Finally got screwed by a false paypal dispute, this must be why everyone leaves

[NiVRaM]

So I've always heard the "horror stories" of paypal sellers who got screwed out of funds by deceptive buyers abusing the paypal dispute system, but I always wrote them off as "oh I'm careful, that'd never happen to me."

Well, it finally happened. I sold a phone and accessories on ebay, listed as used but good condition. Shipped to the buyer, had good communication with the buyer through eBay, buyer confirmed he received the phone and it was working great. About two weeks later I get an eBay message from the buyer where he tells me that he decided to resell the phone because he received a new phone from his carrier earlier than expected, and while my phone worked perfectly fine for him, the new buyer is claiming that the sim card slot was broken. He was just asking me for troubleshooting tips so I replied and gave him a few suggestions, try out other sim cards, etc.

A week later I get a notice of a claim, which was then immediately escalated to a dispute by the buyer who claimed he received damaged goods. I attached to ebay messages between us, where the buyer clearly stated that the phone was in perfect working order when he received it from me. Today the dispute was ruled in his favor and I now need to refund $320 after receiving the phone back from the buyer. Sounds like the buyer merely "rented" my phone until he got his new one and now my phone is devalued and potentially broken. If he's telling the truth about reselling it, somehow I'm being held responsible when the new buyer is the one with the complaint. It could have been broken by either the new or original buyer, but I have hard evidence where the original buyer stated it worked fine for him when he received it from me.

So now what? I resell the (potentially broken) device, 1.5 months after I originally sold it so its now officially a last generation device and seriously devalued.  Looks like I'll be doing research on whether I should take my business to google checkout or amazon payments after this terrible experience.

[SICKOFTHIS]

DITTO.

I sold a beautiful bracelet to a woman who wore it for over four months, over the holidays, loved it enough to wear it and keep it for that long....then decided she wanted a full refund for it but did not want to send it back.

Paypal and her credit card gave her the money back and nobody forced her to return the bracelet. I had to file a DIFFERENT complaint to convince them that it was only right that i get the merchandise back. She returned it broken and some charms missing.

Paypal had NO CONCERN FOR ME. THEY COULD NOT HAVE CARED ANY LESS about me. They kept telling me that they had no power over the credit card company. they are supposed to be protecting the seller just like they do the buyer, but THEY NEVER HAVE. IN TEN YEARS ON EBAY, NOT ONCE HAVE I FELT PROTECTED OR VALUED BY PAYPAL. not once. not as a seller and never as a buyer, they only care about how much they can stick you for.

they hold my money for days on end when i have been a 100% feedback buyer and seller for years and keep it as long as they possibly can. then....THEY CHARGE ME THREE DOLLARS TO WITHDRAW MY OWN MONEY.

they are f***ing idiots and 99% of them are TOO STUPID to be answering the telephone. SICK OF THIS.

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@NiVRaM wrote:

So I've always heard the "horror stories" of paypal sellers who got screwed out of funds by deceptive buyers abusing the paypal dispute system, but I always wrote them off as "oh I'm careful, that'd never happen to me."

Well, it finally happened. I sold a phone and accessories on ebay, listed as used but good condition. Shipped to the buyer, had good communication with the buyer through eBay, buyer confirmed he received the phone and it was working great. About two weeks later I get an eBay message from the buyer where he tells me that he decided to resell the phone because he received a new phone from his carrier earlier than expected, and while my phone worked perfectly fine for him, the new buyer is claiming that the sim card slot was broken. He was just asking me for troubleshooting tips so I replied and gave him a few suggestions, try out other sim cards, etc.

A week later I get a notice of a claim, which was then immediately escalated to a dispute by the buyer who claimed he received damaged goods. I attached to ebay messages between us, where the buyer clearly stated that the phone was in perfect working order when he received it from me. Today the dispute was ruled in his favor and I now need to refund $320 after receiving the phone back from the buyer. Sounds like the buyer merely "rented" my phone until he got his new one and now my phone is devalued and potentially broken. If he's telling the truth about reselling it, somehow I'm being held responsible when the new buyer is the one with the complaint. It could have been broken by either the new or original buyer, but I have hard evidence where the original buyer stated it worked fine for him when he received it from me.

So now what? I resell the (potentially broken) device, 1.5 months after I originally sold it so its now officially a last generation device and seriously devalued.  Looks like I'll be doing research on whether I should take my business to google checkout or amazon payments after this terrible experience.

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[cj323]

Well at least you guys got screwed by a seller. Paypal screwed me directly. 

So December 18th 2012, I setup a billing agreement. The first charge came off my credit card as intended. I went to my subscriptions/billing agreements, set the primary funding source to be the credit card. It told me it had been saved. Went back and looked it said credit card.  Okay so I forget about it at this point. I think I'm safe.

Friday I get a notice that Paypal has hit my bank account and I've gotten a non-sufficent funds charge (It's a bank account I only keep money in when I need to make a payment as I can walk across the street from my place and make a deposit). So I log into paypal, I see the charge on the recent charges. I hit the details link. Click on the billing agreement. Low and behold. Some has switched it back to my bank account. So the first thing I do is call and check to make sure no one has been accessing my account. They haven't. So that means either someone at Paypal did it, or their software has just screwed the pooch. Well. Before it can hit my bank account for a second time, and get me more charges. I cancel the agreement and attempt to call Paypal again. I get a lady who basically hints at me being stupid and not knowing what I'm talking about. So I ask to speak to her supervisor. So what does she do? She goes and lies about what she has said to her supervisor. She comes back and tells me there was NO WAY for anyone to see what the previous billing agreement was and that I shoudl move on. 

At this point I'm livid. I out right tell her. I did not ask you to speak to your supervisor, I asked you to get ME your supervisor. So she finally transfers me. The supervisor gives me a whole different story, and makes out right statements that can't possibly be true, as I can see it on my screen. So how come they can't?

The way paypal handles their payment system, in attempting to FORCE you to use the payment method they want to use then switching it back as they please violates Anti-Trust laws. It's also in violation of the terms and agreements their Pass-Through FDIC insurance. 

When they open tomorrow. I'll be filing complaints with the BBB, the SEC, and the FDIC. In the mean time, I'll be recoding my websites and three businesses I have accounts here for to start using Google Check-Out. 

Way to allow your support staff to be untrained and out right liars. They just lost you one of your oldest customers from year one of Paypal. This company will never see another cent of my money. 

On another note. Paypal does 75% of their business with Bank of America which is starting to go under and need another Bailout again. I'd suggest everyone moving their accounts to other payment services which are more reliable and trustworthy.

Moving all three of my companies to Google Check-Out tonight.