Buyer Protection Failed

[Charis]

I purchased an order of expensive tanning lotions from LotionsGalore. When the lotions arrived, they were different from what I ordered, old, watery in consistency, and completely unusable. I contacted the company via email and via their website and did not get a response. I finally filed a complaint with PayPal, which the seller also ignored. After a few days, I noticed the company removed the bad lotions from their website, but still did not respond, so I escalated to a claim.

The next day, PayPal closed my claim stating “PayPal's Buyer Complaint Policy applies to the shipment of goods but not to disputes about merchandise quality.” and recommended that I “work directly with your seller to resolve this matter” What the heck! Why do they even have an option for a dispute on items that are "significantly not as described".  I took pictures of the lotion and had statements from the manufacture stating it turns watery when bad! Also, after running a google search on this company, I found many more customers complaining of the same issue. Seriously, this company could just send a $1 bottle from the dollar store and I would be out of luck according to PayPal because I received something! PayPal is making it easy for scammers to steal from people because there is no punishment for thief’s and no method of recovery for the buyer.

What can I do to get my money back or at the very least help stop this seller from scamming more people?

[hjcc]

Some like that happened to me, at least you received something! I didnt received anything from the seller and its a "reputable" seller, nobody has dont anything!

Send a email to spoof@ebay.com

with the id of the seller, explaint everything step by step, dates, money you paid, everything!

add pictures, invoices if you have them, everything mate!

Then go to http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx and file a complaint (http://www.ic3.gov/complaint/default.aspx)

Just fallow the instruction!

Hope this help you, and you get back your money!

To be honest so sad PayPal failed in this case, that's bad!

So easy for scammer and phishers!

Regards.

[Charis]

Thank you for the information, but I didn't purchase through Ebay :(. I went on a website called LotionsGalore. Seems like PayPal does more if you do purchase through Ebay, but absolutely nothing if you buy through an actual retalier who accepts PayPal as a form of payment. Thank you though.

[surplusdealdude]

Seems like PayPal does more if you do purchase through Ebay, but absolutely nothing if you buy through an actual retalier who accepts PayPal as a form of payment.

That's essentially correct, and Paypal mentions this in the User Agreement that you were supposed to read.

You only have protection for "not as described" situations if  you buy on ebay.

If you used a credit card to pay for the item, file a chargeback by calling the customer service number on the back of the card.

[Munch]

Yeah, I just lost confidence in Paypal.

It turns out that when the seller sends a buyer
missing items
and items that did Not Match the seller's description.

The buyer will not even get a partial refund.

Even the Seller admitted that he sent missing items.
When the dispute was escalated to a Claim
PAYPAL can not give partial refund to the Buyer.
Which is very unfair.

Even when strong evidence was provided
that the buyer was scammed,
it all turns out to be useless.

I will use PAYPAL less and less,
and eventually NEVER use PAYPAL again.
Because I learned that I can NOT be protected from scammers
which is very scary.

[Charis]

---

@surplusdealdude wrote:

Seems like PayPal does more if you do purchase through Ebay, but absolutely nothing if you buy through an actual retalier who accepts PayPal as a form of payment.

That's essentially correct, and Paypal mentions this in the User Agreement that you were supposed to read.

You only have protection for "not as described" situations if  you buy on ebay.

If you used a credit card to pay for the item, file a chargeback by calling the customer service number on the back of the card.

---

Thank you for your answer -- seemed like they were hiding that fact, since I had to hunt like a detective through the agreement to find this. If only they had put it as simply as you did. A seller could send you a rock in a box - and you are out of luck. Seems like PayPal is making it all to easy for scammers. So much for PayPal being the "safer, easier way to pay online"! I will never again use paypal for any purchases outside of ebay (which I ALWAYS did when I had the option to use PayPal because I thought they would offer me at least the same protection from fraud as Visa or Mastercard... ect). Little did I know, paypal is like a scam artists dream come true!  If I have to go digging through legal agreements on a site with any company - that company will lose my business.  Lesson learned, use my credit card because using PayPal is like a free pass for dishonest people to steal your money. But thank you for your answer!

I have PayPal hooked directly through my bank account via my debit card, so I will see if there is some way that I can attempt a chargeback. If you had any additional information on how I could go about doing so, I would greatly appreciate it.

[Munch]

Yep, we both learned that PAYPAL is SCAMMER friendly.

Even if you are "RIGHT"
it means nothing to PAYPAL.
They just want you to "PAY" "PAL".

Yep, I'll just use my Credit Card for purchases, at least I get points.
Since PAYPAL is kind of useless now.

You and I just lost money, which proves PAYPAL is Not safe.

[Charis]

---

@Munch wrote:

Yep, we both learned that PAYPAL is SCAMMER friendly.

Even if you are "RIGHT"
it means nothing to PAYPAL.
They just want you to "PAY" "PAL".

Yep, I'll just use my Credit Card for purchases, at least I get points.
Since PAYPAL is kind of useless now.

You and I just lost money, which proves PAYPAL is Not safe.

---

Its so disappointing. After looking through the boards .... it looks as though TONS of people are in the same position as us. I wish PayPal was more black and white about coverage, because this feels like a HUGE thing to hide from trusting customers (like us) who WERE choosing PayPal over other methods because they led us to believe they would assist us if we were wronged. There are so many vultures out there just looking for an opportunity to rip people off and PayPal is providing them with the tools. The company I bought from sent me a product that was old, damaged, and wayyyyy cheaper then what I PAID for .... and they probably did so because they KNEW PayPal would make it possible to steal my money. Heck, they could have sent me a box full of dog poo and PayPal would have told me "too bad!".  It would cost me more in the long run to take legal action and I am sure the company is aware of that and hence the reason they scam with confidence.

I suppose all we can do is try to make other aware.

[Munch]

PAYPAL looking out for you the Buyer is an illusion.

PAYPAL just wants to get their PAYPAL Fee's from the transaction.

The more Buyer's get scammed
the more money PAYPAL gets.

It's a business after all.

[surplusdealdude]

---

@Munch wrote:

PAYPAL looking out for you the Buyer is an illusion.

PAYPAL just wants to get their PAYPAL Fee's from the transaction.

The more Buyer's get scammed
the more money PAYPAL gets.

It's a business after all.

---

Oh, quit whining.

You could have easily discovered the rules if you'd simply looked or asked.

You didn't.

Paypal operates under a contract with their users - they specifically follow the contract - that's all.

They're not here to wipe your nose or to pick up the ball if you drop it - they simply adhere to the contract.

Once you understand that, you'll have no problems - I've done more than 2300 transactions with Paypal and never had a problem.