I sold a dress (worth $300) on depop (an app that allows people to advertise items they have for sale and people can buy it - all money is automatically sent and received through PayPal) in the middle of April. The next day I shipped the parcel from AUSTRALIA to ISRAEL. Tracking says that it has been processed at my closest international airport. Due to COVID-19, postage has been taking longer than usual. After a month with no updates on tracking, I submitted an inquiry with my postal service about the whereabouts of the dress. They said that it is still in transit and that the buyer should check with Israel postage service on the whereabouts of the parcel as it probably has not been scanned (hence no update with tracking). Today I received a message from the buyer asking for a refund as postage has taken so long. I told her that I was unable to refund her until either 1. I knew that the parcel would be able to be redirected back to me, or 2. when she receives the dress and returns it to me, or 3. when the postage service marks the parcel as 'lost'. She told me that she really needed the money and if I sent her a refund now and the dress arrives, she will pay me the amount back - however, if I did this I'm scared that she won't refund me back if the dress arrives.
I understand her frustration but this is simply out of my hands. I did everything that I good seller would do (post it straight away and been in constant contact with the post office and the buyer).
Question: Is there any way that she is able to make a false claim on PayPal and scam me saying that the dress did not arrive (even though it's still in transit) and PayPal forcibly take my money away from me? She is extremely impatient and I am scared as I do not know what to do and I do not know how easily PayPal can take my money. I have a tracking number as evidence that I shipped the parcel.
@scam @REFUND @dispute
