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Selling High Priced Items without being Scammed
 

Need some advice. I have been scammed twice this month on 2 of my high priced items and I'm pretty pissed. I sold 2 items for over $350 each, buyers received then opened a case claiming they didn't like the item and wanted a return. I shipped out the return label. They didn't use my label, but instead put a tracking number that showed delivered somewhere and ebay closed the case in their favor because it showed delivered. They even had the nerve to email me and tell me the item was at my post office for pickup.

This happened twice a week before Christmas. I'm thinking I should have waited until after Christmas as the desperate jerks come out around Christmas trying to scam. Never happened before.

How can I stop this from happening?

Re: Selling High Priced Items without being Scammed
 

When a return is requested, are you uploading the return tracking number to the eBay case right after you email the customer the return label? To the best of my knowledge customers aren't able to upload their own return tracking to the case if the seller already uploaded the return tracking number when they sent the label. The buyer can still use a different label but there wouldn't be a record of it in the eBay return request.

Re: Selling High Priced Items without being Scammed
 

They obviously know how to scam you using the system and there’s literally no way of fighting a case like that. If a buyer/Seller has a tracking number as ‘evidence’ then eBay will decide in their favour regardless.

The only way to stop it from happening is by setting your listing to ‘BIN + Best Offer and vetting every buyer that makes an offer on your items and checking. Apart from that there’s no way of stopping this type of sophisticated scam because you won’t know until you’ve shipped it out.


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Re: Selling High Priced Items without being Scammed
 

^^While it's impossible to stop it altogether there are several steps you can take to reduce your risks. If you do get scammed eBay is very good in my experience about covering the loss and banning the buyer, providing you can give thorough evidence of the scam.

Re: Selling High Priced Items without being Scammed
 

I've never seen them ban a buyer, have you had success banning scammers? I've provided ample proof in the past and have never seen a buyer lose their account.

Re: Selling High Priced Items without being Scammed
 

They DO ban buyers, but it's rare enough to be big news when it happens.

There have been cases of buyers with many hundreds of claims and scammy behavior who don't get banned. EB has openly said "some buyers are just very discerning and particular, you need to work harder to make them happy if you want to sell here".

AZ isn't much better, a few years ago it came out it takes several hundred offenses for a buyer to be banned there.

Re: Selling High Priced Items without being Scammed
 

With the account I'm lucky enough to be in Concierge on I've had a handful of buyer accounts investigated and later closed. I ask the rep to go into the buyer's "feedback left for others" page so they can see the pattern I see (of nothing but negatives or revised negatives). Then I explain that the buyer is currently trying to extort me in exchange for a feedback revision. This has worked for me at least 3 times in the past year. The buyer's negative feedback is removed within minutes and their account is forwarded to another department, then their account usually disappears within a couple of days.

You said you're in Concierge didn't you, aking?

Re: Selling High Priced Items without being Scammed
 

I had a similar case as OP, and I won.

I too sold a high-cost item and the buyer 3 weeks later started a return request, saying that it's not working. But it wasn't just your simple return request. The buyer has provided the tracking number showing delivered. The buyer has actually returned my item back to the shipping address without my knowledge or approval, and was seeking a refund. I called up EB many times explaining that the buyer shipped the item by himself without telling anyone and it went to my old address, over which I have no control or access. It took several calls, but eventually EB to side with me, costing me 0$. They however did refund the buyer by themselves but at their own cost (not mine). No defect was ever recorded.

I am glad it worked out but it's was still a waste of my time and nerves lol

Re: Selling High Priced Items without being Scammed
 

That seems unlikely... how would the buyer have gotten your 'old' address, and if he took it off the shipping label or your account, it was your fault not theirs, so why would they have refunded YOU?

Re: Selling High Priced Items without being Scammed
 

When the buyer bought from me, I shipped from the address where I was at the time. I had returned back home soon after but the buyer didn't know that, obviously, so he decided to just ship it back to the address he saw on the shipping label.

What really amazed me in this case is that the buyer sent the item back without telling anyone or getting my approval for a return address. Thankfully, EB did a good job in this matter by refunding the buyer on their own and releasing me from this dispute.

Re: Selling High Priced Items without being Scammed
 

Seems like a simple call to ebay will fix this mess. If the tracking does not show delivered to you then the case will be reversed but you will have to call in.

Re: Selling High Priced Items without being Scammed
 

You have to call eBay.

It should be EASILY verifiable that the tracking # is a ⊗⊗⊗⊗. Keep in mind that the overseas Filipino reps aren't the sharpest tools in the shed, and believe it or not, over half the "eBay Moneyback Guarantee" team is made up of them.

In order for the tracking to be valid it would need:

1. to be delivered within the timeframe of the return request, the acceptance date (first scan) and delivery date (last scan) needs to be between the delivery and the return request.

2. It needs to be in the same destination zip code as your return address.

3. I would argue that if it came from a completely different origin zip code, how the hell did the buyer ship it? i.e. buyers address is in NYC and it shipped fro Tennessee.

Long story short this should be easily beatable.

Re: Selling High Priced Items without being Scammed
 

IMHO, electronics (esp. used) is one of the worst fields to get into.

Although rare, the item can be damaged while in buyer's possession and he/she could easily return it back to you damaged for full refund; and it would be very difficult for you to prove your case.

Re: Selling High Priced Items without being Scammed
 

I would just never ever sell high price items on eBay. 750$ is my limit. To sell anything more than that I would be very weary. eBay can always turn around reimburse you if its goes south. Anything above the 750$ mark is considered to be high value which is pain of ass to deal with.

Re: Selling High Priced Items without being Scammed
 

When the buyer bought from me, I shipped from the address where I was at the time. I had returned back home soon after but the buyer didn't know that, obviously, so he decided to just ship it back to the address he saw on the shipping label.

I'm glad this worked out for you, but, with all respect, the fact this WAS a legitimate address at the time of purchase and had ( apparently ) no forwarding order, really was YOUR fault.

EB treated you very well, especially given the circumstances.

Re: Selling High Priced Items without being Scammed
 

Man this sucks. Hope it doesnt happen again dude

Re: Selling High Priced Items without being Scammed
 

1.Some things are not adding up here. You really should be able to verify that the item was delivered to a different address to which eBay will side with you, its very obvious if the addresses don't match up.
2. I am an avid seller of high priced risky electronics on eBay with over 150k in sales in 4 different accounts. In the months of Nov'17-Jan'18 I have sold over 50k in Electronics some of which are valued at approximately 2k(Alieware Laptops). I have never been conned and everything runs very smoothly. Continue to operate as you do and just make sure you present yourself as a company when selling. Maybe I can help you prevent, feel free to PM me.