Am I being scammed?

benjimoron_2

I bought a camera on ebay 13 days ago from a seller with no feedback. It was second hand so didn't think it was a classic scam. Either way I've not received the camera but he's provided me with the recorded delivery number which obviously can't be tracked, but unless he's just used another one then he's actually sent it. It seems very strange to me that it hasn't arrived yet. I paid using paypal funded with a credit card so I think I'm safe in the fact that if he does scam me then paypal will be able to do a chargeback, failing that my credit card should cover me.

The funny thing is he keeps trying to get me to take a refund of £10 to cover the postage as it's late. I've not accepted it yet, is there some sort of scam that means if I've accepted a partial refund I can't apply for a full refund? I'd take it if it turns up as an apology for the lateness but I don't really wanna be scammed!

Any suggestions?

frivolous_fay

Did he post it late?

If he's a newbie he's probably eager to please. Was the camera low value?

With recorded, the delivery isn't actually any faster; did he send the camera 2nd class... and do you know what date it was posted?

benjimoron_2

frivolous_fay wrote:

Did he post it late?

If he's a newbie he's probably eager to please. Was the camera low value?

With recorded, the delivery isn't actually any faster; did he send the camera 2nd class... and do you know what date it was posted?

Not posted late, he "posted" it the next day 07/02/2007. Camera was medium value, he wont get much of his money back if it really has gone missing in the post.

I know recorded is sent same as normal post, but it was first class so should have been here at least a week ago!

frivolous_fay

Any chance of it being misaddressed?

Otherwise... the Curse of Recorded may have struck again

stamford

benjimoron wrote:

he's provided me with the recorded delivery number which obviously can't be tracked, but unless he's just used another one then he's actually sent it.

Try going here and putting in the recorded delivery number

http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/track;jsessionid=NKW33NPULWEMMFB2IGEUPLQUHRAYUQ2K?catId=22700601&gear=authentication

frivolous_fay

Trouble is, recorded items don't show up on the web tracking until they're delivered.

benjimoron_2

stamford wrote:

Try going here and putting in the recorded delivery number

http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/track;jsessionid=NKW33NPULWEMMFB2IGEUPLQUHRAYUQ2K?catId=22700601&gear=authentication

It can't be tracked until it's delivered as it's recorded and not special delivery.

benjimoron_2

frivolous_fay wrote:

Any chance of it being misaddressed?

Otherwise... the Curse of Recorded may have struck again

I don't think so, otherwise it would show up as being delivered elsewhere. Or they would have refused it as it wasn't theirs and it would've got here within nearly 2 weeks still I would have thought.

Main thing I'm worried about is accepting the £10 partial refund and then that meaning I can't claim my full refund as I'd already accepted a partial refund, anyone know if that's the case?

soolin

benjimoron wrote:

I don't think so, otherwise it would show up as being delivered elsewhere. Or the would have refused it as it wasn't theirs and it would've got here within nearly 2 weeks still I would have thought.?

The curse of the recorded delivery item is that it disappears into thin air never to be seen again. The fact that it is sent recorded often flags it up as being of value (yes I know recorded is really only standard mail..but it can be seen as worth something by others). I rarely use recorded purely because I have such a high failure rate with it with items neither arriving at their destination nor being returned to me.

benjimoron wrote:

Main thing I'm worried about is accepting the £10 partial refund and then that meaning I can't claim my full refund as I'd already accepted a partial refund, anyone know if that's the case?

No a partial refund doesn't mean you can't claim later. However I would hold off at the moment as you don't want to complicate things if you need to get a full refund.

Incidentally, I am assuming that the item was less than £32 as that is all recorded covers, and whilst this is not your problem it will mean the seller will lose out if he needs to claim from Royal Mail.

benjimoron_2

soolin wrote:

The curse of the recorded delivery item is that it disappears into thin air never to be seen again. The fact that it is sent recorded often flags it up as being of value (yes I know recorded is really only standard mail..but it can be seen as worth something by others). I rarely use recorded purely because I have such a high failure rate with it with items neither arriving at their destination nor being returned to me.



No a partial refund doesn't mean you can't claim later. However I would hold off at the moment as you don't want to complicate things if you need to get a full refund.

Incidentally, I am assuming that the item was less than £32 as that is all recorded covers, and whilst this is not your problem it will mean the seller will lose out if he needs to claim from Royal Mail.

I meant earlier that I didn't think it'd had been delivered to the wrong address, it may well have been knicked as like you say it is likely to be worth more money and can't be tracked so they don't know who knicked it! Maybe they should just get rid of recorded delivery?

I don't think I'll be accepting the partial refund as it will probably complicate things, looks like I've got to go for the full refund. Any idea on timescales to claim from paypal with? The item was worth more than £32 so like I said earlier the seller wont be getting all his money back, he should've used special delivery and I would've had my camera nearly 2 weeks ago!

frivolous_fay

Start by asking the seller nicely for a full refund - although it's up to you when you decide to stop waiting for your item.

If the refund isn't forthcoming, open a dispute.