Been Scammed Via Paypal - Help & Advice Needed

Shoppaholic12345

I sold an Xbox Premium console via loot a week or so ago.

The buyer wanted to pay for half of it in cash and the other half by Paypal.

The transaction was fine up until today when I received a Paypal dispute with the following message:

"I purchased an Ipod from the seller. Originally I was advised to pay via paypal to ****** ******* - refer my account. The seller refunded me straight away then sent an invoice to pay as per transaction detail ID No ********** which I paid straight away. The buyer is not responding and the goods have not arrived. Please refund the money."

What should I do? How do I know this isn't part of the scam?

Advice would be much appreciated. Apologies, as I didn't know where to post this and this board seemed the most appropriate.

pinkgem

did he pay half cash/half paypal and collect in person?

Shoppaholic12345

pinkgem wrote: »

did he pay half cash/half paypal and collect in person?

Yes. He told me he had funds in his Paypal account just sitting there and wanted to use it.

Forgot to add that the funds have been frozen.

Do I have any rights not to pay the refund?

greenstreetprince

if funds have been frozen you have no control over them until a paypal agent (mindless idiots who have no common sense) review the case and make a decision.

EverDecreasingCircles

You said you sold an Xbox but the buyer is claiming he bought an ipod, is that right? When Paypal opened the dispute you should have been given the opportunity to respond with your side of the story. Check that out in the 'Resolution Centre' in your paypal account. Explain the whole thing to Paypal, then I think they'll decide. HTH

Jen

Shoppaholic12345

jen.eng wrote: »

You said you sold an Xbox but the buyer is claiming he bought an ipod, is that right?

Correct.

jen.eng wrote: »

When Paypal opened the dispute you should have been given the opportunity to respond with your side of the story. Check that out in the 'Resolution Centre' in your paypal account. Explain the whole thing to Paypal, then I think they'll decide. HTH

I've already responded giving my side of the story. I have two witnesses who I invited round for the sale.

I just wanted to know if this has happened to anyone else and what my rights are.

soolin

Sorry but I have bad news...you cannot win a paypal dispute as you can't prove delivery online via an approved paypal method of postage.

I realise it is no help at all but Paypal should NOT be used where an item is to be collected, this is a known scam. Luckily most people are aware of the limitations of paypal, but these scammers know that if they just keep trying it on they will eventually run into someone who isn't familair with paypal terms and conditions, unfortunately he found you.

It is difficult to know what to suggest as you have not followed paypal's recommendations about safe and trackable postage methods.

EverDecreasingCircles

This hasn't happened to me thank goodness. Have you checked out the Relolution Centre Guides? If you go there and click on Seller Tutorial you'll find more about how Paypal resolve these things.

Jen

aqueoushumour01

I'd get the police involved. At least threatening the buyer over this may get them to drop the dispute. This is not on and it annoys me that scammers seem to get away with these things time after time :mad:

soolin

aqueoushumour01 wrote: »

I'd get the police involved. At least threatening the buyer over this may get them to drop the dispute. This is not on and it annoys me that scammers seem to get away with these things time after time :mad:

As I mentioned in my earlier post this is not an easy scam for the buyer as virtually no seller will fall for it, but I appreciate that doesn't help the seller in this case. These measures were put into place by paypal to protect buyers, which is how it ought to be as sellers can protect themselves by understanding how paypal works.

As a buyer when we buy something we expect it to be delivered, if it isn't then we chargeback via paypal. I can't see anyone disputing that as a fair way of doing things. As a seller you can protect against claims of loss by following paypal terms and conditions and sending the item via a trackable means which paypal state quite clearly here:

https://www.paypal.com/helpcenter/main.jsp;jsessionid=Gs9ZJhy4zM6Byd4jV1pY70dTtGy2pR4t3zFTvHnqPyYlYyXy1GgL!-300375935?t=solutionTab&ft=homeTab&ps=&solutionId=17464&locale=en_GB&_dyncharset=UTF-8&cmd=_help-ext&serverInstance=8003

Paypal is not intended for collected items, after all why pay paypal fees when there would be no fees to pay for cash?

paypal has its faults, no one would deny that, however in this instance they are acting exactly as their terms and conditions say they will.The question remains, what if anything can the seller do to prevent the scammer completing his scam?

Shoppaholic12345

aqueoushumour01 wrote: »

I'd get the police involved. At least threatening the buyer over this may get them to drop the dispute. This is not on and it annoys me that scammers seem to get away with these things time after time :mad:

Am considering this as a possibility depending on how Paypal view things. Like I said, I have two witnesses that were there at the sale and I can give descriptions of the two men involved (along with my mates), who can also vouch for my story.

I know it isn't fair on the other person involved. Am willing to refund half of the amount to them if they are willing to accept, but no way I'm gonna give it all back.

There is also no way of telling that the person wanting the full refund isn't connected to the scammers either.