it was not as decribed. The only problem was that I hand delivered it to her the day before. Hello? :cursing:

So how can you tell me its not what you thought when I put it in your hand and you looked it over while I was looking right at you. And said how happy you were? :confused1: Sounded to me like they slept on it and changed their mind the next day.

People get deperate and will say anything once they get buyers remorse. Its quite sad and unfortunate.

It made me realize that I can't trust everyone no matter what the affiliation. And no one is going to look out for you--but you. I love ebay and purseforum but you cannot completly trust paypal, ebay or purseforum or anyone else for that matter to save the day when a villain attacks. Its not a perfect world and it does not always happen that way. Always take precautions if possible.

Another pF'er suggested tagging items to protect from bait and switch and i think that's a great idea.

But it scares me to think that paypal will do a chargeback without having all the facts. People are too dishonest and that could be a disaster. Now I see why some sellers refuse to take paypal. But I'm scared of those people too LOL . What a mess :lol:
 
I had someone on ebay get buyers remorse. I bought something from the boutique and wanted to sell it because I never used it. I never save reciepts so she assumed it was fake when she got it and I couldn't send her a copy of the reciept. Plus I saw in her fb on ebay that 2 weeks earlier she had bought the same item (which happened to look fake to me by the pictures). It is a good thing I put security tags on my items because she sent it back and thank goodness it was the same item. Does anyone know if you can put in auctions, you will charge a restocking fee for your time and energy?
 
People do put in restocking fees in their auctions, but to tell you the truth, as a buyer I stay away from those types of sellers. As a seller, I can understand your position. That's a hard call!