Ebay pulling a con?

[merlin100]

Hi all, Ive bought and sold things through Ebay for quite some time now with very little hassle, until this......

 

Last week I sold an item for £109. The buyer paid and I sent the goods off. Both parties happy due to feedback being posted - now the con.....

 

Upon trying to get the money from Paypal, they say they attempted to put the money into my account but it was returned ( this is after it "disappeared" for a week). They now say its because my bank account details need updating (same account number, sort code etc for several years).

Being a highly distrustive person I looked into this further and found that Paypaldont actually want an update on my records - they just want it to look like this.

What they are actually up to is for me (and Im sure many others) to place my details on a Direct Debit mandate so they can take any fees and costs instantly at a later date.

This will give them their money irrespective of any dispute or holding arguements at a later date - and we all know how impossible it already is to get money back from them once some kind of dispute is in place.

Anyway, Iv ecancelled my account and thought I would share this crafty experience!

[freakyleaky]

They are a law unto themselves. Unfortunately it seems we have to either like it or lump it.

[ErikaPNP]

I sold something on eBay once, and never again. I will buy though!

 

I sold a buggy. It wasn't used, and was in a sealed box. First the buyer contacted me, claiming to not have received it. When I pointed out that it was sent by registered post and had been signed for, I begun to receive abusive emails whereby she threatened to get her husband to "sort it out"

 

She got my address and phone number from either ebay or paypal, and left messages on my phone to the effect of reading out my address and her husband was a long distance lorry driver and she's see to it that he popped by on his deliveries.

 

I ignored it. I was then contacted by paypal, who said the buyer had lodged a "not as described" stating that the buggy had food spillage and stank. I advised paypal that the buggy had been in a sealed box and had never been opened when it was sent. I forwarded them the abusive emails, including the one where she had claimed initially to not have received it, and advised them of the phone messages.

 

Paypal, with no evidence of her claims but plenty evidence of mine, found in HER favour. Their decision was to give her 10 days to post the buggy to me by traceable means and they would hold MY money till she issued them proof of postage and then refund her.

 

She never did post it so I got my money back. Obviously was out to keep the buggy without having to pay. *itch.

[freakyleaky]

I have bought and sold loads of stuff on ebay and only ever had a handful of problems.

But when it comes to seller protection it is almost zero. In the event of a dispute of any kind it seems that the seller is presumed in the wrong immediately.

I never sell any high value items on ebay any more as I know there is a high possibility of paypal snatching my money back from me.

[merlin100]

Thanks for the replies guys, pretty much as I thought. Its time to be highly distrustive of Ebay and Paypal.

[andydd]

Thanks for the replies guys, pretty much as I thought. Its time to be highly distrustive of Ebay and Paypal.

 

My suggestion is that if you do need to enter bank or card details within Ebay or PP, then always remove them straight after the transaction, this will stop Ebay or PP being sneaky and grabbing your money unwarranted, it also ensures that a simple hack into your PP account ensures that no-one can steal anything (PP accounts are a lot less secure than most banking sites !)

 

Andy

[buzby]

So youre complaint is eith PayPal and not eBay...?

 

You must have asked them to pay uoi - as otherwise it would sit as a credit balance on your PayPal account. Now, if you then requested the funds transferred then provided them with the details, if you made an error in the account and sort number, the funds you be returned to PayPal and they would seek clarification. They also charge you for this error - so you need to be carefyl where the error lay.

 

If the money was actually credited and NOT returned, because of an incorrect account routing, would you be of the opinion this was PayPal's fault too?

[freakyleaky]

I thought you had to have any bank account verified with paypal before you could add it to your account?

[merlin100]

Thats right Freakyleaky, you do.

Yes, I requested the money. It then "vanished" for a week - Paypal didnt have it, nor did my bank.

The account details they held were the same ones they have held for several years - so no cock-up on my part there.

Then the money finally turned up again in my Paypal account. I requested it again and got an email saying they couldnt release it as they needed an update on my bank account details.

Its only when I looked further that I realised it was a DD mandate.

 

Not a chance!!

 

We have now spent the money on Ebay and closed the account - its getting to distrustive for me. I dont have any confidence in either one of them..

Edited August 9, 2009 by freakyleaky
Correcting my name

[iddles10]

PayPal are governed by whom, then?

 

Some items I sent went 'missing', but the buyer was too threatening and keen to get an instant refund to convincing. I asked PayPal for time to see if the item would show up, but they instantly refunded the buyer. Those items could well still show up. They also didn't give two hoots for me to make any further enquiries of the post office, they wouldn't wait.

 

Also, I sent money from my PayPal account to my bank account, and then used some 'echeques' through PayPal (via my bank account) to pay for some items. When I asked PayPal specifically if they would honour those payments, on time, they specifically said yes, then they didn't (obviously!). I got charged by my bank as PayPal tried to pay the echeques, whilst still holding my money in their account. PayPal refused to pay the bank charges.

 

They really are a joke and offer no real protection if you're a seller. All your protection comes from your own insistance on recorded delivery and insurance. They need tighter regulation.

 

And what is their relationship with eBay anyway?

[sarajulldin]

what i did, is provide the details and then paypal set the direct debit up, i then rang my bank and said paypal has no direct debit and anything on file should be cancelled so there cancelled the direct debit on there side, so untill paypal requests money from my account there dont know the direct debit is cancelled.

 

if you ever in a dispute which has ended your account in minus as a refund has been issued and you dont agree, ring your bank up and basically say paypal have no authority to take anything from you account, the bank will make sure nothing is takn, and paypal will have to listen to you then

[buzby]

Items that go 'missing' is an issue for eBay AND PayPal (if you used their service). Since it is well known you have to insure the item in transit at your expense, if it doesn't arrive (or does arrive and isn't signed for, allowing a fraudulent claim) what does it matter? Since the buer asserts non-delivery, and the carrier cannot provide the evidence of delivery, your claim is for compensation for the loss of the sale.

 

Hopefully these eCheques are dumped - they take an inordinate amount of time to clear and are no better than a 'gift certificate', but they're not a formal Bill of Exchange (that a cheque is) so there's little to compare.

 

I'm a seller, I trade warily and only got stung twice - the first was my stupidity (but I learned quickly), on the second - I sent an item tracked, it was signed for but the buyer denied recieving it. Paypal accepted the image of the signature, then said it was NOT the name of the buyer. (Which it wasn't). They refunded him and I was stuffed.

 

Two weeks later he contacts me to say the item HAD been delivered to his neighbour, who signed for it then went on holiday for 2 weeks. He thanked me and repaid the amount. He could just as easily have kept the goods and the money.

[merlin100]

Some good experiences here.

I wonder if Paypal/Ebay are beginning to see the losses to their businessess as people become more aware of their underhand and unfair dealings and move away from them.

This leads on to the curremt practise that I have no confidence in - their ability to collect their fees irrespective of any outcome between buyer and seller, and any impending decision they may make ( which, as we know, almost always favours the buyer).

Ive done with Ebay/Paypal, based on the obvious fact that their dealings cannot be considered to be fair practise, coupled with the almost impossible task of reitrieving any money from them.