I need help getting $350 back from an individual that PayPal erroneously sent my funds to!
I collect dolls. On 8/6/09 I bought a doll from a seller on a doll forum called Plastic Paradise for $212 total (by debit from my checking account).
Two days later, on 8/8/09, I bought another doll from a different seller for $350 total. I logged onto PayPal, "pasted" in the seller's email address like I always do, and chose to pay $350 using my Visa card. Just as I hit the Send button I saw the payee flash by as the user ID I paid on 8/6/09. Somehow PayPal had reverted back to the last entered payee and sent the money through to the wrong person. I immediately tried to back it out, but PayPal said it couldn't do anything on this type of transaction (which I assumed meant non-eBay). So I went ahead and sent a second payment for $350 to the correct seller for the purchase of the doll.
When I finished on PayPal I emailed the person who received my money through PayPal's error. It took several days of leaving messages on forums and numerous daily emails, but she finally responded on 8/11/09 stating:
"I will absolutely take care of that large tip you gave me. ... I just wanted to let you know I stand behind my word. Thanks and I'll be back later this afternoon to take care of that tip."
A week later I hadn't received my money or any further contact, so I started my round of PM's on forums and emails again. On 8/17/09 (the last time I heard from her) she emailed and said:
"Oh no!!! ... See as i mentioned I share the paypal acct with my cousin. After you mentioned that the money was accidentally transferred I immediately told here to please return the money. She said she would. I normaally have no reason to question her. So I just asked her what the hell was going on and why didn't she refund the money. She said she freaked out because ebay deducted her fees . She said that she has a e check that's clearing monday and it's for 440.00 and she has auctions that are ending this weekend. And she will refund all of the money then if that's okay. If by that time it's not refunded I will absolutely take care of it myself and then she'll just owe me. I would do it right this minute but I don't have that much cash myself. After helping my mother out with the car I have 100. to last me for the week. Please you have my word, that if she doesn't take care of the refund this weekend I will take care of it myself. I'm not like that and neither is she. I think she just freaked out because no sooner did I tell her and ebay hit her up for the fees. I know this sucks but I hope that you can trust me on this. ... So I'm glad you contacted me here [email deleted]. Trust me I will be on her butt about the auctions this weekend. I'm so sorry and so embarrassed."
I spent months trying to get her to contact me again, to work it out ourselves. She's never responded, and in September I filed a claim with my Visa card. In October they told me it wasn't something they would get involved in. I finally filed a PayPal "unauthorized use of account" claim last week. Today (11/8/09) I received an email stating it was NOT an unauthorized use, and my claim was closed. It said I could open a "disputed item" claim -- but the system won't allow me to. It says there was already a claim against that transaction and I need to review Open Claims. I have NO open claims, PayPal closed it.
I'm so frustrated trying to get any assistance with this. This person is a very active seller on eBay and has listings all the time, with a constant stream of income through her PayPal account. Is the problem maybe that PayPal doesn't want to lose her fees?? I don't know what to do to get some help with this.
