Help...I've been ripped off

[strontium90]

Dear community...I have been significantly ripped off...On September 30th I bought an electric bicycle, on ebay, from what I thought was a UK seller for over £400. I noticed from following the tracking that it was originating from China but I waited three weeks (the 20th October) and the package arrived.. It was a small envelope about 10cmx20cm and contained a tiny pendant of a Buddha. Tried to contact ebay but ended up reporting it to Paypal as "Significantly different" on their resolution page on 21st October. It has been escalated and they are waiting a response from the seller. I telephoned Paypal on 22nd and got speaking to a human (eventually) and he told me they have asked for the weight of the original package from the seller. I offered to send photographs of the buddha but he said it wasn't necessary. It is about 10grams so anyone would know it wasn't a bike, however I am worried as I received the package and the weight is same as postage that their (Paypal) robot won't decide in my favour. I have to wait the ten days but I am very anxious and annoyed as I have a serious illness and this stress is not helping. Does anyone think I have any chance of getting my money back? Thanks in advance

[kernowlass]

@strontium90

Yes you have a chance but no one here can pre-guess paypals decision.

Did you fund that paypal payment via a credit card? If so then IF paypal do not find in your favour, see if you can do a chargeback via your card issuer.

[strontium90]

Thanks for the answer....Unfortunately, I paid by debit card, which is linked to my paypal account...surely if a human adjudicator looks at the information, he/she will realise the weight of the item couldn't possibly have been a bike. Also the tracking is from china although the item was advertised as Royal Mail..Feel really sick from this.

---

@kernowlass wrote:

@strontium90

Yes you have a chance but no one here can pre-guess paypals decision.

Did you fund that paypal payment via a credit card? If so then IF paypal do not find in your favour, see if you can do a chargeback via your card issuer.

---

[sharpiemarker]

@strontium90

Call the number on the back of your debit card if the dispute is not ruled in your favor. If it is backed by visa or MasterCard, there should be some purchase protection.

[strontium90]

Thanks for the answer...I am pretty confident that I should win the dispute, however if Paypal insists I return the item, as it originated in china, it will be difficult to prove it was returned...The original seller was supposed to be UK based so presumably Paypal will give me a UK address to return the item...does anyone know anything about this? TIA

[sharpiemarker]

---

@strontium90 wrote:

Thanks for the answer...I am pretty confident that I should win the dispute, however if Paypal insists I return the item, as it originated in china, it will be difficult to prove it was returned...The original seller was supposed to be UK based so presumably Paypal will give me a UK address to return the item...does anyone know anything about this? TIA

---

Lots of Chinese sellers front like they’re in wherever they say they are but are in fact shipping from the Far East. They do this as a loophole so buyers don’t bother returning items so they can keep the money. They got a good racket going. PayPal may or may not give you a UK address. It depends on what mailing address the seller has on file since I doubt eBay addresses and PayPal addresses have to match anymore.

[strontium90]

---

@sharpiemarker wrote:

---

@strontium90 wrote:

Thanks for the answer...I am pretty confident that I should win the dispute, however if Paypal insists I return the item, as it originated in china, it will be difficult to prove it was returned...The original seller was supposed to be UK based so presumably Paypal will give me a UK address to return the item...does anyone know anything about this? TIA

---

Lots of Chinese sellers front like they’re in wherever they say they are but are in fact shipping from the Far East. They do this as a loophole so buyers don’t bother returning items so they can keep the money. They got a good racket going. PayPal may or may not give you a UK address. It depends on what mailing address the seller has on file since I doubt eBay addresses and PayPal addresses have to match anymore.

---

Thanks again....If this is the case, it's a wonder Paypal don't do something about it...in my opinion they are fraudulent also and I will advise anyone I know, never to use them as they have better protection from their card..

[strontium90]

Quick update...I contacted a representative yesterday, who assured me I would not have to return the item, but I contacted Paypal through their Facebook page and told them I had reported the incident as fraud, to Action Fraud, and had reported it to BBC watchdog along with documentation, photographs and screenshots...It has been escalated to the Account Specialist Team..

[strontium90 · Accepted solution]

Got this from Paypal tonight....Good News!!

We have concluded our investigation into your case and have decided in your

favour.

We were able to recover £402.00 GBP, and this amount has been credited to

you. Please allow 5 working days for this adjustment to be posted.

If you are due any additional funds, we will make our best effort to

recover the balance from the seller.

If the seller's account has insufficient funds to complete the refund owed

to you, please be assured that we will take appropriate action against the

seller's account, which may include limitation of the seller's account

privileges.

All's well that ends well

[emokid98]

I know how you feel, I too got ripped off by this punk name “Kabangeh”. I saw his ad in Twitter and Youtube about almost 2 years ago and decided to pay him $600 to put me and my girlfriend to be on his game (they’re $300 each for characters) But after I’ve send him the money, he just blocked me, and got my entire family to hate me, and made my girlfriend broke up with me. I just really wanted my $600 back from him and he’s accusing me of being a a lot of things (I really want to kick his butt for ruining my life and I hope he goes to jail)