eBay Woes

November 3, 2006 10:02 AM

Bought a phone off eBay now i think im being scammed...HELP!

I bought a cell phone off a reputable seller on ebay (99.4% positive feedback out of a total of 2,000+ transactions) and it was defective / nonfunctional when i recieved it. The seller said he'd exchange it so i sent it back to him. My problem is, i sent it a week ago via priority mail - no certification, no tracking number - i dont know what i was thinking. I have a receipt and thats about it. The seller claims he hasnt received it, i have no way of proving anything. He said as soon as he gets it he'll send out another but i feel as though since he legally doesnt have to, he wont. What can i do? Is there anyway i can end out breaking even or closer to even here?

posted by AMP583 to shopping (7 comments total)

At 99.4%, I'd say the odds are against you being ripped off. Maybe it just hasn't arrived yet.
posted by BorgLove at 10:12 AM on November 3, 2006

Well, if you didn't properly insure it you have no protection other than the seller's word and the competence the post office. At 99.4% over 2,000+ transactions I'd say that you're probably not going to be ripped off...

Or, which is more likely: the phone was lost in the mail or the seller is trying to pull a fast one?
posted by wfrgms at 10:38 AM on November 3, 2006

I've had priority mail take over 10 days before. Yes, it's delivered in 2 days "on average," but there is no guarantee.
posted by rkent at 10:46 AM on November 3, 2006

He said as soon as he gets it he'll send out another but i feel as though since he legally doesnt have to, he wont.

No, he does legally have to send out another when he gets it. But since you can't prove that the phone you sent was delivered it's irrelevant. Expensive lesson, but one that might still turn up fine.
posted by mendel at 11:06 AM on November 3, 2006

His name isn't whackster8 by chance is it? I just had a similar interaction and my refund is still "pending" as paypal tells me. The guy has been using dropsellers to list phones, in my case a Motorola Q that looked like its previous owner used it as a hockey puck, despite being listed as like new. If he gives you a number, call and harass him as much as possible.

I've been dealing with them for the past few weeks and I still don't have my money back. I sent mine with delivery confirmation though, so I sent him the number and a screenshot that I knew it had been received. It was funny, because right after he got my email (we were on the phone) he suddenly remembered getting my package the day before, because he was the one who opened it...

It had my name on the outside, inside, and my email written on the freaking box. Only then did he remember, pretty freaking shady. Open a dispute on paypal, he seemed to take me more seriously.
posted by eleongonzales at 12:49 PM on November 3, 2006

It is infact whackster8. I can't believe the 1 out of 21 times i've bought something ebay, i get shafted.
posted by AMP583 at 4:33 PM on November 3, 2006

Sorrry to hear, I am still waiting for my refund as well.

Did you try a paypal dispute?
posted by eleongonzales at 8:23 AM on November 6, 2006