I'm 15 years old and I need help with PayPal and eBay debt

[15yearold]

Hi there, I am only 15 years of age and last year I decided to sell a Kindle fire online (ebay). Everything went fine until I recieved a letter in the post saying I had owed the amount of £165 for the Kindle as the buyer had not recieved it. The parcel was sent through Parcel2Go and I had provided the proof of purchase however ebay is still insistant that I pay. However I am not willing to issue a refund as the parcel was delivered sucsessfully. What should I do? My mother and I are worried about bailiffs coming to our house.

 

Part 2

 

I had also sold some electronic services via PayPal however the buyer charged back leaving me with a balance of -£70 and now I have no money and even more debt collectors calling.

 

What is going to happen to my mothers credit rating and will bailiffs come to my house?

 

Thanks

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

There is little you can do, and less that we can say apart from you MUST tell your mother immediately what you have done!

[citizenB]

No Bailiffs will NOT come to your house.

 

Mum's credit rating will not be trashed either !!

 

If you are going to sell anything of that kind of value, then you really need to use either Recorded or Special Delivery so that it has to be signed for at the other end. If you just obtained Proof of Postage, you wont even be able to claim from the courier, I dont think ?

 

I will try and find someone who will be able to give you more advice regarding PP and ebay.

[15yearold]

Thank you citizenB and BRIGADIER2JCS. I am really worried. I also have a GCSE exam on wednesday which isn't going to go well now.

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Thank you citizenB and BRIGADIER2JCS. I am really worried. I also have a GCSE exam on wednesday which isn't going to go well now.

 

As you are under 18, you are not old enough to have any creit type accounts, you need to get this out in the open as soon as possible, it will at least ease some of the pressure before your exam, I'm sure your mother will apprteciate you being honest and telling her.

[15yearold]

As you are under 18, you are not old enough to have any creit type accounts, you need to get this out in the open as soon as possible, it will at least ease some of the pressure before your exam, I'm sure your mother will apprteciate you being honest and telling her.

 

Thanks. Do you have any advice to try and convince ebay to stop the debt collecters? If possible

[LaughingGirl]

Have you spoken to parcels to go to see if they have proof of delivery?

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Thanks. Do you have any advice to try and convince ebay to stop the debt collecters? If possible

That will Have to be tackled by an adult at this stage, you do not have the authority to negotiate on this.

Debt collectors are a long way off and will stay that way if you come clean and let your mother or other adult relaive help you.

[cerberusalert]

Contact your local Trading Standards office & explain the situation. As already said because you are under 18 you cannot be held libel & TS will let fleabay know that in no uncertain terms.

[FitForPurpose]

Hello,

 

Don't panic - there won't be bailiffs! Concentrate on your exam as that is in a few days and this will probably rumble on for ages and I suspect nothing will come of it.

 

1) You said you had proof of purchase from Parcel2Go and that you believe the parcel was delivered successfully Presumably it was Parcel2Go that told you the parcel was delivered successfully? In which case either they have screwed up or your buyer is trying to pull a fast one. Perhaps the next step is to write to Parcel2Go and tell them that the recipient disputes that the delivery was made. They might write back with further evidence about the delivery. If they do, send it to ebay stating that you are showing proof that the transaction was successful, but also perhaps send it to your buyer with a note saying you are minded to contact the Police as evidently they received the goods. Sometimes attack is the best form of defense!

 

2) Were you given a reason for the charge back?

 

3) Tell your mum. From what you have said here you haven't done anything wrong - unless she doesn't know you are using her PP account!

 

FFP

[15yearold]

I will contact Parcel2Go tommorow.

The chargebacks stated it was unauthorised even though I had communication with the buyer.

I have told her now

 

Thanks

[FitForPurpose]

Clearly you still have your fingers so I guess your mum wasn't too mad!

 

Find out more about the unauthorised charge. It could be because your buyer was using a fraudulent credit card. It could be that there is something they now dispute about what they bought from you. Or it could be that they simply didn't recognise the charge on their card and its an honest mistake they can rectify. Contact them (nicely) and see what they have to say for themselves. Assume it is an honest mistake until you know otherwise.

 

Don't worry about the ebay thing. It sounds like you have all the proof you need to show you can't owe anything.

 

Best of luck with the Exam

 

FFP

[unclebulgaria67]

This thread sums up why I don't use Ebay/Paypal. I have heard of so many non deliveries and being liable for amounts. Not a risk that someone under 18 should take.

 

Once your Mum tells them you are under 18 and confirms the delivery proof etc, I am sure that they will go away.

[15yearold]

Thank you everyone for all the comments. You have all out my mind at ease now. I will be calling trading standards tomorrow. This forum has such friendly members!

[Jessica87]

I am by no means an expert on this, so you may wish to wait for further advice from others here but the PayPal Buyer Protection Policy, which is presumably what they were following when they charged back for your "electronic services" doesn't actually cover services (Section 13.3 PayPal User Agreement).

 

Someone tried this when I sold them a webpage template I had designed and then decided they weren't going to use it (because they found another, not because of problems with it) when I wouldn't refund them. PayPal refunded them and caused a negative balance on my account but I was able to get them to reverse this by pointing out that buyer protection doesn't cover services.

[15yearold]

I am by no means an expert on this, so you may wish to wait for further advice from others here but the PayPal Buyer Protection Policy, which is presumably what they were following when they charged back for your "electronic services" doesn't actually cover services (Section 13.3 PayPal User Agreement).

 

Someone tried this when I sold them a webpage template I had designed and then decided they weren't going to use it (because they found another, not because of problems with it) when I wouldn't refund them. PayPal refunded them and caused a negative balance on my account but I was able to get them to reverse this by pointing out that buyer protection doesn't cover services.

 

 

Sorry to hear that mate. Thanks for the information.

[15yearold]

Does anyone have an idea what I should say to trading standards?

[Bombaymix]

I'm scratching my head here as to how eBay and paypal allow a 15 year old to have accounts... I thought there were age restrictions with both?

[cerberusalert]

Have ebay made any threats of court action etc or are you being chased by a debt collector yet? If so tell Trading Standards that & emphasise your age.

 

If it's just a standard letter you've received asking for payment ignore them for now.

 

Don't worry there is absolutely nothing ebay can do.

[debt4get]

from what i can gather in the uk no one under the age of 16 can sign a legal binding financial contract and be liable, further to this after a phone call find that you can sign a legal binding contract in the uk at the age of 7, but from 7 to 17 you MUST have your parents permission for this to be binding....crazy...7!!!!

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Madness!!

[unclebulgaria67]

They can have a simple contract, but not if it involves any credit. Creating the debt due to this disputed delivery put this young man in a position of having credit provided.

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

I don't think there is any ''credit'' involved in a dispute such as a non delivery on which was technically a cash sale.

[unclebulgaria67]

I don't think there is any ''credit'' involved in a dispute such as a non delivery on which was technically a cash sale.

 

I will try to explain my rationale. The contract was between A and B, with C purely acting as a middleman, offering B their money back if goods bought were not received. B did not receive the goods, so C gives them a sum of money. C then creates a sum of credit for this amount, which they ask A to pay. Therefore the relationship between A and C is a credit relationship.

 

Anyway it is not the point. This 15 year old did not have consent from parents to enter into this contract.

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Sorry no there is no credit facility that would be recognised here.