Fraudulent Chinese Seller

[BadMistake]

So, I purchased a Hypervolt Plus Massage Gun made by Hyperice Inc. from <Removed>.  When the unit arrived it wasn't anywhere close to the item shown on the web site.  Matter of fact, it is an extremely cheap massage gun that would cost around $30.00 at the flea market, not the $169.00 I paid for it.

I contacted Hyperice Inc. to find out if Balimassager.com was a legitimate reseller for them.  Their response was "the website you purchased from is a fraudulent site and has no affiliation with Hyperice, Inc.  Our legal team is working on taking down all copycats and counterfeits..."  I then contacted the Federal Trade Commission and filed a formal complaint.

What's interesting, is the folks behind Balimassager.com copied/stole the Hyperice website changed the prices and payment method (PayPal).  The website looks and functions just like the Hyperice website.

What's bothersome, is trying to get a refund from PayPal.  The seller has agreed to refund the $169.00, but PayPal won't process the refund unless I pay some $50.00 plus to ship it back to the seller.  I will gladly send it back if the seller refunds my money and pays for the return shipment.  PayPal has their rules and the buyer is responsible for the return shipment - no exceptions.

What seems really crappy, is PayPal has no policy or background checks for fraudulent sellers.  Who knows, maybe they welcome it!

Any suggestions out there on how I can chalk this up as a bad experience that doesn't cost me any money?

[kernowlass]

@BadMistake 

In the event of a dispute you choose your seller and not Paypal so you need to bear in mind possible return trackable costs before you go ahead and buy from that seller / country.

Paypal state this >>
IMPORTANT: You may be required to return the item to the seller or other party we specify as part of the settlement of your claim. PayPal Buyer Protection does not entitle you to reimbursement for the return shipping costs that you may incur.

Although they will compensate you for some of the cost if you have activated this at some point before you made that transaction.
https://www.paypal.com/us/smarthelp/article/FAQ3544

You also have the option to do a chargeback via your card issuer instead of a Paypal dispute if you funded your Paypal payment via a credit card.

[BadMistake]

Thank you for your response.  PayPal did the right thing by refunding 100% of the purchase price and not forcing me to return the item to China.

Since PayPay doesn't appear to have a policy for background checks on sellers using their payment system, it is easy for fraudulent sellers to take advantage of buyers who also use the service. 

Aiding and abetting comes to mind when I think of this transaction but, I'm no lawyer!

Anyway, thanks for taking time to reply.