Please help - scammed on Depop

[mia5514]

I need help because I got scammed out of a lot of money on Depop and I have not been able to get the money back. I purchased an item from the seller milliethomas900 for 90 GBP, and she then refunded me. She deleted the listing for the item and told me to pay her through friends and family on Paypal, and then she would ship it to me. I sent her the money; she then told me that she would ship it ASAP, and proceeded to tell me the next day that she had shipped it and I would receive it in about a week. I have provided screenshots below:<removed>

 Following this interaction, she deleted her Depop account so I have had no way to message her except over email, which I accessed through Paypal. I have requested the money multiple times and she has canceled every request. I have also emailed her several times and she has not responded to any of them. I filed a dispute a little while ago and it was closed, so I have filed another one and hopefully I will get my money back, but I am not optimistic about this given my lack of success so far. Has anyone been through something similar and had any success in getting their money back? I am a student and it took me a long time to save up the money, and I really need it back. I have tried everything and I am desperate.

[kernowlass · Accepted solution]

@mia5514 

A friends / family (or gift payment) is intended as a transfer of funds from family or friends to one another. For this reason, there is no processing fee when payment is made with bank or PayPal balance.
However as it is a gift payment, there is also no Buyer protection as no goods or services should have been exchanged.

If he was not a close mate or family member you should never use that option as it enables the seller to evade paying his paypal fees and negates your buyer protection at the same time.

You would also not be able to open a dispute apart from one citing an unauthorised transaction but that would be automatically closed as you did authorise the initial payment.

Be careful as using that option for purchasing goods is against Paypal rules and can lead to account limitation.

If you funded your paypal payment via a credit card then contact your card issuer and see if they will help you but unfortunately they may decline as well as it was a gift payment.

[mia5514]

I see. I won't be paying for items through family and friends in the future. Thank you for your help!