Warning: PayPal will renege on their Buyers Protection policy

[entropical]

A shipment worth $200 was somehow lost between the USPS and my door. I never received it. I used PayPal in part because of their Buyer Protection policy. After submitting a case, they requested documentation proving that I didn't receive it(?), and then when I inquired what type of documentation would work they closed the case.

I won't be using PayPal anymore, and hope this serves as a warning to anyone relying on their service for peace of mind.

From PayPal's Buyer Protection Policy:

Refunds. 

If an item doesn’t arrive or doesn't match the description, and your payment is eligible, we’ll reimburse the full cost of eligible purchases paid, including shipping costs.

[kernowlass]

@entropical 

Buyer protection has terms and conditions.

Does tracking show the item as having been delivered to you or not?

Paypal is just a payment processor that gives you 'some' buyer and 'some' seller protection.
So disputes for non receipt of item are mostly automated. Seller provides tracking that shows delivery = seller wins.
So then its your turn to do some work to assist Paypal in recovering your purchase price from your seller.

Firstly ring Paypal customer services and tell them that the number is fake or that the item was shown as shipped before you purchased it. With that information they may well just issue you a refund.

Secondly if they don't then... APPEAL
To submit an appeal on the dispute that was closed, PayPal asks that you obtain a detailed report from the shipper/courier (on their letterhead or some other form of official stationary) that includes the address the seller gave them for the shipment. Or one that includes a statement mentioning your address and saying the item was delivered to a different address. THEY DON'T HAVE TO SAY WHICH ADDRESS IT WAS SENT TO, JUST THAT IT WAS NOT DELIVERED TO YOUR ADDRESS.

Check tracking in below link to see where it went.
https://www.17track.net/en

When you have that, contact PayPal via phone (log on to your account and click contact at the bottom of the page, or via Facebook (send a Private Message to PayPal) or via Twitter (send a Direct Message to @AskPayPal) and say you want to appeal the denial of the dispute based on the shipper saying the item was delivered to a different address. Once it's submitted (you will be provided with directions on how to do that), the dispute will be reviewed further and a determination will be made.

You also have the option to contact your card issuer if you funded your Paypal payment that way and see if they will do a chargeback for you?