Almost in tears this morning thanks to a scammer

gimmegadgets

Member
Nov 4, 2008
154
0
Imagine my suprise when I log into my paypal this morning to see that I have a hold on the $560 I had in there as well as a negative balance of $304. Especially when I havent sold anything for 864.00 recently. Well I look at the dispute, a woman who bought an alexander wang bag I sold on consignment on february 2nd has filed a chargeback for SNAD! She paid via AMEX and has done a chargeback with her card, no emails from this lady no nothing until this. She had already left me positive feedback the day after she got the bag. She is claiming the bag is damaged - broken hardware, SHES BEEN USING IT FOR 5 MONTHS!!!!!!!!!! I am so upset, every year for my sisters bday we go spend the night in a hotel, get our hair and nails done and go out to her favorite restaraunt, that was supposed to be this friday and I was planning on using the $560 in my paypal acct to pay for it and now I dont have it AND paypal is gonna take the extra $304 from my bank account. I am SO upset, this is so not right, people should not be able to get their money back 5 months after they have been using something. I am on hold with paypal at the moment and have been for 28 mins now, but I know I am fighting a losing battle you can barely fight paypal you sure can't fight paypal and AMEX.
 
I am so sorry this is happening to you. Indeed you are fighting a losing battle sadly. With Amex, once you go to them and complain they take the money from paypal and in the terms of service for paypal it stipulates that if a buyer files a charge back paypal ill dispute the charge and try to get it back. The verbage is a BIG FAT LIE. Paypal doesn't argue a thing. They just let amex take it back and tell you to take it up with the seller.

If the seller is within your country, you should email them by phone and inquire, if phone is unavailable, email them. If you feel it is an act of theft contact the authorities in the buyer's community and make a complaint, there may be other sellers in the same circumstances.

Another viable option is using the long arm statue of our legal system and civilly sue the buyer in your jurisdiction. A judge will review the complaint and decide if it meets the prerequisites to be heard at which point the buyer must appear to hear the summons.

Other than those options there is nothing you can do. I wish you the best of luck.
 
Another reason that chargebacks by buyers (on da 'BAY and other places) are still so dangerous to sellers because they can do it so long after the transaction has occurred and there are no plans in place by PAYPAL to protect those who accept such payments.
 
WOW! Buyer gets bag and money? Shame on PP.


Yes nowhere on paypal does it say that the person has to return the bag to me, although since she has used it for 5 months and has apparently broken the hardware per her snad statement then it wouldn't do me any good to get it back anyway. To make it even worse this was a bag I sold on consignment so it wasnt even mine, I only got my 15% fee for selling it, the rest went to the bags owner. So this hag of a buyer is pretty much stealing over $700 from me. I really wish there was someway to opt out of credit card payments through paypal I would never accept another one!
 
I am sorry this is happening to you. I think all sellers live in fear of this.

Paypal can't really fight for you because the credit card holds all the power. Paypal cannot win no matter what.

Honestly if this ever happened to me, I would sue the buyer. I know what a hassle it would be, because I do believe you'd have to sue them in THEIR state, but xxxx, I would do it. I hate to hear when something like this happens...it's so dishonest. I would call this buyer, as another poster suggested.....I would ask them just what is going on. I really would. I would want to speak with this person.

Also....never leave a balance in your paypal account....NEVER. As soon as you get money in there, take it the hell out ASAP.

It's my understanding that if there is a charge back, paypal will come after any money you have in there.....and if no further money goes in there, they send you to collections. But while they'd have me in collections, I'd be in court with my dishonest buyer.

You just need to be aware of everything that can go wrong and what protection you do and do not have. Best of luck to you.
 
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They shouldnt be taking all that money from you! a consignment sold it for you! they are the ones with the bulk of the money!

Even if it is "damaged" please try and get the bag back-this is ridiculous, im so angry about this, its not right! :rant:

I really hope it works out for you..............
 
This is unbelievable!
It appears that sellers have no protection against buyers who do a chargeback on their cc. Does this only happen in the U.S or can it happen anywhere?
If this is the case there is no safety selling on ebay and being paid through paypal.

I'm very sorry for you gimmegadgets.
 
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I find it ridiculous, that paypal is incapable of offering seller protection against this. With all the outrageous fees they have you'd think paypal/ebay would cover us as sellers in these instances. Seller protection my left foot!

Sorry your going through this op. I would take this buyer to court. Its only when us as sellers start doing this,that buyers will know they wont be able to get away with it. Good luck
 
I am so sorry this is happening to you. Indeed you are fighting a losing battle sadly. With Amex, once you go to them and complain they take the money from paypal and in the terms of service for paypal it stipulates that if a buyer files a charge back paypal ill dispute the charge and try to get it back. The verbage is a BIG FAT LIE. Paypal doesn't argue a thing. They just let amex take it back and tell you to take it up with the seller.

If the seller is within your country, you should email them by phone and inquire, if phone is unavailable, email them. If you feel it is an act of theft contact the authorities in the buyer's community and make a complaint, there may be other sellers in the same circumstances.

Another viable option is using the long arm statue of our legal system and civilly sue the buyer in your jurisdiction. A judge will review the complaint and decide if it meets the prerequisites to be heard at which point the buyer must appear to hear the summons.

Other than those options there is nothing you can do. I wish you the best of luck.

I work with a firm and this will cost her more than she lost. GL OP you should send your paperwork to AMEX or contact them yourself.