Buyer Disappeared

[Wbk4life]

Hello, hopefully someone might advise on the best way to deal with the issue. Bought something on gumtree, I saw on Gumtree advisory page that using PayPal protects buyers on their website. I called PayPal customer service rep which confirmed that buyers are protected. So I went ahead to make the payment to the seller using PayPal. After few days of not seeing the item and the seller contact is no longer working, I contacted PayPal only for me to be told that I am not protected. If PayPal had told me that I am not protected, I wouldn't have gone ahead to make the payment. The transaction was because of the assurance that PayPal gave me. This has left me in distress. I have informed my bank about this issue. PayPal rep told me that they have emailed the seller and nothing more. Please could PayPal investigate this. The scammer could be using PayPal in scamming others. Exposing such user of PayPal will help protect others.

[kernowlass]

@Wbk4life 

Paypal gives buyer AND seller protection so that protection can never be a 100% coverall.

You have to read the buyer protection policy so you can risk assess your transaction.

If you were not protected then there would be a reason covered by that policy.

So how did you send the funds via paypal which option did you select?

[Wbk4life]

I don't know what you mean. The seller gave me his email, I spoke to PayPal rep about it. The PayPal rep was on the call when I made the payment. I did explain what the payment was for. The rep advised me to retry making the payment and when it went through, I told the rep that it has gone through. I don't know if there was an option I need to tick. The only option I can remember was to type in a reference on box which I referenced what the payment was for. There was no other option that I need to choose neither was i advised by the rep to choose an option. PayPal, please investigate this and raise a dispute about this.

[Wbk4life]

It was because of the assurance that the PayPal rep gave me, that was why I confidently make the payment, now, I am now left to deal with it myself. The seller disappeared, my money went missing. I have reported it to my bank. So scammers are using PayPal. I which, PayPal can do something about this.

[kernowlass]

@Wbk4life 

Did you send the funds using friends/family OR goods/services?

Secondly reps don't normally talk you through making payments so how did you get their number and was it really paypal or did you get the number via a link in an email or text?

[Wbk4life]

1. I have checked. I can see the reference that stated the item purchased and also friends and family 2. I called PayPal rep via their customer service number.

[kernowlass]

@Wbk4life 

So why would you use friends/family for purchasing something?

If they weren't a family member or a close mate you were sending a 'gift' of money to why would you use that option?

If you had used goods/services then you would have had buyer protection like the rep said, but by using friends/family you negated your buyer protection. It also says on both the web and the app when you go to use it that you have no buyer protection if you use that option.

Also I asked where you got the phone number, hope you used the one on  the website and not googled it?

[Wbk4life]

When I was making the payment, I cant remember seeing an option to chose friends and family nor buying and services option. When I wanted to make the payment, it initially on the 18th, it didn't go through, so I called customer service on [Removed] I got this number from PayPal contact us page. The rep did something on his end and the payment went through. As I didn't know that I have chose a buying option and the rep didn't tell me neither, they have caused me this problem. If I was advised properly by the rep, This problem wouldn't have occurred. This seller have disappeared, her call is not going. I don't know if I should report it to the police. This is devastating. Any advice on how I can track this seller who has disappeared is welcome

[kernowlass]

@Wbk4life 

This sounds odd so your best option is to contact customer services to sort things out.

https://www.paypal.com/cshelp/article/how-do-i-contact-paypal-customer-service--HELP378

[Wbk4life]

Hello everyone, I have contacted PayPal about this fraudulent act by this bogus seller but I am not getting response. Please, could PayPal provide details about this seller that is scamming people and hiding behind their platform so that she can be tracked. She will end up scamming more people if PayPal dont expose such person. Any advice will be appreciated.