How are sellers making sure they don't get scammed? I sold a car diagnostic kit a while back, the buyer claimed it was faulty and started a PayPal claim. They allowed him to return it for a refund. He sent a couple of wheel bearing back in the box!!!
Lots lots of emails, photos etc to PayPal but they still refunded him and I lost the money!!
So unavoidable then? If someone wants to scam you out of your item they use PayPal and nothing you can do?
There’s not entirely nothing to be done.
You can go back to PayPal, and also to the police
The default finding.by PayPal is buyer protection, but it also provides seller protection.
Take your proof of postage receipt and the labeling of what came back. (This is best if it has a Royal Mail sticker showing the actual package weight, but if not there can be the postage cost if it’s showing)
When receiving a return that may be suspicious tben video it being opened with a good shot of the labels etc
They may have put in the right weight in bearings, but they may not have done.
Things can also differ depending on how you sold. Eg I buy at auctions and sell some of it on eBay, stating that I don’t accept returns in the sale details. In fact I have accepted returns in some cases depending on the reason (at my or their expense depending on why)
eBay act as the middle man and will also act accordingly based on their policy, my policy and the circumstances.
Once I had sold a sealed pack of collectors playing cards. These were vintage reproductions of ‘ancient’ playing cards. Decades old reproduction of centuries old originals.
On receipt the buyer was asking for their money back as they were not the originals.
This I refused because this was explained in the description, and would only grant a refund if he returned them still sealed and at his expense.
He wasn’t happy with paying for postage again, and then wanted to open them to confirm they are made of classic card and for me to refund if they were not what he wanted - an absolute no from me. I will accept a return only as sold, and only with him meeting the returns cost.
Eventually he stopped the back and forth replies and the dispute time expired.
eBay closed it in my favour with no refund.
If you get no joy in reopening the dispute with PayPal then take it to the police. It’s fraud
(Even if you do get it resolved then still refer to the police as it’s still fraud)
You will note that trading rules on here require some elements to be met before users get classifieds access (a posting history over a period of time - or commitment by purchasing platinum membership)
This does not guarantee against scammers but it does help, and these were brought in following a particular scam buyer
As a seller there is also the need for proof pics etc to establish that you have actually possessed the item, and rules ensuring proper paypal use without fee avoiding etc
