Problems with claims with ebay

[RedHarry]

Hey guys,

Two months ago I sold my Dre beats headphones to a buyer in scotland for £79.99. There was nothing wrong with the headphones - I only had them for a few months but that did not stop the buyer from opening a case which stated that I did not describe the item well enough. eBay refunded the buyer without telling me and a few days later I started recieving emails about reimbursing ebay. I called them and they refused to listen. I appealed the case, provided reciept which proves the originality of the item and how long I had it - I may as well have been talking to a brickwall. They suspended my item and limited my paypal account and told me to pay. I decided this wasn't worth the effort so I decided to pay - this is where the big problem starts -

I was redirected to a payment page on eBay where I had to fill out my debit card details - once i filled it out and clicked pay a "global error" page appeared and instructed me to contact eBay. I did and told them about the problem and they instructed me to wait 24hrs and try again. I waited and tried again and still the "global error" page came up. I rang them again and decided to pay over the phone and they told me they do not accept payments over the phone and told me to ring paypal and see if they can help. I rang paypal and they told me they've stopped accepting payments off the phone and this was eBay's problem and so I should talk to them. For a week I kept going back and forth between eBay and Paypal.

I have the money in my bank and i was prepared to pay, one eBay operator told me to pay through paypal. I tried doing so and it just redirected me to that "global error" page.

And now, today's the deadline and I asked for an extension of 7 days. They granted me that but promised me that this would be referred a "Debt Collections Agency"

I'm only 18 and I'm seriously pissed off with both of these companies. They have a ****ty customer support and no one is prepared to take my money when I offer to pay it?!!!!!

I want to know what happens if this goes to a debt collections agency? What are the consquences? do they ban me on eBay and Paypal? because if that's the case I'm prepared to sacrifice those two accounts.

Please give me advice on what I should do?

[GrannyT]

Hi RedHarry

Sit down, have a cup of tea and calm down

What is the worst thing that can happen?

You wont go to prison
You wont be hung drawn and quartered
You wont be paraded through town with a sign around your neck saying this man owes Ebay money.

Here is what I would do

I would Email Ebay and tell them that until they get their systems sorted out I am not prepared to pay them.

I would suggest that they send it to a collections company.

Strange as it may seem collections compamies can be much more pragmatic and reasonable that Ebay and Paypal are

When the collections company contact me I would tell them I am prepared to pay £70 in 'full and final settlement'. The balance being for my telephone calls and time.

I KNOW they would accept it.

I am not suggesting that you do this of course - but that is what I would do.

[RedShootingStar]

GrannyT is right and wrong.

eBay doesnt care if their system is "out of wack". If you dont pay it will go to collections, and will require you pay pay the collection agencies. If at all possible figure out how to pay paypal so you dont have to deal with it, but it sounds like this isnt an option for you. If this happens it will go to collections in which a 3rd party tries to collect the money from you. You will get a letter in the mail saying you owe XX.xx amount of dollars. You can send a check or pay the collection company over the phone. This wont hurt your credit right away, but if you ignore it, then it will.

So basically if you literally cant pay directly to paypal, you have no option but to wait for the collection letter and pay them, but i find it hard to believe there is no way to pay paypal.

[sacka_man]

Originally Posted by GrannyT

Hi RedHarry
Strange as it may seem collections compamies can be much more pragmatic and reasonable that Ebay and Paypal are

Ha, I never thought about it that way. I also have had a fear of collections companies, probably from my dad ramming it into my brain at an early age to keep good credit. I definitely think that you are right.

[meVebay]

In the US a negative balance on eBay/PayPal, if they have your social number then they can screw your credit.

Here in the UK, the only way it will effect your credit rating is if they take you to the County Court.

I've NEVER heard of them taking anyone to court. Because they know they wont win!

[GrannyT]

That is correct meVebay - but I wasn't going to suggest the OP told them to go forth and have intercourse with themselves.

In the UK at the moment if you offer a collections agency 10p in the £ in full and final settlement of any UNSECURED debt they will accept it. - May not be right but it is pragmatism and 10p in the pound is better than zero in the pound.

Ebay debts are, it would appear, unenforcable in the UK county court unless they or their legal representatives attend. Anyone know of a solicitor who works for less than £100 per hour?

[RedHarry]

Thanks for the advice guys. I live in the UK so if a collections agency ring up and I pay them asap there is no chance of my credit rating being affected?

And speaking of credit rating how can it be damaged when I don't even own a credit card? Or is it going to hit me when I eventually get one?

[oompaloompa]

no a ccj would affect credit, that is not going to happen as you are wanting to pay one way or another.

if the acc is in your real details, can you not just send ebay the money in the post? recorded delivery, then you have proof if debt collectors call. I would not let it go to debt collection stage. When people get banned they often cannot pay fees etc back as they make it hard, so they offer you postal option.

[RedHarry]

Hey but why would my credit be affected if

1) I pay the minute the debt collections call
2) I explain the situation
3) I don't own a CC
4) I'm not taken to court

??

[GreenBean]

By the time collections call there is a mark.

This is the scenario OF REAL LIFE.

You made an agreement when you used ebay to accept their T&S.

Sad that matters went wrong.

Your option is to rectify that as quickly as you can and act responsibily.

At 18 if you are old enough to join the Armed Forces, you are sure enough old enough to work out how to fix this. This is what you are doing by posting here.

I'll pm you an address to shut them up