PayPal require a Police report for refund appeal

BB1000

Hi, I sold an item via a private sale, not eBay or Facebook market place but was paid through PayPal, the buyer wanted a refund as he said the item was not as described, even though it was 100%, he went through PayPal after 30 days to get a refund and PayPal took his side and issued the refund even though I told PayPal the buyer said he was trying to modify the electronic item, I received the item back and it's also damaged, I placed an appeal to PayPal and they said I need a police report? As this is not a crime I'm stumped and I am now left with a £400 item I can't sell.
Any help would be appreciated thanks 

Ectophile

You might manage to get a crime number out of Action Fraud if you think the buyer has defrauded you.  But there's no way the police are going to investigate.

powerful_Rogue

Stupid rules companies such as eBay and PayPal use.

I watched this video not that long ago - The police are not interested in the slightest, and quite rightly so.

Judging by this video, I think you are going to have to suffer the loss, or go via the Small Claims Court

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2dAa-afItU

eddddy

It's a typical contractual dispute. If you want to persue it, it would be case of working towards making a court claim from the buyer.

Obviously, you can start the process by telling the buyer that if he/she doesn't pay, you'll take legal action...

The legal process is described here: https://www.gov.uk/make-court-claim-for-money

LadyDee

It has been suggested on other threads that by filing a report with Action Fraud you will receive a report number.  No, the Police won't investigate it but the AF Report No. is all that Paypal need to take you seriously.  Got to be worth a try?

twhitehousescat

LadyDee said:

It has been suggested on other threads that by filing a report with Action Fraud you will receive a report number.  No, the Police won't investigate it but the AF Report No. is all that Paypal need to take you seriously.  Got to be worth a try?

anyone can report anything they like to action fraud , the number is not worth the paper its written on , in fact the number is often called the "pacifyer"number , makes you happy you have it , but nothing will come of it , action fraud will not reviel any details to ebay/paypal 

pinkshoes

As you sent him the item and have his address, then I would start by sending him a “letter before action” giving him 14 days to pay £408 (cost of item plus cost for you to return item to him) otherwise you will take him to court.

you might want to mitigate your losses and offer an alternative price of £400 less what you could now sell it for. E.g. so he pays your losses without it being returned.

oldagetraveller1

powerful_Rogue said:

Stupid rules companies such as eBay and PayPal use.

I watched this video not that long ago - The police are not interested in the slightest, and quite rightly so.

Judging by this video, I think you are going to have to suffer the loss, or go via the Small Claims Court

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2dAa-afItU

They did a follow up video about the issue being resolved. Someone high up at eBay in the US watched that video and contacted them.

It would appear that the ridiculous procedures have not been changed though, in spite of the eBay woman saying it would be looked into.