Says paid via PayPal on eBay, but no record on PayPal? What happened here?

[TheApostle]

I paid for an item on eBay with PayPal, but 44 days later haven't received the item... EBay says "paid via PayPal," but theres no record of the transaction on PayPal.  The buyer has changed id, but that shouldn't matter. There was no notice of a refund.  No message from PayPal or eBay was EVER received. It just seems like a big crack to have fallen through.

Because there is no PayPal transaction number visible, I cannot open a dispute on PayPal.  To be absolutely clear, eBay shows a transaction number, and that it was paid via PayPal.

The PayPal record doesn't show a balance according to date of my account, so I am afraid.  What happened?  How was a little boy's chiristmas let down?  Who's fault is this?

I honestly feel like I am in the PayPal/eBay Twilight Zone.

[TheApostle]

So, eBay's resolution center said I was refunded my money to PayPal, and they even gave me a PayPal transaction number, and all (a bunch of total crap, actually) that.  Problem is, when I clicked from eBay to view the PayPal transaction, THE TRANSACTION NUMBER WAS INVALID.  THERe IS NO REFUND.

[sandypurins]

How did you fund the PayPal payment... was it PayPal balance, bank account, credit card or debit card?

[TheApostle]

It was from a PayPal balance, but PayPal fixed it up and made sure I knew exactly what went on.  It was odd, but common.