Buyer claims an authentic item fake

[Fortunecat8]

I sold a high value luxury item via eBay and buyer received it. He then filed a claim on PayPal that the item is fake and demand full refund. What should I do? I am worried as I heard that PayPal tends to be on buyers side a lot. I am worried also the buyer is a fraud as he knows the item is authentic. Thanks for any advice.

[sharpiemarker · Accepted solution]

@Fortunecat8 

Unfortunately, Significantly Not As Described (SNAD) claims are not covered for the seller. It expressly says this in the PayPal Seller Protection terms. Only Item Not Received (INR) or Unauthorized Payments claims are, by providing proof of delivery or at least proof of postage in regards to Unauthorized Payment claims.

11. Seller Protection Programme

Do you have convincing evidence to refute what the buyer claims? Is there a serial number of some kind that you can take to the manufacture or company to verify if it is an authentic serial number. Or, to even compare it with the serial number on the item that is going to be returned to you so that a report can be filed on the buyer for abuse of the buyer protection program?

Should you receive an item back that is different from what you shipped, file a police report: https://www.actionfraud.police.uk and include it with convincing evidence when appealing the case with PayPal.

If you're a new seller on eBay, scammers take advantage of the inexperienced seller in this way when they start off selling high value luxury items. So it is best to begin on the low end, to gain enough knowledge of 'how things work' and rack up enough feedback to show the world you're experienced, before taking on expensive items.

[Fortunecat8]

Thanks a lot for your reply. The claim is under review now by PayPal and I hope to get a fair treatment there. I wonder if I should leave some feedback already on eBay as I highly suspect the buyer to be a fraud. I would understand if the buyer wants to return on buyers remorse. but claim something authentic as fake is dishonest to say the least. He didn’t even communicate with me before he just raised the claim for refund as the item is fake. How should I report it to eBay? It is a very stressful situation for me as it’s a high value item. If I lose it, I feel like been robbed during day light. Certainly I would report it to police if it happens.

[Fortunecat8]

Well, despite all my efforts making a case that the buyer could be a fraud, they decided in favor of buyer anyway. Such a risk selling on eBay. Lessons learned, better to sell high value items else where.