Why is Paypal siding with the scammer?

[redhat27]

I recently got scammed. Paypal transaction 8L5374957B874161E, case PP-D-45074787. Paypal sided with the scammer.

Paypal should at least do its due diligence to check with the carrier whether the item was delivered to the address in the transaction, not just the city and state. The city and state are openly visible with the tracking info. The scammer just provided valid tracking info, that was received by someone in the same city as I live in.

UPS confirmed that the address tied to that tracking is *not* my home address. UPS does not provide any "documentation" stating this fact, as Paypal asked me to provide. Paypal is free to verify with UPS if the tracking was to the transaction address or not but refuses to do so. They just check the city and state.

I unwittingly bought:
http://thazking.com/product/wyze-cam-pan-1080p-pan-tilt-zoom-wi-fi-indoor-smart-home-camera-with-nig...

When I contacted the listed number for the company, it reached a tow truck driver who told me he receives 300+ calls a day from this scam and has already reported it to the police and BBB

http://www.scamdoc.com/view/78635

Paypal should take steps to mitigate this type of scams, instead of deciding disputes in favor of scammers

[DEL51]

I just had the same thing happen to me.  I've always liked using Pay Pal for the protection they supposedly offer against these type of scams, however, I may have to reconsider my thinking and use another method of payment.

[Redokapi]

I have just learned the hard way that PayPal make no attempt to protect consumers. I always thought that it gave some level of protection. In my case it actually meant that due to the time taken in the disputes process that it limited my other options to get my money back (that I paid in good faith for an item that I didn’t receive).

[Tracy98]

I think it may be better to deal directly with credit card companies.  Chase has been wonderful with 118 days of coverage for all purchases.  Even when PayPal fails, CALL YOUR CREDIT CARD COMPANY immediately as a last recourse.  It is totally pitiful that PayPal sides with sellers & not purchasers.  It is purchasers who need to have the fraud protection from sellers.  PayPal has not even attempted to remove fraudsters or look into complaints of fraud before making their decisions in favor of sellers.  Terrible way to do transactions.

[McKen1922]

I sold an iPad to someone who paid via paypal and despite the fact I have all correspondence with the buyer stating the address change and

everything including delivery with DHL that the requested address. Paypal can‘t logically look at it and say, okay, this guy is being scammed lets help him.

I actually asked one of the guys on messenger, so what you are telling me is that... If I buy a product and convince the seller to send to a different address

then I can not only have the device but also get my money back. His response sickened me... He said the policy is it must be sent to the address on the paypal. So I re asked, so your saying if I bought something, got it send to someone else’s address, I could then claim I never received it and get my money back and also keep the product. He then stated ... The policy says it has to be sent to the customers address on their paypal. I asked, despite proof? So i can start scamming people today and you will take my side, can you not see how ridiculous that is? 

 Clearly he didn‘t... Because the policy is in the scammers favour and I‘m not £715 down and no iPad and to make matters worse they took £21 my own paypal account so Paypal kept the cut they normally take as well. So when they ring for that money back they can do one. 

[ShirBliss]

I ordered a typewriter on Etsy. The seller sent something to an Express store in my city and someone there signed for it. As the above customer states, Paypal does not check to see if the seller sent the item to the actual customer and only to the city and state. This is the scam. They send it to a location that they are sure someone will sign for it and then they use it as "proof" the item was received. I'm very disappointed with paypal. This could have easily been decided fairly with just a little bit of due diligence. Have been a loyal customer for many years and have never filed a complaint before. They treat their customers like garbage and the scammer with kid gloves. I was lucky that I was able to file a claim with my credit card company under the 2 month mark when paypal decided against me in my claim. Hopefully my credit card company will treat me with more respect. 

[Tracy98]

I agree.  Why does PayPal seem to have a rule to side with the scammers???

[kernowlass]

@Tracy98 

If a seller loses then they cite why does paypal always side with the buyer.

If the buyer loses then they cite why does paypal always side with the seller.

The fact is that paypal give you 'some' seller and 'some' buyer protection which is not a 100% guarantee of everything and can't be as they act as the middle man. So you read up on that protection and then the onus is on you to risk assess your own transactions.

Even some credit cards have refused refunds from these scam China website purchases as they don't guarantee a refund either.

[kernowlass]

@ShirBliss 

Yep correct, a lot of these scammers that post on Social media ads or have China websites use the fake tracking scam.

However paypals dispute process for non receipt is pretty much automated, so tracking shows delivery =  seller wins.

So that if you want paypals help to get you a refund from your scam seller you need to do this........

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.

[kernowlass]

@McKen1922 

Paypal provides you with seller protection BUT you have to read up on it so you meet the criteria.

One of those criteria is that you have to send the item trackable to the buyers paypal registered address, if you do you are covered if you don't then you are not. They are not going to change the rules just for you unfortunately.

What you should have done is refunded the buyer and told him to add a gift address to his paypal account and then pay again selecting that address and then you would be covered, that is what I do if i can an email AFTER the buyer has paid asking me to send to an alternate address. If they won't do that they I don't go ahead with the transaction as I know I would not be covered.