Seller wants to refund my payment but I don't want to.

Pine_martens

Hi everyone in this forum that provided your valuable insight to my post.
Update: For those of you who said it was a SCAM, or were concerned that we were being SCAMMED... You were all right!  It WAS a SCAM!
We went to the house address given and low and behold, no one there of the seller's name was there.
We then went to where the caravan was stored, and you've guessed it, it wasn't there. No surprises there!

The long and the short of this is: eBay took the SCAM report from us but did not remove the posting and the SCAMMERS continued SCAMMING on the eBay platform.
However, our bank and their fraud team, were most supportive and helpful, providing support for our wellbeing too. They performed to their word and we have been very fortunate to have our money returned from the seller's bank. 
Lesson learnt: Personal or business partner's making these financial decisions, please include the partner's and listen to them raising, or highlighting the red flags that you are pushing to the back of your mind because you just want to get the item. This affects everyone, including staff of your business as it could result in your company having to go into administration due to the financial loss, as well as them having to endure the emotional impact of you ignoring the red flags and those close to you are trying to let you know, because they care and want to protect you and the business. For those who are seeing and raising the red flags and being pushed away, KEEP TELLING them it is a SCAM. I know they will shout and scream but PERSERVE and do what I did, inform the bank immediately as there is a window within which you must notify the bank. Read your T&Cs to know what each bank states.
Thank you all and this post will now be closed. 

QrizB

Pine_martens said:

Hi everyone in this forum that provided your valuable insight to my post.
Update: For those of you who said it was a SCAM, or were concerned that we were being SCAMMED... You were all right!  It WAS a SCAM!
...
However, our bank and their fraud team, were most supportive and helpful, providing support for our wellbeing too. They performed to their word and we have been very fortunate to have our money returned from the seller's bank. 

Thank you for coming back with an update. Glad to hear that you got your money back!

Aylesbury_Duck

Phew!  

Please don't ask to have the post closed.  It's a very helpful reminder of a situation that will keep occurring in future, and may help others in a similar situation.

I had a colleague 10 years ago who wasn't so fortunate.  She lost £4k to someone supposedly selling a car very cheaply and only realised it was a scam when the low-loader she'd also paid the scammer for didn't arrive with the car on the delivery day.  Her bank managed to recover £2k of the £6k she'd sent, that was all that was left in the account.

saajan_12

Pine_martens said:

Hi everyone in this forum that provided your valuable insight to my post.
Update: For those of you who said it was a SCAM, or were concerned that we were being SCAMMED... You were all right!  It WAS a SCAM!
..
Lesson learnt: Personal or business partner's making these financial decisions, please include the partner's and listen to them raising, or highlighting the red flags that you are pushing to the back of your mind because you just want to get the item. . 

Good end result! Hopefully you've spotted what those red flags were for next time, eg
* taking transaction off ebay
* payment request via bank transfer (which has minimal protections vs the other options)
* payment before you see the thing, especially for a large purchase
* cheaper than the norm
* your distraction about wanting the great deal rather than just getting the refund