Unauthorized transaction scam

victim101
Contributor
Contributor

A buyer purchased my brand new ipad on ebay and paid through paypal on the same day. The buyer gave me her 'son's number to arrange delivery. I've now heard that this is a common scam but didn't know this at the time. I didn't want to post it even recorded because I was scared of damage via post. I even contacted ebay before this and they said all was well, to carry on with the transaction but to ask him to sign a slip or something to prove collection.

 

All went well, ipad collected and I even left the funds in my ebay account because I wanted to spend only what was left after ebay took out their fees.

 

Today 15Mar2013, I received an email from paypal that the buyer filed and authorised payment - to collect the £315 back and paypal put the money 'on-hold'. A very rude and unhelpful customer service rep told me that I had to contact Actionfraud (online police) and get a crime ref no before they can investigate further.

 

It is very obvious that this is a scam - someone bought an expensive ipad, paid and now wants the money back. So, he'll have both ipad and money! Basically using paypal as a direct means of reaching into my account to take my money from me and paypal is giving him a go-ahead! I had the impression paypal was safe - i could have just taken the money on collection - but ebay said it's best to use paypal.

 

Even if it wasn't a fraudulent transaction, this should be paypal's problem to deal with and not mine. I had an item, sold it and received the funds by paypal. If it was a fraudulent transaction, paypal should be dealing with the police or with the loophole in their system that allows so many fraudsters in.

 

All I want now is my money back and I promise never to trust paypal ever again.

 

 

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9 REPLIES 9

kernowlass
Esteemed Advisor
Esteemed Advisor

Its not paypals problem as they don't cover you for items that are collected.

 

You are welcome to use them for collection items (although i never would) BUT it is at your own risk.


Buyer protection on ebay and paypal only cover you for items sent trackable in the post to PROVE delivery of the item to the buyer.

 

That is why ebay allow you to state "cash on collection" for items listed as collection only. I do this and if a buyer pays via paypal then I refund them and re-state cash only on collection.

 

Buyer protection.

 

Eligibility Requirements

  •  Claims can only be made for physical goods that can be posted and are not prohibited
  • Buyers must raise a dispute within 45 days of a single PayPal payment for the full price of the item. If no satisfactory response is received from the seller, a claim must be filed within 20 days of raising the dispute
  • Buyers cannot make multiple claims on the same payment
  • Please note that if the seller has accurately described an item, but you’re just not happy with it, that doesn’t qualify for Purchase Protection
  • Other eligibility requirements apply. See terms and conditions

 

 

 


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victim101
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Wait. I'm not asking paypal to protect me from anything. I'm expecting paypal not to let a thief dip his hands into my paypal account and take all my money! Actually, the person hasn't done so, paypal themselves have taken my money and handed it over to the thief! It's like those great robberies where the security guy (instead of protecting the jewels) hands over the entire case of diamonds to the little old lady who simply asked nicely!

 

I only used paypal as a means of collecting the money. In fact, ebay told me before I went ahead with the transaction, that the buyer wasn't covered because he chose local pickup! So, really, neither of us should be covered then! Having read the 'Paypal buyer protection policy': 'You may be eligible for the PayPal Buyer Protection Policy if... your purchase is NOT for... items you collect in person or arrange to be collected on your behalf...' So, why is paypal getting involved? This scammer should be going to his bank and police to report money stolen from his account!

 

I sold an item, it was paid for, it was collected. End of story. I have nothing more to do with the buyer or his account. It is different if the buyer said he never received the item - in that case, the transaction isn't complete. He said it was an unauthorized transaction. That is not MY problem. If someone used his credit card to buy an item, the fault lies not with the seller of random items but with his credit card company and paypal and their security features.

 

If someone stole my bank details and went into my bank account and used £300 to buy an ipad, why on earth would I be going after apple or whomever sold the ipad? I would (if I was genuinely hacked) be going after my bank and the person who stole my details.

 

Right now, paypal's role is to allow a scammer free reign into my paypal account. I shouldn't need to be covered for items that are collected - I covered myself for that when I organized the collection in a public place and I didn't need paypal to cover the item either. I definitely, though, need paypal to protect the funds that I left in my account from fraudsters or scammers!

 

 

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kernowlass
Esteemed Advisor
Esteemed Advisor

Sorry i can only give you the facts.

 

You are correct in that there is no buyer or seller protection for collection items.

 

HOWEVER if a buyer files a dispute for non receipt of item and you can't prove with a tracking number that the buyer received that item then paypal will return the funds to the buyer.

 

Normally under buyer protection if a seller can't or does not refund then paypal refunds the buyer under their buyer protection rules HOWEVER if its collection only they won't do that, they will only return the funds if they can get them from the sellers paypal account. So sometimes a buyer for collection items is unlucky.

 

BUT if they can access funds in your paypal account then they will return them as you lost your seller protection by not providing a tracking number to prove delivery of the item to the buyer.

 

 


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victim101
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So really, paypal shouldn't be taking money from me at all on behalf of the buyer.

 

We both have no protection with paypal. The buyer should ideally be taking his claim to his credit card company or the police (except of course he is a scammer). Now, I'm the one having to contact the police because someone has stolen my money with the help of paypal!

 

I have emails arranging collection and the slip where he signed he collected the item.

 

About paypal's access to my funds, I had the funds sitting in my paypal account all that time, only because I wanted to wait for ebay to collect their fees before I took the money - now, they've put my funds on hold. I never thought my money in a paypal account would be at risk from fraudsters. It would have been safer under my mattress.

 

I will go to the FSA, the Ombudsman till the ends of the earth on this one. Paypal can't keep doing this and thinking we will ALL just roll over and go back to sleep.

 

 

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kernowlass
Esteemed Advisor
Esteemed Advisor

The FSA approved paypals user agreement.

 

You authorised paypal to accept payment from the buyer and took the risk on a collection item not paypal.


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victim101
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And who is responsible for the 'unauthorized' transaction on the scammer's buyer's paypal account? Was that me?

 

Like you rightly said kernowlass, 'You authorised paypal to accept payment from the buyer'. Did they accept payment from the BUYER? No, they accepted payment from 'someone else'. Now, they want to blame me for handing the goods over and not posting.

 

The issue isn't a damaged or undelivered item - the issue is an unauthorized transaction on a paypal account.

 

Paypal has the responsibility to ensure that their customers paypal accounts are not hacked or details stolen. That is not my responsibility.

 

I gave them the authority to collect money from a customer. At that point, paypal should have said 'transaction declined, unauthorized transaction - user is not the authorized owner of this paypal account'. That is their job.

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kernowlass
Esteemed Advisor
Esteemed Advisor

 

PayPal Seller Protection protects eligible sellers against losses due to buyer claims, credit card chargebacks and reversals resulting from unauthorised activity. To be eligible for Seller Protection, you must comply with the full terms and conditions listed in the policy

 

Eligibility Requirements

  • You must obtain proof of delivery that can be tracked online.
  • Seller Protection covers physical items only. Check that the item is eligible in the 'Transaction Details' in your PayPal account and in your confirmation email.
  • Eligible transactions between buyers and sellers in the UK, US and Canada qualify for Seller Protection. If you're selling on eBay, you can post to buyers in any of the 190 countries where PayPal is accepted and still be covered.
  • Only post to the buyer's address provided in the 'Transaction Details' and only accept payments in full from a single PayPal account.
  • If you deliver an item in person or post it in any other way that can't be tracked, you won't be covered.

 


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stephen379
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hi i thought i was alone in this but the same thing happened to me with a playstation 4 buyer collected it payed with the so call safe paypal method then low and behold nearly a month later they say its an unauthorised  transaction i have been a victim of fraud so it was reported to the police a crime letter and number was uploaded to pay pal but low and behold they returned his money leaving me with a negative balance of 480 pound this case has been going on for a month now i have refused to pay the negative balance as its not my fault but the amount of pointless conversations i have had with the really unhelpful people at paypal has caused so much stress. so now paypal have sent the case to credit solutions who i have spoken to i have sent a registered letter to ebay as they are highly responsible for this as they suspended this buyers account but still let him buy my goods without informing me he was suspended. i wont be paying a penny of the negative balance until i get a response from ebay. i give up with paypal as their customer service assistants are just a waste of time the way they have spoken to me and my wife has been truly disgusting the amount of complaints i have sent them and to my supprise they havent responded.

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MuddyPeanut
Member
Member

I NEED MY DISPUTES CLOSED! I GOT MY ITEM, I NEED TO PY MY BILLS

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