Potential Buyer Scam

[mick34]

Hi, I believe that I am about to be scammed and wondered what help is available to me? I recently sent an expensive set of headphones from the UK to a buyer in the US. The sale was made outside of eBay. The buyer has text me to inform me that he collected the package from his postal office but the package was ripped on collection. He then took the package home to discover the headphones were missing?! 

I know from the way that I packaged the headphones, together with the original manufacturers box, that the outer packaging would have to be completely opened to access the headphones. This being the case surely no one in their right mind would sign for a package that had obviously been opened without checking the contents? Especially when the headphones value was in the $1000s! I envisage that he will now open up a dispute with PayPal. 

I no longer have the original payment funds as I am in the process of buying a house, hence the headphone sale. If the funds aren't available in either my PayPal account or my bank account will PayPal still attempt to reverse the payment?

Due to considerably adding £80 to the cost of already £70 postal charges I, perhaps rather naively, didn't take out insurance. 

Any help and advice would be gratefully received. 

[PayPal_Intars]

Hi mick34,

Welcome to the community forum and thanks for posting.

Our Seller Protection can help you if a buyer claims that an item they received is significantly not as described.

Here are some requirements you need to meet to be covered by our Seller Protection:

• Make sure your item is 'Eligible' for Seller Protection by checking the transaction 'Details'
• Retain online trackable proof of delivery, like Royal Mail's recorded delivery (We require online tracking to confirm delivery)
• Send the item to the address on the transaction 'Details' page
• Provide a copy of the proof of postage of the parcel (This helps us ensure that the parcel has been sent to the right address)
• Respond to our requests for documentation and other information within the given timeframe

If your buyer opens a claim through the Resolution Center, we'll place a temporary hold on the amount involved. Your PayPal account balance will be negative if you have already used these funds for another purchase, or have withdrawn these funds to your bank account. To learn more about our Seller Protection, click Legal at the bottom of any PayPal page, and then click User Agreement for PayPal Service.

Intars