Someone stole my camera using a hacked paypal account when buying through Gumtree.

[j04den]

Hey! I recently had my camera for sale on Gumtree for £550. A girl called "Ashleigh Arista" got in contact via text message saying she was interested in the camera for a holiday she is going on next week. She didn't see seem to know much about the item but seemed sincere and genuine. 

She wanted to use Paypal for the transaction and paid me £600 through PayPal before collecting the item stating that the transaction had come from her dad's account. She stated the £600 was to ensure I got the full amount after fees but it turns out she had overpaid me slightly and wanted me to make the difference in cash to her so we were even - I agreed to do this.

She didn't turn up on the morning she planned to collect and said she was working until late. The payment was pending which worried me but after looking at PayPal's fund's availability page which stated;

"The money still belongs to you. It’s just temporarily not available to use, until your buyer has received the item they ordered in the condition promised."

This eased my mind. She told me her car had broken and her friend could pick it up - this was around midnight. Her friend came to pick up the camera and I handed it over. It was late and I forgot to put the cash to make up the difference in the package.

The next day there was an authorisation dispute over the money and it was being held. I tried to get in contact with Ashleigh but she didn't get back to me. I was on hold to PayPal customer service for 2 hours before they told me there is nothing they can do and I will lose the money because the person who owned the PayPal account that paid me wasn't authorised to do so. 

I then called the police and filed a theft. They advised me that it is completely PayPal's liability and that they deal with PayPal all the time and its a nightmare to get them to do there job.

I planned to email paypal with this information, the theft number, all text messages and any evidence about the theft of my camera. "Ashleigh" then began to text me back stating I have scammed her because I forgot to add the extra cash which was £40 even though she has my camera and I have nothing. I explained to her I had talked to PayPal and they advised it had been a scam and to believe her I would need some sort of proof of her identity. She has since stopped texting me back - I'm thinking she was trying to squeeze a little extra cash out of me (The cheek!)

I have been in a bad financial situation recently due to family illness hence the reason I was selling my camera (and for a good price!)

I'm now not sure what to do as I really need the money or my camera back and feel like a complete fool for handing over the camera. I am sure PayPal could actually attempt to help but seems they just want to get you off the phone asap.

Can anyone advise what I may be able to do? Any similar experiences? 

[kernowlass]

@j04den

Paypal can't help you as you had no seller protection the second you allowed the item to be collected.

Items that are collected should be 'cash on collection' only.

You really should read up on seller protection before you start using paypal to sell  

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1.10 What are examples of items/transactions/cases that are not eligible for PayPal seller protection?

1. For:
   1. Payment Recipients with their registered address outside the UK: digital goods and licences for digital content.   
   2. Payment Recipients with their registered address in the UK: intangible items (including digital goods and licences for digital content) and services.
      Where PayPal in its own discretion may make certain intangible items (including digital goods and licences for digital content) and/or services eligible from time to time, unless otherwise agreed in writing with PayPal, the following will always remain ineligible: 
      1. Items equivalent to cash (including, without limitation, stored value items such as gift cards and pre-paid cards).
      2. Payments made in respect of financial products and investments.
      3. Donations.
2. Items that you deliver (or are picked up) in person (except for items for which you received payment through the PayPal Location Based Payments Functionality).
3. Transactions made through Zong, Website Payment Pro (PayPal Direct Payment and Virtual Terminal).
4. Claims, Chargebacks and Reversals for Significantly Not as Described and/ or claims filed directly with eBay.
5. PayPal Business Payments.
6. Payments made in respect of gold (whether in physical form or in exchange-traded form).
7. PayPal Mass Payment transactions