Item Not Received - PayPal Didn't Protect Me - What Can I Do?

[JRRamsey12]

FaceBook was flooded with ads for new guitars for less than $100.00 USD.  I saw that you could pay using PayPal so, feeling secure about using PayPal, I bought one.  The company guaranteed 3 to 5 days delivery time.

The short story ..... The Seller reported shipping, but didn't provide a tracking number.  PayPal charged my account.  Time went by and I reported to PayPal that I hadn't received the guitar.  PayPal opened a case.  The shipper reported a tracking number.  The tracking showed the item was delivered IN/At The Mailbox (which is on a major highway).  PayPal closed the case in the Seller's favor.

I've been a PayPal customer for over 20 years, trusting that PayPal would protect me.  In this case, they didn't.  I lost $96.00 for a guitar that I never received.  I can't find a way to get through to PayPal, to escalate this case to a higher level.  I've been on hold for hours ... literally ... then the phone disconnects.  What can I do at this point?

[kernowlass]

@JRRamsey12 

Another of these???

Chinese Web Sites or on Social Media ads easy to spot (once you know the below signs) so buyer beware.

Paypal would not be able to check every individual seller / merchant / company in over 200 countries worldwide that adds paypal to their website to accept payments.

So they give you 'some' buyer protection but the onus is on you to risk assess your transactions.

They do stop bad companies from using Paypal when enough claims start rolling in.
However as they are in China (mostly) then its easy for them to just start over with a new name, so stopping them does not really do anything.

The BEST thing is to not buy from them in the first place, to recognise them -

1. No return address on the returns policy. The site will look as if its in your country (where they despatch goods from) but they will ask for returns to go back to China (returns depot) at a shipping cost often more than the item is worth.
2. No contact telephone number. if you click on contact the most you will get is webmail or an email address.
3. Rarely company address information.
4. Great pictures of items at bargain prices that turn out to be tat.
5. Fake reviews.
6. Google and you can often see previous company names as they change them once enough claims roll in and Paypal stop them using their services and start over.
7. Send fake tracking numbers to win item non receipt of item claims.

APPEAL

To submit an appeal on the dispute that was closed, PayPal asks that you obtain a detailed report from the shipper/courier (on their letterhead or some other form of official stationary) that includes the address the seller gave them for the shipment. Or one that includes a statement mentioning your address and saying the item was delivered to a different address.
Check tracking in below link to see where it went.
https://www.17track.net/en

When you have that, contact PayPal via phone (log on to your account and click Contact at the bottom of the page, however that may not be an option at the moment due to covid), or via Facebook (send a Private Message to PayPal) or via Twitter (send a Direct Message to @AskPayPal) and say you want to appeal the denial of the dispute based on the shipper saying the item was delivered to a different address. Once it's submitted (you will be provided with directions on how to do that), the dispute will be reviewed further and a determination will be made.

You also have the option to contact your card issuer if you funded your paypal payment that way and see if they will do a chargeback for you.