Grrr ... I've been scammed

[GeoffL]

PayPal refuse to budge and say I must pay £15 to return the bags via their system. I've just checked and there are still apparently identical websites selling these chairs, all from domains created since April 2020 and all using PayPal. I've provided PayPal with adequate evidence of the scam for them to at least suspend the seller's account but they're still providing their services to the scammer. Also, there are messages on the PayPal community forum complaining of being scammed by the Zixhin Trading Co Ltd. (the scammers behind this). From that, I can only conclude that PayPal is well aware of the scam and hence is complicit in it. I've removed all funding sources from my PayPal account, I'll close it in a couple of days and will never use PayPal again. In the meantime, my credit card company says I can enter a 'Mastercard' dispute against PayPal, but they think it'll be unsuccessful as PayPal are 'offering a means of resolution'. I guess I need to chalk it down to experience...

 

[GeoffL]

This is not looking good for my claim

If you managed to pay directly with a credit card you should be in a better position than me. The law says that the credit card company is joint vendor and severably liable (although I'm not completely sure if that applies to stuff bought mail order from overseas). The reasons why I'm stuffed are that I paid for the goods by PayPal and so did not pay for them directly with my credit card; and PayPal have offered an (albeit impractical) means of resolution. Having now learned that PayPal's protection promises aren't worth a penny (as scammers have weaponised PayPal's T&Cs against their victims) and that protection against fraud is stronger if you pay directly by credit card, I've now closed my PayPal account and won't use them again.

 

[mfw]

I'd post them back at least you will get half the original cost back - trouble is ebay is an excellent place for con artists to make money - personally i prefer amazon to buy from

 

[GeoffL]

I'd post them back at least you will get half the original cost back - trouble is ebay is an excellent place for con artists to make money - personally i prefer amazon to buy from

There are several reports on the 'net of people who've done that and the scammers then claim they didn't receive the item, or the goods were received back in an unsellable condition (my guess is they have some trashed on hand for this purpose), or (and you have to admire the brass neck) that what you sent back was not what they sent you. In all cases, PayPal seem to have sided with the scammers -- so you wouldn't get your money back and you'd be out of pocket a further £15.

 

[trevskoda]

I'd post them back at least you will get half the original cost back - trouble is ebay is an excellent place for con artists to make money - personally i prefer amazon to buy from

My wife bought stuff for daughter going back so school,bag calculator and pens,flimsy box arrived and only bag in it,other stuff nicked as box opened,ph to amazon and person from distant seas could not understand a word and i pigion english just kept saying please return goods you have not received,took two days to get message home after speaking to top man,then a refund,amazon not that good.

 

[trevskoda]

Many of those conned, myself included didn’t buy from EBay. I bought mine in response to a video ad on Instagram and looking on google there are many other sites where the same scam is being operated.

All stuff on instagram or vids is scam.

 

[GeoffL]

[...] took two days to get message home after speaking to top man,then a refund,amazon not that good.

FWIW, If you have Amazon Prime, calling them on 0800 279 7234 (took me ages to find that number!) can get quicker response than going through the usual hurdles. Every time I've phoned the agent was able to resolve the issue there and then or instigate action that gave a reasonably swift resolution (e.g. where one item was fulfilled by Amazon, they wrote to the seller on my behalf thus creating an avenue of communication that didn't exist before).

 

[Pandaman2020]

Ah funny you should say that. I did the same on some reading glasses in one of those adverts. They showed to work like varifocals and I had broken mine. Thought £24.99 including 3 day postage was worth a gamble. That was 2nd June and PayPal still not coughed up yet. Hope you do better than me

Yes I bought these glasses as well, supposed to come from Germany but came from China, can buy better for a £1 in Poundland, customer service laugh at you if you complain so I post lots of £$%^ reviews when I see their adds!

 

[Nabsim]

Yes I bought these glasses as well, supposed to come from Germany but came from China, can buy better for a £1 in Poundland, customer service laugh at you if you complain so I post lots of £$%^ reviews when I see their adds!

I got my money refunded by PayPal then the glasses turned up lol

 

[Deg3y]

I've mentioned this before, but ... if you get an invitation to join the eBay 'concierge' program, do it! If you have any problems with a seller (or a buyer when you are selling things), then you get access to special customer service team, who are very good and will deal with everything to its conclusion.
You also are able to return things for any reason (as I mentioned as part of the Consumer Contracts Regulations) but with the concierge program, eBay pay for any return costs (you pay the charge initially, and they refund you a few days later).


I have some sales via my Facebook business page but don't think I have used Facebook Marketplace to sell anything and as fas as my business sales go I don't think I ever would as there are too many muppets there who don't actually understand what they are buying - and blame the seller not their own ineptitiude as a result. So mainly stick to eBay or my own on-line shop for selling stuff.
Sales via Social Media (Forums, Facebook, etc) only after discussion so the buyer understands what they are buying.

I often call my Ebay Concierge, helped me out several times about different things...good luck...

 

[Pandaman2020]

I got my money refunded by PayPal then the glasses turned up lol

Were they any good mine were 3.5 based on my age not 2.5 which I need and were not as described, I will try the PayPal refund route because their customer service are taking the piss

 

[Nabsim]

Were they any good mine were 3.5 based on my age not 2.5 which I need and were not as described, I will try the PayPal refund route because their customer service are taking the piss

They didn’t even send mine out until after I requested a refund. They do work to en extent yes, I wear a varifocals and they weren’t the same but much better than when I tried some reading glasses. I just got a new prescription now so not using them

 

[trevskoda]

Im going for co-op milk bottle ends.