Help! Think I'm being scammed!

Cyanide · 12 Jan 2010 at 18:10

I sold a camera on a well known auction site last week for £250. Posted it off via PayPal's system to the buyers registered address and paid extra for the insurance.

The buyer's sent me a message today saying that the camera wasn't in the parcel and that there was some plastic ducting instead. He's sent me photos of it but I didn't put that in there.

He's claiming either I put the wrong thing in the bag or that ParcelForce nicked it.

I've got a horrible feeling this is going to end up with me being £250 out of pocket and minus a camera as I imagine it'll be hard getting ParcelForce to pay out when he says I posted the wrong thing.

Already emailed said auction site and paypal explaining what's happened to try and stop them instantly reversing it as soon as he tells them.

I'm really ****** off at the moment, won't ever be selling on there again but I could really do with some advice on what to do next as I really can't afford to lose that amount of cash at the moment

Gamer_T · 12 Jan 2010 at 18:13

This is why I'd never send anything online. Just too risky IMO.

How likely is it that a ParcelForce employee tampered with the box and stole it? I think it's highly unlikely tbh.

He's probabaly just an ebay scam artist who has done it before.

I wish you the best of luck, I'd also be really ****** off.

Cyanide · 12 Jan 2010 at 18:17

Gamer_T said:
This is why I'd never send anything online. Just too risky IMO.

How likely is it that a ParcelForce employee tampered with the box and stole it? I think it's highly unlikely tbh.

He's probabaly just an ebay scam artist who has done it before.

I wish you the best of luck, I'd also be really ****** off.

Well I emailed him a couple of hours ago saying that as he's accusing a PF employee of theft that he'll more than likely be asked to make a police statement and I've not had a response yet...

Gamer_T · 12 Jan 2010 at 18:19

You have his address? Why don't you go pay him a visit? He would be under more pressure to tell the truth.

Cyanide · 12 Jan 2010 at 18:20

Gamer_T said:
You have his address? Why don't you go pay him a visit? He would be under more pressure to tell the truth.

Other side of the country

Glaucus · 12 Jan 2010 at 18:23

Why not put a claim in with PF and clam down a bit. You posted it the right way and have insurance. So hopefully it'll be fine.

Cyanide · 12 Jan 2010 at 18:24

AcidHell2 said:
Why not put a claim in with PF and clam down a bit. You posted it the right way and have insurance. So hopefully it'll be fine.

If you were PF would you payout when the other person's saying "he put the wrong thing in the box"?

monkeysmith · 12 Jan 2010 at 18:29

Tell him he needs to contact the police, get your money out of paypal and remove bank.card details - not sure if that works, but its the first thing i'd do.

grudas · 12 Jan 2010 at 18:35

Cyanide said:
If you were PF would you payout when the other person's saying "he put the wrong thing in the box"?

well tell him to say he did not find the item in the box.. contact PF and they should pay you back.. as you have sent the item which i guess was weighted? and insured

Azagoth · 12 Jan 2010 at 18:37

Cyanide said:
I sold a camera on a well known auction site last week for £250.

Just say eBay FFS!

Martini1991 · 12 Jan 2010 at 18:39

monkeysmith said:
Tell him he needs to contact the police, get your money out of paypal and remove bank.card details - not sure if that works, but its the first thing i'd do.

They WILL come after you.
Happened to me for 178 pound, it takes them 2 months however.

Steeps · 12 Jan 2010 at 18:41

Don't suppose the "exif" data is in tact on the images he sent? Might be worth looking at them to see if the photos he took of the ducting were really taken with your camera.

gumbald · 12 Jan 2010 at 18:43

How much did the parcel weigh? Got your receipt?

joffy · 12 Jan 2010 at 18:45

What's his feedback history like?

Ricochet J · 12 Jan 2010 at 18:47

Steeps said:
Don't suppose the "exif" data is in tact on the images he sent? Might be worth looking at them to see if the photos he took of the ducting were really taken with your camera.

toon_mad · 12 Jan 2010 at 18:48

he's trying to con you, full stop.

do your best to convince the site (bay?) that your not at fault, you have proof of sending , with the package weight in kg i imagine on your receipts? if the camera weighs 4kg for example, ducting cant be heavier surely)

If he did it to me, i would drive to his house and rip his ******* hands off!!

Efour · 12 Jan 2010 at 18:49

claim on insurance - u both absorb half of the cost until they pay you.

If he dont like it let him take you to court.

is he anywhere near London? ill go visit on your behalf

Cyanide · 12 Jan 2010 at 18:49

joffy said:
What's his feedback history like?

gumbald said:
How much did the parcel weigh? Got your receipt?

Steeps said:
Don't suppose the "exif" data is in tact on the images he sent? Might be worth looking at them to see if the photos he took of the ducting were really taken with your camera.

exif's in tact, taken with a Panasonic

Feedback is 200+, higher than mine but sadly it doesn't stop someone trying it on

Got the receipt, heading to the Post Office I posted it from tomorrow to attempt to sort everything

gumbald · 12 Jan 2010 at 18:52

Cyanide said:
Got the receipt, heading to the Post Office I posted it from tomorrow to attempt to sort everything

Does it not say the weight on there? Would you expect the camera to be heavier or lighter than the ducting he claims?

spydermixx · 12 Jan 2010 at 18:52

Steeps said:
Don't suppose the "exif" data is in tact on the images he sent? Might be worth looking at them to see if the photos he took of the ducting were really taken with your camera.

That would be funny (obviously not to the OP) if he had done that. I had a similar situation with Parcel Farce in the past, but was on the receiving end of an empty parcel. Didn't manage to get reimbursed and the package was sent by a close friend so know for certain she didn't scam me either. Completely forgot about it for a couple of months as it wasn't an expensive item and then got a letter from PF out of the blue saying I owed them £60 for overdue customs fees!