What's the best way to deal with dishonest person selling on ebay ?

Question

I need suggestions that go further than simply leaving feedback. How do you also get money back from seller of mis-described item ? Don't simply quote ebay or paypal policies on this question as I think thier policies aint worth the paper they are written on.

Answer 1

Hello there, I think that your first port of call would be to email ebay and inform them of your findings, and they will investigate. I had someone con me. I ordered a watch for £60 pounds from Canada, and the seller obviously knew what she was doing. She said she had posted the watch, but after waiting, it did not turn up. I sent her a number of emails, which she took a week to answer each one....giving all sorts of excuses but assuring me it would arrive. Eventually I gave up and reported her to ebay and asked them to get my money back. However, I did not know that you had to claim within a 60 day period, and alas the time had lapsed and I lost my money. If you think that it is serious fraud you can get the police involved and ask their advice. In my experience, I think that ebay are not very helpful, and do not seem to care. I do not bother with ebay now.

Answer 2

Thankfully I've only ever had 2 bad experiences on ebay, and as I've been using it since about since 2004 and have bought over 80 items, I'd say thats not bad.

One dispute was easily sorted out via the paypal policy route, and I would say it worked well for me.

The other wasn't so simple as I had made payment by paying cash directly into the sellers bank account - never again. The item never arrived. I emailed the seller on numerous occasions and at first he seemed helpful and concerned and sounded like he was going to sort out the problem. But sadly that didn't happen, so I filed my dispute.

What I did manage to find out, which might proved helpful to you, was the sellers address and phone number, so that I could deal with him directly, and not rely on him answering questions posted through ebay, or by normal email.

There is a search facility, 'advanced search' button top right of the ebay screen. Click on the 'Find contact information' link on the right hand side, under Members.

It will then ask you for the seller id and the item no. for the product you want to discuss.

They will then you send you an email with the details that are logged on the sellers file.

I did this, and was able to phone the seller directly.

Hopefully this will give you another way of trying to sort out your dispute, and one where you can talk with the seller in person, rather than by emails. It's much harder for someone to ignore a phone call than an email.

I'm not saying this will solve the matter for you, as in my case the guy seemed genuine, but still never sent my item, but I did feel that I had done my best to contact him and do things fairly.

I agree with some of the other answers already posted, I always look at feeback ratings, and don't trade with anyone who has less than 95% positive, and always check any negative feedback to see what comments have been posted.

However, this doesn't always prove to be a fool proof method, as I did this with the guy who never sent goods, at the time I placed a bid he had 100% feedback, but it was only after time, as I was trying to sort things out that his rating suddenly dropped and lots of negative comments were posted, by then it was too late.

On the one occasion that I wasn't satisfied with an item after it arrived I contacted the seller directly. She was most helpful and despite the fact that her description was accurate, and she had mentioned a fault, because I asked rather than complained, and said I wouldn't have considered the fault to be as obvious, we came to an amicable solution. I returned the item to her, and she refunded me the price I had paid (not including postage chages).

There are some genuine people trading on ebay, who genuinely want to build up a good reputation and would like to offer a good service so buyers will return again. I was fortunate enough to have dealt with one when I had a problem with an item description.

Hope this helps.

Good luck with resolving your problem, but don't dismiss using the policies that are there, as for me I found that they do work, even if it does take time!

Answer 3

Happened to me once and I called my credit card company and reported fraud. They dealt with it and credited the money on the card back to me. But if you are using other means such as pay pal, I am not sure. I just paid directly with my credit card, it was a mis-described item like yours and the credit card did everything. I just had to fill something out for the credit card company and they said they would go after the person/company and try to get the money and file the complaints.

Also, I have a friend who sells on ebay and somebody did report him to ebay. He was fined and was not able to use the site for sales for 90 days. I do think ebaby looks into this stuff. Unfortunately, my friend didn't do anything that bad, but I don't think you can discard Ebay, they take things seriously on there.

Answer 4

Call an attorney. That is the only other thing you can do. But you know what they'll say?

"Did you read the eBay and PayPal policies and follow their steps exactly?"

They are only worth the paper they are written on if you follow them. I'm betting you didn't, or your problem would be resolved.

Answer 5

I actually dealt with a crook on ebay.
Since I paid with paypal I got my money refunded, ($75.00). The policies really aren't THAT bad, (took about 45 days or so).

I never deal with anyone on ebay who has a score lower that 99%.
Good luck.

Answer 6

those 'Ebay' and PayPal' policies worked 4 me...
The feedback is there for you to warn others to watch out for possibly misled descriptions.
and, just dont buy from them anymore....
Was the item mis-described? or written in a way that you mis-interpreted it.. the latter is most likely ...was there a picture for you to compare the description to? if not then ...well...I hate to see that happen...but...

Answer 7

hunt them down and slap the ccrap outt of em.
thats what you want to hear huh?
theres ways...like order a subscription to gay guy magazine with his name on it but sent to the next door neighbors.not that theres anything wrong with being gay.you get the idea .a devious mind has no limits or limitations.if you want to go the proper way.get with the attorney generals office in the state where the bad deal came from. good luck!

Answer 8

report them now to ebay

ive bought things aswell

and they never got here

i dont buy anything more on ebay

Answer 9

thats easy contact ebay direct and tell them what you know they will give a warning or expel the trader,