Please don't tell me it is this easy to scam on ebay!!!

sid · 23 Nov 2006 at 20:07

Well ,

Heres a brief run down of the situation.

Bought an Item on ebay (well an xbox for £50) . The seller advertised it to be new and with 2 games and next day delivery.

Now i bought this on the 16th and paid promptly with paypal.

Today I notice that the seller is no longer registered with ebay. In his last email to me on monday , he said he was waiting for money to transfer to his bank account ( I wondered why at this point because I know that doesn't cover his ass)

So now I've emailed him back and he hasn't replied back to me in 3 days. Presumably he will now shut his paypal account(when hes transferred his money) down as well and then thats is it really ?

I mean please don't tell me its that easy to get away with it? I have read all the paypal protection programmes and it doesn't mention anywhere what happens in this case.

What is there to stop me from listing a ps3 for a grand and a week later, I don't exist on paypal and ebay?

Whats the general solution in this case? I see ebay only cover buyers upto £120 with a £15 surcharge may I add!

PS - 3 days isn't long enough time I know and I am jumping to conclusions (the seller did have 20 positives , 100% feedback over 14 months) but my question still holds really.

nemtizz · 23 Nov 2006 at 20:10

Just hold back and wait a few more days.

riddler · 23 Nov 2006 at 20:13

^ is the reason i hardly use ebay try the MM instead

sid · 23 Nov 2006 at 20:14

riddler said:
^ is the reason i hardly use ebay try the MM instead

I do use the MM , I have a decent trust on the MM but thats not the question really. Besides the MM has strict rules on certain things.

freneticvirus · 23 Nov 2006 at 20:17

i think paypal covers up to £500 (it's less without, and has a fee if you're claiming), but it can take a while.

i've had two in total, and both took around 30-40 days to get anything. paypal obviously has a card of some sort for the owner if they withdraw the cash, so they owner can't just close down the account and be done with it.

sid · 23 Nov 2006 at 20:19

freneticvirus said:
i think paypal covers up to £500 (it's less without, and has a fee if you're claiming), but it can take a while.

i've had two in total, and both took around 30-40 days to get anything. paypal obviously has a card of some sort for the owner if they withdraw the cash, so they owner can't just close down the account and be done with it.

Not all transactions are covered by the buyer protection programme.

Infact it appears to me that is there to give sellers credibility rather than protect the buyers,

shadow4509 · 23 Nov 2006 at 21:12

You can request the sellers contact details, i think it will be phone number and location (not full address).

sid · 23 Nov 2006 at 21:17

Really? How would I go about doing that?

I don't suppose that is possible when he shuts the account down? which he might do when paypal deposit money in his account.

All I can see at the moment is the seller protection programme which only covers upto a certain value.

sid

danza · 23 Nov 2006 at 21:29

http://cgi1.ebay.co.uk/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?UserInformationRequest

Go to 'Contact Info'

That link there should do it. I've done it once, ages ago, but can't really remember

/edit, just tried it on myself, and it works.

sid · 23 Nov 2006 at 21:34

But if the seller isn't registered on ebay any more? how can that possibly work?

sid

danza · 23 Nov 2006 at 21:38

TRY IT!

You never know

sid · 23 Nov 2006 at 21:40

Assuming its a scam, the seller could just refuse, not to mention he hasn't replied to my emails so theres no way he is handing over his details is he?

danza · 23 Nov 2006 at 21:50

They have no choice. Ebay do it for them, without consent.

Brizzles · 23 Nov 2006 at 21:53

sid said:
But if the seller isn't registered on ebay any more? how can that possibly work?

sid

The registration for a Paypal account is not linked directly to an ebay account.

Anyone can open a paypal account, you don't have to be using ebay

They ( Paypal ) will have bank account details and ultimatly some way of identifying the person involved

Aod · 23 Nov 2006 at 21:54

start a claimback with paypal?

sid · 23 Nov 2006 at 21:54

Ahh so you are saying, the seller doesn't get a choice about it.

But he will know that I've requested his information?

Also is the process instant?
sid

sid · 23 Nov 2006 at 21:55

mrdbristol said:
The registration for a Paypal account is not linked directly to an ebay account.

Anyone can open a paypal account, you don't have to be using ebay

They ( Paypal ) will have bank account details and ultimatly some way of identifying the person involved

Do they hold the details even if you've closed the account?

Also I can't start the claimback as its still too early. the seller hasn't been given a week to reply

sid

danza · 23 Nov 2006 at 22:01

sid said:
Ahh so you are saying, the seller doesn't get a choice about it.

But he will know that I've requested his information?

Also is the process instant?
sid

Yes, the process is instant. Not sure TBH whether or not the seller will know that you've requested their details. Thats why I edited it out of my earlier post.

Spamalot · 23 Nov 2006 at 22:58

riddler said:
^ is the reason i hardly use ebay try the MM instead

I've lost out twice on MM and never on ebay.

sid · 25 Nov 2006 at 14:51

Got the sellers details

The phone number which ebay returned didnt work. I get a number barred error when calling from my mobile.

I have sent a email to him telling him that I will open a paypal dispute on Monday

sid