Purchased a stolen phone on eBay- PayPal refusing to help as outside of their dispute timeframe

[Dolly8989]

Hi, I'm hoping someone might be able to help me...

 

In August 2015 I purchased a Samsung Galaxy S6 on eBay from what seemed to be a trustworthy "phone company" with very good reviews. I received the phone exactly as described, brand new and sealed and factory unlocked. I have been on a Sim-only contract with Vodafone for a long time and I immediately began using the Sim in the new phone with no problems at all for the next 6 months or so.

 

However, in February 2016 the phone suddenly lost all network coverage and after a few confusing phone calls with Vodafone (which also involved me sending the phone to Samsung to be tested) I finally discovered it had been blacklisted due to having been reported as stolen. Vodafone recommended that I try to get a refund from the seller on eBay or approach PayPal to open a dispute.

 

I soon discovered that the seller had disappeared from eBay (hardly surprising if he knew what he was doing...!) and after explaining the problem to eBay they told me that PayPal should be able to help.

However, I have been back and forth with PayPal over the issue and they are point blank refusing to help me due to the fact that the transaction was back in August and it was outside of their specified time cap on opening a case. I understand that this is their policy but I feel that in a situation like this there should be some sort of loophole as how was I to know that I was buying a stolen phone, especially as it was working fine until it was blacklisted!!

 

I have spoken to CACs and trading standards regarding the matter but they simply insisted I keep on at PayPal and that without the seller's home address there's not much that can be done?!

I am out of pocket of £380 and the phone is completely useless to me, and at the same time the seller of this phone (and I would guess countless other phones) is getting away with making money from stolen goods.

 

Thank you for any suggestions!

Edited March 25, 2016 by honeybee13
Paras.

[honeybee13]

Hello and welcome to CAG.

 

I've moved your thread to the onlinestores forum and left you a link to follow. Hopefully the guys will be along with advice for you later.

 

My best, HB

[stu007]

Hi Dolly

 

Have you actually reported these findings to the Police and do you have a Crime Reference Number at all?

[citizenB]

I think what PayPal and Ebay should be considering is that their companies have been used by a crook ? Ebay allowing the selling and PayPal for facilitating the payment to !

[Dolly8989]

Thanks for your messages and apologies for the delay....

I haven't reported the phone as of yet, this is definitely my next step but just worried that once I hand the phone in I will lose any chance of getting my money back (although this seems more and more unlikely anyway now!) I was told by the consumer helpline I phoned that I should be able to get somewhere with PayPal but they are just not budging!

[liverpoolluke]

did you fund the payment to paypal via credit card?

 

it's not a guarantee but if you did and they were registered correctly as a business with paypal you can section 75 the transition, if you funded the purchase by DD then claim the DD back but be warned paypal will close your account and threaten you to get the money back

[Dolly8989]

Hi Liverpoolluke,

Thanks for your message. Unfortnately I don't have a credit card registered with my PayPal account, only a debit card... however after this experience I will definitely consider using a credit card when paying for items of this value in future, as I now realise it would have been much easier to claim my money back!

[Bazooka Boo]

It's even easier to do a chargeback on your debit card, have a read of the visa debit chargeback.

[ukguy2k]

I bet the seller still got a new phone