i sold a ps3 the other day on ebay, it was working for years with no problems, the buyer email me and said it was playing games fine but when i went to play a movie it turned off, he meant YLOD, i told him to send it back and if the ps3 is in the same condition i will refund his payment, i also told him to insure the ps3 for the full value but guess what he didn`t and the ps3 arrived cracked in pieces with a broken cd drive.
when i opened it i can clearly see it has been tampered with, i did notice the warranty sticker sticker was bent in the middle as if the buyer used a hair dryer to remove it just enough to get the screw out. there was fingerprints, moved parts and missing screws inside. i was able to temporarily get it working, i went to to menu that on the ps3 that shows the model number on the ps3 and matched it with the model number on the case, guess what, it didn`t match. i`m almost positive that the buyer switched the mother and cd drive. listen to this part, after he sent ebay the confirmation number ebay took the full amount plus the shipping charge right from my paypal account, i could swear it says in there policy that shipping in non refundable.
i have contacted the BBB and made a complaint against ebay, everyone should do the same.

Well known security guru Bruce Schneier has picked up this item for discussion in his blog.

[www.schneier.com]

This type of scam is very hard to protect yourself against.

I "know a guy" who used it in reverse though - when he got a sound card that wasn't as advertised, he smashed the card and returned it to the seller for a refund. They hadn't paid for insurance (despite charging for it), so they got really burned there.

@Sidecutter: They have my money, the transaction is over. When I have the product I paid for, their obligation is over. If the product is not what I paid for, their obligation is not over. If it is what I paid for and I thereupon mistreat them, it's a separate issue. But the transaction itself is over, just like it would be if I paid for something in a store, took it home, and then came back the next day and threw a rock through the window.

A seller with great feedback sent me an electronic item that was DOA. I contacted them (as recommended by Ebay and PP) and mailed it back. They received it and resent the same DOA item.

When I finally asked for help from Ebay and Paypal, they chose to ignore that I had been defrauded, refused to refund my money, and in general acted like corporate robots lacking any will to lift a finger to help me.

Beware of Ebay and Paypal...when you need them they will likely leave you holding the bag, or DOA item, as was my case.

Following their instructions gets you deeper in trouble with their policies, not the other way around as one would expect.

@speedwell, avatar of snark: And yet, that leaves the seller no recourse at all if you purposely screw them over like the buyer did in this case. Being a good buyer doesn't end with paying them. Not scamming them afterwards is part of it too.

@gqcarrick: I had been an Ebay user since 1999 but sometime around 2006 or 2007 the site went to hell. The last three transactions I tried to make either turned out to be non shippers or scam. The site is garbage and I hope it goest out of buisness. I only buy from amazon sellers now.

While I understand people's frustrations with eBay, and certainly have my own (especially with respect to fees), I find that a little due diligence on the buying and selling side can make for a relatively pain-free experience... I've done well over 500 transactions on eBay (probably a 350/150 buying/selling mix), and been scammed exactly twice.

I treat eBay as I would a local classified section... both buyer and seller beware... be skeptical of high-value items at rock bottom prices... check not only the feedback rating, but also the frequency of use and most importantly, recent feedback.

If someone has used their account in two years, and wants to buy a $600 item from you, you might want to steer clear or be VERY careful. eBay does make this difficult as their policies are SOOO tilted towards the big sellers that they fail to give you options like a reasonable minumum feedback rating for your buyers.

eBay has its pitfalls, and I agree they need to shape up, but there is still more good there than bad from my perspective...

@ShikhaCadimillac: I accept :-)

I agree with you, I dislike their policies and how they have changed. I sometimes buy and sell on Ebay but I personally didn't know about the no check/MO policy until last week when I happened upon it somehow. I may have made the same comment as the other guy, thinking I knew more than I did. Sometimes people are in the right place to learn something new (like me when I found the new policy, and you, however you may have found out about it) and sometimes you just don't know something changed (like the commenter above, and me BEFORE I found out). That's why these comment forums are so cool, we can help each other out to learn things and be more aware. That's why it's nice to be nice and to guide others...

I am glad that you defended yourself and I am even more glad to know you aren't a douchebag. And I am glad to know you.

With the threat of retaliatory negative feedback (formerly a routine practice of many crooked merchants) eliminated, sellers deserving negative feedback are far more likely to receive it. This rewards the good sellers by shifting business away from their inferior competitors.

I'm sorry to say it, but at this point, if you buy or sell on eBay you get what you deserve.

@bonafidebob: I bet they have some sort of mandatory arbitration stuff built into their TOS anyways.

A to Z claims... it makes eBay look good by comparison!

A website called "eBuyer Feedback" is used by many for buyer feedback on eBay and if someone who bids on your listing has negative or neutral feedback posted there they can receive an email alert warning them to investigate their trading partner.

@Skankingmike: Becoming a victim to Pay Pal's SNAD policy can happen to anyone at anytime. It took 10+ yrs to happen to me, but it did happen. It's just part of the Pay Pal Roulette Wheel of getting screwed. My mistake was venturing into collectibles versus costume jewelry. Never again. Pay Pal aids and abets thieves on a daily basis and does nothing to stop it.

@Hector Z: The letterhead would not have mattered. I have a police report on letterhead stating I was a victim of felony theft and Pay Pal still would not honor it. The refunded the buyer and are still trying to collect from me.

It's not a valid claim and I refuse to pay it.

You would want to make sure you don't go too far though as it could turn into harassment. Also - try to be sure the person actually exists and is not a "made up" name or someone's stolen identify. The reason for this is because obviously you don't want to attack an innocent person's reputation, but if it is not their real identity, then your efforts will do no good whatsoever.

@BodeMiller:

That's "be my wingman"

And, if this guy lives in my neck of the woods, I'll do my part. People tell me I can be quite annoying (that would finally be an asset!) and I'm persistent as hell.

Also know some of the local cops (just because I help out at bake sales and stuff of course.)

@frodolives35:

Wow, you're awesome.

Even my usual sarcasm is muted by that gesture.

The next time I get screwed over (any time now I'm sure) will you by my wingman?

I wonder if Apple knows about [macworldmusic.com] and I'm also SHOCKED Paypal doesn't protect the customer against receiving fake and counterfeit goods. I personally will never use Paypal again...

Dude why have you not posted this guys name adress and telephone number here. There is power to annoy at the very least and to recover things at best ( remember the lost phone recovered a couple of weeks ago ). I for one would like to know if this scumbag lived in my hood. Take away his power of across the country nah nah thumbing his nose and let us help if we can. If he lived down the street from me I would pay him a visit. We have all been screwed and it would feel good to help out someone else.

As a buyer, I don't think I've fulfilled my side of the deal until I let the seller know that I received and am satisfied (or not) with the goods. Not on Ebay, not on Etsy, not on any site where I'm dealing with an individual person. I want them to treat me as more than a payment should I need their help, so I treat them like more than a parcel service. It's just simple courtesy.

@bonafidebob: Take it to Judge Judy

@Czum: Del/shipping confirmation fom the buyer was enough to generate a refund.

Try contacting the head of PayPal directly. Also get the police involved in the gentleman's jurisdiction.

Casual thieves are generally just that. Inexperienced and easily scared shitless.

That aside, I really hate the attitude of the eBay head honchos. They've made all these policy changes to attract new customers, all squarely at the expense of the sellers. Since the new changes, a seller is solely at the mercy of a buyer/potential scammer (since payment is initially locked up in Paypal purgatory) with practically no recourse if things go sour. But eBay knows, as long as the buyers are still lining up, there will always be sellers.

Here's how to get revenge and a refund in 7 steps!

1) Kidnap the scammer

2) Remove his 'computer parts' (organs)

3) Sell his organs (on the black market, not Ebay)

4) Profit!

5) Ship his body to Ebay in a box labeled "Broken"

6) Demand a refund from PayPal

7) Profit again!

eBay and PayPal know all about it. Or maybe one should say, they don't want to know about it.

You also might want to take Paypal to small claims court for 500 dollars (you'd probably lose if they bother to send somebody but there's a good chance they'd be no-show).

All the more reason to deal with a REAL BANK, which Paypal is not. They are licensed as a money service, the same type of slime and gutter scum such as Western Union, Checks Cashed, and Title Pawn businesses are. They are NOT bound by the same rules and regulations as the banking industry is. A real merchant account from a real bank is the way to go, sure it may cost a little more than Paypal (though with Paypal jacking up their fees every year) it's worth it. A true bank is so much more account holder friendly when dealing with chargebacks than Paypal is.

Paypal, like any other slimy money laundering- I mean- transfer service ASSUMES everyone is a crook and deals with you accordingly.

You need to link to a checking account to be verified, but you do not need to use the checking account to pay.

I'm "verified", but I always switch from bank to credit card. And I just love that little splash screen that asks you to confirm that states you will be better protected by PayPal by using your bank account.

What a bunch of BS that is. It should be a Consumerist tirade in of itself.

My spelling is atrocious. appologies = apologies.

My appologies for being rude. I dislike what eBay has become and I dislike being yelled at, especially when what is being yelled at me is not completely accurate.

It was a perfect storm of a comment to me and I offer up my appologies for being so brusque in my retort.

I will take very seriously my posting of curt comments in the future.

I have been an eBay buyer and seller since early 1998, so I have an idea of what eBay used to be like.

My comment was meant to show disgust with eBay's new policies. The eBay of today barely resembles the eBay that so many knew and loved back in the day.

If the policy changes had led to improved security and a decrease in situations such as the person in the post finds himself in then I could understand the changes. However, eBay's changes have directly lead to more of these situations in which sellers are scammed.

My comment was terse for a reason. I do not appreciate being yelled at regarding my stupidity for not having "USE[D] CHECKS AND MONEY ORDERS" when in actuality it was the original commenter's ignorance of eBay policy that led to their outburst.

I agree with this, generally. But in this case, there may be a significant hurdle: geography.

If the buyer and seller are in different locations (think Los Angeles and New York, for example), the seller will have to file suit in the buyer's home state. It *might* be worth it in this case, because fraud kicks things up a notch when it comes to damages - in many jurisdictions, a claim of fraud will open the defendant up to treble or punitive damages.

Regardless, even if the seller is able to do everything by mail, he's going to have to appear in the buyer's home court at least once.

@speedwell, avatar of snark: But the problem there is that some buyers give bad feedback because the shipper screwed up etc...

@I_have_something_to_say: So how do you list that without ebay shutting you down?

And the time it would take to do so could hardly compare to loosing $500.

Food for thought. Thanks.

My advice: Buy on Ebay with a credit card ... but only sell for cash on craigslist.

I don't use EBay. I did inquire once about some clothing. After reading the description, I sent the seller a note, and asked if it was "new" or "irregular" (has some manufacturing flaw). They said in the email it was "irregular", but they couldn't see the flaw. imho, it seemed they were selling "irregular" as "new", charging accordingly, without disclosing it. I'd rather pay more and save time and hassle, and know what I'm getting.

Try craigslist next time. You can meet the person and get cash. I've done that many times and so far, so good.

@Corporate_guy: If paypal reverses the deposit after you withdrew the funds, wouldn't you then be overdrafted and owe your bank that amount plus overdraft fees?

This is exactly why I only use Craig's list. I deal locally and only in cash, no forged checks or money orders and not having to deal with fraud through paypal and the like.

Either that or it never happened. I find it VERY hard to believe that a company such as that would simply shrug off a police report like it was so many nigerian scammers.

@TrueBlue63: no option to do that in Paypal's online system. I have several calls in. Have not heard from anyone regarding this.

@Tamer Rashdan: I am not a power seller, but I have a rating of 200+ - the auction clearly stated no returns. Paypal gave him the refund without my authorization by debiting my checking account.

@MyPetFly: All of them? Wow.

I have had some luck with them and I even have some of the inspectors cards afterwards. They are often very underutilized and you never know.

@Ajh:

Apparently. The Richmond (VA) Police Department doesn't have a letterhead on their police report. Paypal emailed me to go back and get a police report with letterhead. The RPD could only give me their report as it was. The officer couldn't send a statement on letterhead. I had since moved from the city. I couldn't get a real person at Paypal...darnit, I'm getting all mad again writing about it!

How would having "package insured for closing price, so no refunds" or something similar change things? If you had delivery confirmation on the package, could they still get a refund despite having "all sales final" or "no refunds" listed in the auction?

But in the end, the scammers are going to make your life hell no matter what. Paypal and Ebay do nothing to help the honest guy. There's too many loopholes for an evil buyer or seller to slip through.

I've not done much with eBay because of all of the horror stories and how difficult they make it to find items from people who aren't reselling.

For $500 I'd just sue Paypal in small claims court. They'd probably cut you a check the second the papers arrived just so they wouldn't risk getting a judgement against them and not spend several times that amount flying one of their lawyers to your city to defend themselves. They instructed the buyer to send back the item without any proof of damage or an oppurtunity for UPS to inspect the item. I guess you could claim negligence or lack of due diligence.

It's so fucking jacked that you basically have to scam the bank (not really scamming, but c'mon, it's an insane work around) to get the money owed to you.

And on top of that, why hasn't the ebay id of the scammer been listed yet?

Postal inspectors are worthless, based on personal experience.

If the buyer pays by credit card, rips the insides from a computer and sends back the shell and then gets a chargeback(?), doesn't the same scenario occur?

@Eilonwynn: Yes, indeed. As a buyer, my part of the transaction is fulfilled and over with as soon as you have my payment. You owe me positive feedback if I kept up my end of the bargain and communicated adequately and respectfully with you. You have no right to withhold feedback based on whether I am satisfied or not, and you have no right to wait until I post feedback to see whether or not you get to retaliate for me saying honestly that you screwed me over.

In this case, perhaps the seller should simply have told PayPal that he never received the return...

I had a situation very similar to this, where the buyer filed for a refund and shipped back an box of crap. Here's how it went down:

Immediately after the money was deposited into my paypal account I withdrew it using their debit card. When the refund was processed in the buyer's favour, I wound up with a negative balance in my paypal account. I very carefully explained to paypal that no refund was due, as the buyer was a scam artist. They persisted in keeping my balance at a negative. I cancelled my account and have refused to make payment to paypal, and have not used their service since.

Doe snot sounds yummy! ; )

www.bonanzle.com. Sort of like eBay, but buy it now, and without all the crap.

@Corporate-Shill: The first big problem is, much like always, that you're assuming a lot that wasn't even touched on in the story.

Beyond that, you have a fair point, insofar as it might not be a bad idea to document what you're selling. Sucks that it would have to come to that, but this is where we are with EBayPal.

@h3llc4t: I sell electronics on there once in a while, and computer parts. I don't think anything has been over $75 in quite a while though. I just do it for extra money though, its the sellers that do it as their job that really degrade the customer service I think.

Have not used ebay in years as a seller.

@squablow: I don't get that he was saying that it's still an option, only that he was stating that it was important. I still don't see why EBay did away with it.

Or, if you know you're going to get taken, ship the bastards a P-p-p-powerbook! ([www.zug.com])

...who am I kidding?

@ShikhaCadimillac: Wow, you're almost as big an asshole as I am. Almost.

Yes, Amazon marketplace is the new best method for most of this stuff. It's even easier in that you just tie in your username to their description. They handle the payment details and take a flat percentage IF IT SELLS. There's none of that bullshit on ebay charging to list, to use a picture, to feature, etc. etc. - nickeling and diming if ever that was such. eBay is just plain out crap. I started there from day one and still have an account. I've even bought some things successfully there recently. But selling, I don't know. Just hope that your item is not too old to show up on Amazon and sign up for a seller account and see what sells. Sometimes I stick things up there as an afterthought and am caught surprised how quick it sells.

eBay gets lots of eyes, but so does Amazon. And while not perfect - it'd be great if their commission were a bit less - it's worked great the three times I've used it.

not necessarily. They could easily buy a few small, cheap items to build up a couple feedback before they start scamming for big items.

Besides, there isn't much you can do. You can only automatically block people from bidding if they have an overall feedback rating of -2 or lower. You could cancel bids for anyone with zero feedback, but that means losing legit buyers, and if the person snipes - bids in the last few seconds - you aren't going to be able to cancel their bids.

It would have been a good idea to also inventory all of his parts with serial numbers and also take pictures prior to shipping out the unit. Because technically, when you are sending out a computer, the description of "computer" is pretty much vague.

Would have been a good idea to actually list every single part in the computer (CPU, RAM, motherboard, hard drive, case, DVD drive, etc) all with model numbers and with serial numbers if possible.

It may sound a bit extreme, but all these extra steps just helps yourself in the event fraud happens.

Fortunately the rare CD was reissued a few years later so I eventually got what I was looking for but it really soured my opinion of eBay.

@Mr_Human: Original poster here - they pulled the money out of my checking account.

Amen to that. I only sell certain items on eBay. And plus, sometimes, and I must admit this is an extreme, but I would have my friend video tape me while I was packing up the item and follow me to send it. lol.

I think the best thing to do would have been to sell this unit locally using Craigslist.

I could be wrong, but this does have a ring of the fantastic to me at least.

@catskyfire: Problem is that ebay is so flooded with resellers or businesses getting cheap "buy it now" rates that a single person's auction typically doesn't get enough play to garner good money...

@I_have_something_to_say: How do you get around ebay's terms of service in requesting checks?

@ShikhaCadimillac: Everybody else here was very nice and pleasant in the way that they corrected mad3air. Except for you. Blunt, I know. But true.

I didn't know this fact until last week when I came across it on Ebay.

Just be nice. Bitterness isn't good for you.

Sell on Craigslist and insist on cash in person.

Paypal wanted my response, I even tried to communicate with the person, who did respond but it was clearly someone who didn't know how to use google or understand the whole concept of wireless. Anyway paypal "concluded" their investiagations and refunded the persons money. The other thing that got me was that there was no way for me the seller to communicate with paypal after my initial request for info to follow up.

Luckily for me, the buyer never shipped the item back and so paypal put the money back in my account, but this could have ended up being bad news for me.

As I said paypal is for the buyer, there are no protections for the seller.

The last time I tried to sell something on eBay, I almost was scammed. I sold two laptops to the same buyer, paypal payment came immediately, all looked fine. The next day, right before I dropped the package off at the post office, a dispute showed up on Paypal with next to no info. I couldn't tell whether it was a dispute with me, the buyer, or what. Because I'm not sure whats going on, I call Paypal, they don't really give me more info, but I ask whether I should ship, and they say that I could either wait it out or ship confirming exactly to the Seller Protection Policy. I decided to wait it out, I don't trust PayPal's policy... Anyway, it never quite actually said anything, but two weeks later, the payment reverses and the buyers account is no longer on eBay. It was probably a stolen account with a stolen credit card. That's where can really get you, when the scammer uses valid info and looks like a real buyer, but then a week or two later the victim discovers their account being used, PayPal refunds their money and the seller is the one left holding no money and no product.

Anyway, I sold the two laptops on Craigslist for slightly more money than on eBay once you factor in the multiple fees and shipping costs. Cash is king.

@WaywardSoul: By the way, let me add that even if you don't think calling the police will help you this time, it may help others in the future. The thief's local police department might not have enough proof to spur them to act on a first report but when the 2nd, 3rd, and so on come in they'll eventually start to take notice.

First big problem is the Seller has no proof of shipping a complete unit. Therefore the Buyer can rip the guts out and ship back the shell.

Next time photograph or videotape the product as being assembled and shipped. Too much work? Then don't sell via fleabay where scammers out number legit people 2:1.

There's no way to avoid this. This is the way Paypal is structured - they always, always side with the buyers.

@drdom: Agreed. Call the police department, yours may help, but his is more likely. If the police show up at his door your money may make it's way back into your account very quickly. I've read of multiple instances where this has happened.

@ocdetails: I don't think there is a way he could have avoided it other than not using Ebay at all or only selling to someone locally so he could meet in person for the sale.

Thing about paypal is that when you are paid for an item the funds are"onhold" until the buyer either leave positive feedback or they confirm delivery. I had to wait even longer since ebay wont let new users leave feed back for 5 days. It took 2 call to Paypal to get the funds in my account. Think the policies suck and I will think long and hard before using ebay and paypal again.

If you want to sell something and want to deal with the buyer in person, use Craigslist.

I had to do some searching on Google & speak to USPS to find out this course of action, but it worked pretty well. The person at the USPS counter was pissed, though, since this seems to be a fairly common way to defraud buyers.

In conclusion, always call up USPS first & never accept delivery until you're sure of what you're receiving/what you're paying.

I only do personal and business checks. I don't care about Ebays TOS. If they don't want my business then they are free to pull my listing.

I know about Craigslist, but find it limiting because I don't live in a large metropolis. As a seller, it also takes away the power of an auction to get a higher price.

So...if "Ebay sucks" - What's the choice?

I feel bad for sellers that are forced to use Paypal.

In this instance, if you have the address of the buyer, I'd be calling the local authorities and swearing out a warrant for petty theft and fraud. Imagine the look on his/her face when the PD shows up on his doorsteps with a pair of handcuffs.

I'm also curious how FeeBay/FeePal get around not being an accomplice to the fraud? "It is our policy" isn't an excuse for them not requiring physical evidence of damage in order to process the charge back. When I used to work in retail, the credit card companies always came back to us for evidence of sale (signed receipts, etc) before authorizing any charge backs.

Personally, I have been actively avoiding selling on eBay ever since they implemented their new fees and payment policies. I sell things on other classified sites and/or forums and only resort to eBay after I have been unsuccessful at selling the item elsewhere for a couple of months.

I'm gonna go with "stop selling on ebay".

If I'm to sell something, it's on Craigslist and it's COD. I don't do that often though.

My boss at work(Construction company) has showed me outstanding accounts the total just shy of a millions dollars over the course of ten years, it is unfortunately a ritual for scumbags to try and take advantage of the honest.

I had a buyer write me a bad check, I called the local sheriff for the zip code on the check, turned out it was a small town where everyone knew everyone. The sheriff knocked on the buyer's door and paid the buyer a "visit" with a copy of the bad check in hand. He collected a money order for me 7 days later. I was lucky.

Buyers ripping off sellers is the norm on Ebay now since the rules have changed. Buyers know how to scam and steal product thru Paypal's pitiful rules.

Avoid Ebay & Paypal.

The eBay/PayPal combo is inherently evil. There are so many vastly wrong things amiss with that company that I can't even bring myself to begin. NO recourse for sellers against bad buyers and the requirement to use their own payment service barely scratch the surface.

The core problem is that eBay/PayPal is a functional monopoly, and as a seller you have no choice. As a buyer, you have little to no responsibility at all...so it's a buyer's paradise.

What I would give to have the eBay/PayPal monopoly destroyed would boggle your mind. They have caused me great pain, but on occassion I still reluctantly have to use them because there is no valid alternative. And you can't complain against them, because then they'll just ban you for life.

I called PayPal and they said that even though he left positive feedback indicating he go the shoes, there wasn't delivery confirmation so he could claim them as not received.

Thanks PayPal!!!

The scum has really taken over the pool. I don't sell anything on ebay anymore, only buy, and much less than I used to. Similar stories with friends.

Our conversations usually circle back to how it isn't entirely eBay's fault. They've certainly played a big part with fees and policy, but ever since the 'net went public it's gradually descended into a breeding ground for what we call underwear-bandits, and eBay is just one of the more visible areas. Sort of a 1970s Madison Square Garden.

I'd love something like a pre-2000 eBay again, but it won't happen without verifiable internet ID, and that brings a different kind of baggage.

Here's a thought that just came to me... What if the seller were to refuse the shipment of the computer when it came back to him. He paid insurance on it and the buyer was trying to circumvent inspection. I think the seller would have been within his rights to refuse delivery of the computer and demand that Paypal require the buyer to submit to a UPS inspection of the computer before sending anything back. The fraud here is the buyer runs roughshod over the seller and doesn't give any time to think of options before sending the item back.

@Oranges w/ Cheese: He didn't buy a broken computer... He sold the computer to the scammer who then broke it and sent it back. He asked for pictures of the damage and the scammer wouldn't send any. I think he did almost everything he could have done here.

I feel bad that there aren't very many suggestions on how he could have avoided this scam. It is a problem that ebay has had for a very long time though. This is why I only buy little things that a scammer has very little reason to rip anybody off for. I've had several hundred transactions with paypal and ebay and fortunately have only been screwed two or three times. It is a system that generally works, but I would never deal in items costing more than $200 or anything like a camera or computer that is easily rendered worthless without showing it. It really is a buyer beware sort of world out there...

@ShikhaCadimillac: Next time, you might want to a) come across as less of an eBay/PayPal shill in your comment and b) take your own advice about sounding less holier-than-thou. Did it ever occur to you that there are people who would actually PREFER using checks/money orders for their eBay transactions? Sure, it takes a bit longer to get funds to a seller, but some folks don't feel comfortable sending money over the internet, where security is less than stellar at points.

A lot of people think a big part of the reason behind the PayPal requirement is the fact that PayPal is owned by eBay (at least partially), and eBay gets a cut of the transfer fees PayPal charges. So of course they're going to make it a requirement in their auctions, it's their little cas cow.

Seriously, eBay is so far from their roots anymore that it's barely even enjoyable to look for items. I've looked for hard-to-find DVDs that would have been fun to bid against other people for, only to find the sellers start them insanely high ($50-$100+) and expect people to bid or buy from there. Considering these aren't necessarily rare DVDs, so why the extreme markup?

The old car community relies on eBay pretty heavily, a lot of my builds would be impossible without the sellers on eBay providing parts that aren't availible anywhere else. Craigslist is useless for parting out an old car in this method.

I've had very good luck buying and selling so far, but this kind of stuff keeps on happening, especially with electronics. eBay's new policies make this type of scam easier than ever, and the seller here can't even leave negative feedback for the scamming buyer.

eBay needs to see the light and kick their idiot CEO John Donahoe to the curb or they're going to wither away and die. I know as soon as there is a viable alternative to sell the items I sell, I'll be gone.

Obviously, if they took postage insurance and what not, it isn't the sellers fault, is it?

Wow, Thats a great idea.... JK! God that sucks. Good Luck

@mad3air: Yes ... and then when you have a problem with the product or it doesn't get shipped to you, you have no recourse.

You have to use Paypal for most transactions on Ebay now. I'm pretty sure it's required for computers.

The problem with Paypal is that there are issues on both ends of the coin. I've gotten screwed by USPS saying the item came to my house and I never got it. I should have said the item came broken apparently :P

As a seller I have had a few people try to scam me I refuse to ship to non Confirmed addresses. I have yet to be scammed and it work as a seller but who knows how long that will last :P.

The problem is, this is how real businesses work. At my real job we get bad checks and people who never pay their accounts. See the real problem with paypal is people are scumbags. Scams happen all the time at all retailers almost everyday.

I still think Paypal is much more secure than money orders, and in fact most scammers try to use checks/money orders all the time.

@youbastid: You can't leave a buyer negative feedback anymore. You can leave positive or nothing at all. eBay apparently wants to make it really easy for scams like this to happen.

@lawnmowerdeth: I still get buyers who contact me after the auction ends to send me a check, and I always accept, but eBay won't let me put in my auctions that I'll accept a check or money order. If I do they pull my auctions.

Ebay is run by an idiot, and as soon as there is a viable alternative, I will leave it forever.

It seems now that if a seller has less than a certain amount of ratings, Paypal holds the money until the buyer leaves a positive feedback.

The seller promptly replied to the buyer's notification of "destroyed in shipping" - and requested proof via pictures and the ability to intiate a UPS claim.

Since the buyer did not comply with these reasonable requests, when the computer arrived, I would have refused delivery.

YOU - as seller, did not authorize a return, and by Paypal providing instructions (send it back) that prevented you from filing a UPS claim, Paypal bears responsibility.

Is your Paypal linked to a checking account or credit card? If credit card, try disputing. I would also consider contacting your State Attorney General.

Does the ICC Interstate Commerce Commission also get involved in these disputes if the sale was across state lines?

not anymore. eBay has changed the feedback policy so sellers can only leave positive feedbacks - they can no longer give negatives or neutrals. Yet another change that eBay has made to screw over the small-time sellers who made the site cool in the first place.

@mad3air:
E-bay no longer allows checks/money orders. Although I guess they don't police it very well because I still see sellers saying they will take them.

unfortunately, eBay has modified its acceptable payment policy in the last few months so that you can't accept checks or money orders anymore (except in a few catagories - mostly cars, industrial equipment, and pr0n). You have to take either paypal, have a merchant processing account, or use a few other electronic services that nobody uses, like moneybookers.

eBay acceptable payments policy is here.

Scammers: this is why we can't have nice things.

I have over 1000 feedbacks and a lot from the past few years. Where are you people being scammed shopping from?

Depending on which state you or he are in, this is theft by fraud. Although it's unlikely that any federal agency will get involved, it is also a federal offense to use a common carrier (UPS) to facilitate a theft.

Next time, ship by US Mail. If the item was transported via US Mail, that's mail fraud.The Postal Inspection service has been helpful in the past in some cases like this, depending on where it happened, how busy they are, and whether there are multiple instances of similar fraudulent activity.

This happened to me selling a camera to a buyer in Canada. He claimed it was scratched and demanded a refund, and sent the package back, minus the camera. When the package arrived, I noticed it was too light, so I called the police to witness me opening the package. Sure enough, it was empty and I filed a police report for mail fraud. Paypal didn't like the police report (didn't have the correct letterhead???) and denied my claim. I just sucked it up and now refuse to use Paypal or Ebay. You would think selling to a buyer with a low feedback wouldn't be a problem, but I learned otherwise.

@rdm: The problem is that nothing right now solves the problem. Most practices favor one side or the other.

Is there a usable transaction escrow service? There job would be to ensure that items are shipped as described? (Obviously this is a big umbrella, but just a thought)

only one of my purchases has been since 2005.

there are too many scammers. the site isn't worth it anymore.

This is the reason why I'm afraid to use Ebay.