eBay seller disappeared after receiving money

fmama

Dear all - I have always referred to advice on this website but this is my first post as I really need help. It sounds completely foolish- but please bear with me.

I have had over 1000 transactions on eBay and have been fortunate to have had 100% positive experiences whether as buyer or seller, so I count myself as 'experienced' and a cautious eBayer.

However, I had my phone snatched last week (I was using the phone, and pushing both my children in their buggy, at noontime, with lots of other people milling about). After 2 days of watching, I bidded and won a 2 month old iPhone 4S last Friday which stipulated £8.75 delivery or Cash on Collection. I was told to collect in person from Wakefield, which I was unable to do. I asked for it to be posted to London instead. She then said she didn't have Paypal. To cut a long story short, I sent her £268.75 via direct money HSBC transfer (both our accounts are HSBC). And surprise - she said she woke up late and missed the post office hours on Saturday. No reply on Monday or Tuesday, and only this morning she texted to say that she's in hospital and has been robbed of both the phone she was going to post to me and the money I paid her.

Is there anything at all I can do to reclaim my money? It is a lot of money to me, and despite the good track record on eBay previously, I have been so stupid this time because I have been so desperate to get a new phone. Please help!

Thank you all for your time.

ballisticbrian

You've been scammed and you need to go to the police.
You can't sell on eBay without a Paypal account - the whole thing was a scam.

fmama

After protracted text exchange asking politely for my money back, he/she said to the effect of (I paraphrase a little):

"KMT I don't have the bumbaclat money..." and also that he/she will close that bank account, and the police won't pursue it as it is only a civil case, his/her address on the electoral roll is no longer current, etc.

So even if I do go to the police - the chance of getting my money back is nil?

(i had to look up KMT and bumbaclat on the Urban dictionary)

I don't know how I fell for it, but it seemed all so legit and there were lots of other bids on it too, if it weren't me it would be someone else, and Cash on collection was offered too - if I showed up in person would I have been robbed?

Thanks again for your time.

elsien

The other bids were probably fake ones to push the final price up - getting friends or relatives to make bids for them.
Can't you get their contact details through ebay to pass on to the police? I don't know if the police would be interested or not, but I certainly wouldn't take a scammers word for anything. I'd be reporting it anyway. It might be that all the details are false and they can't be tracked down, but you should at least give it a go.

fmama

No 'strongarm' tactics recommended here - basically the £268.75 is as good as gone

elsien

Unfortunately paying by bank transfer means that you don't get any ebay buyer protection.
Where were you told to collect in person from? Were you given an address?

Chrysalis

after buying a phone of ebay I learned one lesson.

Do not buy USED phones of ebay.

New ones from retailers on there should be ok but I wouldnt buy used.

eg. my phone was supposedbly in mint condition and barely used. It looked like it had been skidded across the floor with the number of marks on the sides. It does work but the cosmetic look is trashed.

It isnt been used as a main phone and I simply chose to not leave feedback in the end as I am now using it as a test phone (testing android roms etc.). I didnt want the hassle of trying to get my money back.

If you cant afford a new high end phone then there is budget phones brand new for less than you paid for that iphone 4s, some still very good phones eg.

nexus4 brand new direct from google £240 better spec than a iphone 4s.

amazon galaxy s2 brand new £235 ( a very good phone) although from a seller not amazon direct.

used phones on ebay seem to have barely 10-20% knocked off price on buy it now and even if you get a bigger price drop its too big a risk.

ballisticbrian

fmama, please tell us you will pursue this. If you make it that easy for the scammer by not going to the police they will just do it again and again. Even though you paid off of the eBay site, they need to know as well, as the person is using eBay as their platform on which to launch the scam.

pinkshoes

Report it to the police and move on.

It is unlikely you will get your money back, so an expensive lesson to learn.

The cash/no paypal bit should have set alarm bells ringing (very common scam), and the fact they were allowing you to pick it up hints it is stolen.

Make sure you DO report it to the police, as you have the mobile phone number that the person has responded from, which can be tracked.

Also, you could request their contact details on Ebay and they *might* have an address?!?!

HHarry

As above - report to the Police and Action Fraud. I they're organised there's nothing more you can do.

However, depending on how much info you have, you may be able to use the internet to fill in some of the gaps. I was scammed over an iPhone 4, but managed to make such a nuisance of myself that I got my money back.

hermum

You must report this to the police.
Also report it to ebay, you won't get your money back through ebay but may help prevent someone else being robbed.