PayPal / eBay problems - PLEAS ADVISE!

Abu-Dina

Greetings!
Okay guys, this is going to be a long post so thank you in advance for taking out the time to read this!

I started trading on eBay in December 2008. For the last two and a half years we traded peacefully selling DVDs to Australian customers and making £200-£400 per month.

We had a small problem with PayPal at the beginning of 2009 when they limited our account but after providing them with the all the necessary documentation, our account was restored and all withdrawal limits removed.

So far so good until August 2011 when one day I came across a particular item which (by drop shipping it on eBay) I knew I could make anything between £25-£50 a hit. This particular item was really hot selling eBay Australia so I decided to list this item and see how thing go.

First day I sold 6 of these items (made a profit of £180). As you can imagine I was really excited as this kind of profit would normally mean selling 60-80 DVDs! But to my disappointment, the item was removed by eBay the very next day!!!!! In the email eBay had sent they advised that an agent acting on behalf of the trademark owners had reported it as counterfeit! eBay also included the contact details for the agent.

I emailed the agent (in New Zealand) and they replied back asking for proof of invoices which I emailed them immediately. 24 hours later, the agent emailed eBay asking for the policy violation to be removed from my account and I was free to list the item.

Two weeks later, the same agent emailed me to say that their lawyers had decided that UK based sellers would not be allowed to sell this item any longer and I was asked to remove the listing (which I did!).

All good until a few days later I received a phone call from PayPal asking about the unusual activity in my account (they wanted to know why in September 2011 I received more money than I had during the previous 10 months!). I explained to the PayPal agent everything and told him that we are no longer selling this item etc.

A few days later my PayPal account was limited and PayPal asked for more information. When I supplied them with all the details they emailed me back to say that my PayPal account has been closed for good with no option to appeal the closure!

eBay then suspended all my eBay accounts (all 4 of them – even the ones I hadn’t used for years!)

As a result, I now have more than £2000 withheld by PayPal and since the account closure, buyers are opening PayPal disputes demanding their money back! For example this morning, a buyer who received their item two weeks ago (UPS tracking proves this) has also opened a PayPal dispute demanding their money back!

PayPal say that I am HIGH RISK but surely it is PayPal who are the HIGH RISK to sellers like me! They started this whole thing.

Is there anything I can do to in this situation?

Also, one of the PayPal disputes ended in my favour after I had supplied PayPal with tracking information. They emailed me to say that the dispute has ended in my favour and the hold on the money has been lifted but when I checked yesterday it appears the payment ($225) has been sent back to the buyer without my knowledge! Can PayPal do this? Should I complain to the FOS? Isn’t this fraud by PayPal? Refunding money to the buyer without my knowledge?!

Any advice would be much appreciated!

Thanks.

Obviously_the_best

To be honest PayPal are so big it's almost pointles taking them on, although if you really want to do something report them to trading standards and visit the following website http://www.screw-paypal.com/ (the no-paypal network), and if you actually want to phone paypal the number is 0844 496 0300

cestlavie

4 ebay accounts?? - that would alert anyone to possible strange activity even if it was all innocent.

chancesare_2

cestlavie wrote: »

4 ebay accounts?? - that would alert anyone to possible strange activity even if it was all innocent.

Why? I have more than that.

soolin

cestlavie wrote: »

4 ebay accounts?? - that would alert anyone to possible strange activity even if it was all innocent.

chancesare wrote: »

Why? I have more than that.

So have I , all perfectly alllowed and positively encouraged by ebay.

Abu-Dina

Thanks for your contribution guys.

You're right about PayPal being too big to take on. I guess it comes down whether it's worth the hassle, time and effort. I will give it a rest for a couple of weeks and see how many more fraudulent disputes I get and will decide from there.

In a way I'm glad my eBay days are over to be honest. There are other alternatives out there and without having my eBay/PayPal accounts closed I don't think I could find a better excuse to explore them!

Best wishes.

asset2004

Something similar is happening to me just now, had £600 in my account from non ebay purcahses and had transferred it out to my bank earlier this week, however just had an email from ebay saying my account has been closed and cannot access my paypal account and they've reversed the payment to my bank :mad:.
I have sent the items and have no money, very very angry with ebay/paypal don't know how to proceed :mad:

yeslek

soolin wrote: »

So have I , all perfectly alllowed and positively encouraged by ebay.

whaaaa?! why on earth would you need that many?
I've got 2: one for buying, one for selling, and cant see any reason (other than shill bidding) to warrant any more (btw, I'm in not way accusing anyone here of anything, I just cant grasp why several accounts could ever be required)

soolin

yeslek wrote: »

whaaaa?! why on earth would you need that many?
I've got 2: one for buying, one for selling, and cant see any reason (other than shill bidding) to warrant any more (btw, I'm in not way accusing anyone here of anything, I just cant grasp why several accounts could ever be required)

one main business a/c, one minor back up business account (I trialled a completely different line). A private account, 2 buying accounts and a posting ID account. I actually have at least two other accounts that are technically still open but no longer used.

tigeress289

This is not about how many accounts we can have, it is about paypal. The OP will get the money back in time and I would send them a formal complaint first ,warning of legal action in a small claims court. It is worth issuing a small claims against them as they have your money. If customers have received the items you have a claim against paypal if they then refund them. Do not waste valuable time trying to sort out the accounts. Work on recovering your money then if you want to start again, do so in a different frame of mind. Ebay is a system and its knowing how to make it work in your favour not theirs. Best of Luck

tigeress289

Had a rethink on this one, the 20th was a thursday and you paid via paypal. For the seller to get the funds ,he does the normal transfer. This can take upto 5/7 working days, before he gets the money. There is an outside chance you could still receive the voucher if then sent onc he is paid in full. A Paypal payment does not give you instant access to your money, unless you know how the system works. For such a low ebay feedback the seller is new to this.He could be the one that does not trust sending it before he is fully paid and cash in hand. I would still do as I first posted to cover myself and explain the situation. Fingers crossed