[FS: General] Scammer alert

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Bongos121

Well-known member
Not sure if this is the right place for this but I didn't want anyone else to get scammed.
I had a in perfect condition Sigma 50mm 1.4. Had the user finesse185 buy through paypal. I shipped out right away. I checked and he received the lens very shortly after it was sent out. It was packed in bubble wrap quite nicely. Without contacting me first he went straight to paypal to get the charge reversed due to the lens "not being as described". He wont respond to me and so instead of him sending back the lens and me sending him his money back he is going to pull the classic paypal scam and keep the lens and the money while I will be stuck with no money for the lens and no lens.
I know that thats the risk with paypal but never had any risk with dvx. Im not posting this to just complain because I know I am screwed, I just am posting to warn other potential sellers. Thanks for reading.
 
Bongos121 said:
Not sure if this is the right place for this but I didn't want anyone else to get scammed.
I had a in perfect condition Sigma 50mm 1.4. Had the user finesse185 buy through paypal. I shipped out right away. I checked and he received the lens very shortly after it was sent out. It was packed in bubble wrap quite nicely. Without contacting me first he went straight to paypal to get the charge reversed due to the lens "not being as described". He wont respond to me and so instead of him sending back the lens and me sending him his money back he is going to pull the classic paypal scam and keep the lens and the money while I will be stuck with no money for the lens and no lens.
I know that thats the risk with paypal but never had any risk with dvx. Im not posting this to just complain because I know I am screwed, I just am posting to warn other potential sellers. Thanks for reading.
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Provide pictures of the lens you shipped prior to shipping. Also if the lens was damaged during shipping hopefully you had insurance and file a claim. If you provide these steps you are covered.
 
I definitely have a lot of pictures. I just don't even know what hes claiming happened because he hasn't said a word to me. He just went straight to paypal..
 
Gentlemen:

We let this thread go for a while, but any name calling, etc. is forbidden.

We have a report by one the parties to the transaction, and no response as yet from the other party.

Until we do (or don't), let's keep comments civil and constructive.
 
Bongos121 said:
pull the classic paypal scam and keep the lens and the money while I will be stuck with no money for the lens and no lens.
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I'd be careful of suggesting there's some classic scam, as I've been on the opposite end, i.e. I've paid for goods (unfortunately from a person known to this forum and others) expecting them in good faith, they've not arrived, then it turns out the item was never insured or tracked. Then on querying why I've not received the goods, I got abused and spoken to in a disgraceful manner, some messages towards the early hours so possibly sent from a mobile or under the influence of alcohol, but nonetheless a very unpleasant transaction.

I would agree though going straight to Paypal without a message first to try and resolve matters is very odd and certainly is a totally unreasonable buyer (I'm sure one of the questions on a dispute asks if you've sought a resolution first).

I hope you've acted as a professional seller if nothing else to cover your own back of, as already suggested, taking good photos of the item for sale and tracking and insuring it.
 
P13 said:
I would agree though going straight to Paypal without a message first to try and resolve matters is very odd and certainly is a totally unreasonable buyer (I'm sure one of the questions on a dispute asks if you've sought a resolution first).

.
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According to Paypal, the buyer must make a first effort to resolve the dispute. If the buyer has not done that, then you can lay claim on your side as well. If you have proof that the buyer received the package, then the buyer must make a choice in the eyes of Paypal. He cannot keep both the money and the lens. If he sends the lens back to you it should be registered and insured (insurance is always for the benefit of the sender, not the buyer). Additionally, if you file a police report, you will have more credibility when you go back to paypal to assert your side of the argument. It's a pain, but you are not entirely powerless in this situation.
 
yoclay said:
He cannot keep both the money and the lens. If he sends the lens back to you it should be registered and insured (insurance is always for the benefit of the sender, not the buyer).
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That was my impression too, he's accepting he's received the lens so would have to return it first.
 
Always insure and track your packages, and photograph the lens as well as showing it bubble-wrapped. File a police report. You should be covered.

In the future, dealing with someone who has 9-10 messages in toto at this community is just too risky from my point of view when money and goods are involved. Sorry, I know this is unfair to new users, but I'm afraid that my view is you should be a member for YEARS and have dealings with many users - that's what the feedback score is for, after all, eBay has the same idea. Otherwise it's just too risky, IMHO. It makes me very sad that the world is such, but alas. Buyer/Seller beware.
 
OldCorpse said:
Always insure and track your packages, and photograph the lens as well as showing it bubble-wrapped. File a police report. You should be covered.

In the future, dealing with someone who has 9-10 messages in toto at this community is just too risky from my point of view when money and goods are involved. Sorry, I know this is unfair to new users, but I'm afraid that my view is you should be a member for YEARS and have dealings with many users - that's what the feedback score is for, after all, eBay has the same idea. Otherwise it's just too risky, IMHO. It makes me very sad that the world is such, but alas. Buyer/Seller beware.
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I agree completely with you now. I guess I was just too trusting (100% my fault).
As an update, I've tried contacting the buyer multiple times. No reply. I submitted all my evidence/photos/emails to paypal. Just waiting to hear back now.
 
I learned recently that Fedex does not sell insurance, I think their maximum liability is 100 dollars. The stated value that is on the form is for something else and is not related to insurance. I think it might also be the same for UPS.
 
i actually sold something on ebay & shipped via ups. i insured it for 3500
now the seller claims it was damaged. & before UPS could inspect it, ebay decides to refund the buyer & tell him to ship it back.
according to ebay, UPS denied the claim..ill keep you posted on that sigh
 
bwpmedia said:
i actually sold something on ebay & shipped via ups. i insured it for 3500
now the seller claims it was damaged. & before UPS could inspect it, ebay decides to refund the buyer & tell him to ship it back.
according to ebay, UPS denied the claim..ill keep you posted on that sigh
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Shipping insurance is almost always a sham. Regardless of company. Even usps will do anything to avoid paying you. They require proof that your item was working before it shipped, and dont insure anything that according to their system has been delivered. Ive lost packages that were tracked to my building, maybe stolen here. No insurance money from usps and thats after getting sent round and round the bureaucratic system.

ive also had ups damage a well padded lcd monitor (packed in factory material). After an agent came and looked at the item and then made empty promises to appease me. then they said they needed proof that it was working before shipping. I didnt have a photo of it but even if i did have something like that, im sure they wouldve wriggled their way out.

The new stories about paypal refunding the buyer unilaterally are even more disturbing though. I sell a lot on ebay and this concerns me. Please share more details.
 
UPS actually uses a third party to adjust insurance claims.

I believe that the small print says they have up to 180 days to settle.
 
Is there any enforcement for them to ship back? Whats to stop them from keeping the money and the item if they were already refunded?
 
Maybe not.

If PayPal violated its own procedures, then you might want to talk to them.

For example:

As soon as the buyer files a claim for PayPal Buyer Protection, PayPal will review the claim and may ask both buyer and seller to provide additional information to settle the case.
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and:

3.7 Prior to filing a claim under the buyer protection program, you have to grant the seller adequate time for shipment and delivery, at least one week, and must try to solve the conflict by directly contacting the seller first.
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and:

5.2 When the buyer files a claim for PayPal Buyer Protection because the item received significantly differs from the seller's item description, the buyer is required in certain cases to return the item at his own expenses to the seller, to PayPal, or to a third party specified by PayPal, as well as to provide appropriate tracking information. PayPal reserves the right to request further documentation from the buyer to support the claim. The buyer has to bear any costs that may arise from this request.
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https://cms.paypal.com/ch/cgi-bin/m...ent_ID=ua/BuyerProtection_full&locale.x=en_US

Were you ever contacted by PayPal?
 
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so here`s the thing. its a video switcher, which i sold but i tested it AT the UPS store & i have both VIDEO AND photo evidence of it working
im cautious like that. also the UPS employee packed the item himself
(apparently if they dont pack it themself, its not insured for damage, loss only)
anyway, i call UPS who says that the item was never inspected & theyre still trying to reach the buyer
but ebay callled UPS who says the claim was denied BECAUSE OF INSUFFICIENT PACKAGING so they instructed the buyer to send back the item to me.
èbay==I didn’t obtain any further information as we just needed to confirm their claim was now closed.If you don't issue a refund within 3 days, eBay will refund the buyer and seek reimbursement from you.


AND theyre basically refunding the buyer. i;m still waiting to see whats the outcome of this
of course the buyer as well has to be refunded for total price, and my shipping charges was $200 by itself
 
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