How can I verify ownership of donated items?

[Bib]

I need help!

I was selling textbooks on half.com (a subsidiary of ebay) and had my account suspended with no explanation.

At the time of my suspension, I had sold over 100 books (which I promptly shipped out) and made close to $4000 in sales that Half.com has yet to release to me (they're supposed to deposit the money in your bank account every 15 days)

After sending letters to half.com and getting no response, I finally wrote to ebay who told me that I needed to verify my identity by sending them a copy of my driver's license, a utility bill that verifies my address and proof of ownership for the books.

I have no problem sending them a copy of my driver's license and utility bill. What I am struggling with, however, is how to demonstrate proof that I owned the textbooks. All of the books were donated to me via a book drive. I decided to help out the organization by collecting textbooks from faculty and students for a student scholarship fund. So how can one verify ownership of donated items?

I can't take pictures of myself next to all 100+ books because all of them have already been shipped out to the paying customers.

I'm also hesitant to tell ebay/half.com that the books were donated for fear that they might say that's not good enough and not only keep the account suspended, but hold onto the $4000 as well.

So I don't know how to proceed. If it was just a matter of my account being suspended, I would just shrug my shoulders and walk away. But half/ebay is holding onto over $4000 that rightfully belongs to our organization.

Any assistance you can provide would be appreciated. I'm at a loss here.

[rsot]

Welcome to the forums. Sadly, eBay is rough like this and, no offense to you, you sold a lot too fast.

eBay regularly suspends accounts with no explanations. Proof of ownerships of the books can be met by submitting a letter on organizational letterhead. Try that then call them up.

Sadly, there is nothing 100% that works - you might be stuck with the $4000 in hold for 180 days...i am assuming you used paypal?

[Bib]

Yes, I realize that now. We foolishly stockpiled books over the summer and posted the books just before fall term because we knew that's when students would be most likely to purchase books. Had we known that ebay/half were in the habit of suspending accounts, then we would have proceeded more cautiously.

The issue is that half.com (a subsidiary of ebay) doesn't use paypal -- funds are direct-deposited into your bank account twice a month (on the 10th and 25th, I believe).

Once my account was suspended, half.com put a hold on deposits and are now keeping the money. There is no indication that they will release it to me.

My fear is that if I'm not able to verify the books to their satisfaction, that they'll somehow use it as an excuse to keep the money.

To make matters more infuriating, mail to half.com goes virtually ignored. The only response I got on this issue came from ebay (when my half.com account was suspended, my ebay account was as well) and they were the ones who provided me with all the info I needed to "verify" my account and ownership of the books.

So how would the forum suggest I proceed?

[rsot]

You need that letterhead letter and then you call to push your issue. They can't (legally) hold your funds but I suspect they would operate like paypal and keep your funds for 180 days. Try this option - if you wait a little, other folx here will chime in later tonight for sure.

All the best.

[mrs-struthers]

Ok, I have the same problem I can supply my identity papers, but cannot supply invoices from items sold, as they were my own personal items and have been shipped off, how do I get around this?, I have an invoice from dhgate.com but not sure if its wise to send that as I fgot fone for VERO in the first place, my account is limted, I cannot sell or buy but am not NARU,please help and suggest something xxx

[holymoly]

Originally Posted by Bib

I need help!

I was selling textbooks on half.com (a subsidiary of ebay) and had my account suspended with no explanation.

At the time of my suspension, I had sold over 100 books (which I promptly shipped out) and made close to $4000 in sales that Half.com has yet to release to me (they're supposed to deposit the money in your bank account every 15 days)

After sending letters to half.com and getting no response, I finally wrote to ebay who told me that I needed to verify my identity by sending them a copy of my driver's license, a utility bill that verifies my address and proof of ownership for the books.

I have no problem sending them a copy of my driver's license and utility bill. What I am struggling with, however, is how to demonstrate proof that I owned the textbooks. All of the books were donated to me via a book drive. I decided to help out the organization by collecting textbooks from faculty and students for a student scholarship fund. So how can one verify ownership of donated items?

I can't take pictures of myself next to all 100+ books because all of them have already been shipped out to the paying customers.

I'm also hesitant to tell ebay/half.com that the books were donated for fear that they might say that's not good enough and not only keep the account suspended, but hold onto the $4000 as well.

So I don't know how to proceed. If it was just a matter of my account being suspended, I would just shrug my shoulders and walk away. But half/ebay is holding onto over $4000 that rightfully belongs to our organization.

Any assistance you can provide would be appreciated. I'm at a loss here.

DO NOT SAY YOU GOT IT AS CHARITY! DEATH BE TO ALL WHO SAY THAT!!!

Anyways, beyond that...photoshop really helps in these times, and who says what a receipt is supposed to look like...am I right?