Possible new general "scam" tactic going around.

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SunnyD

SunnyD

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This comes on behalf of myself as well as a few other regular sellers I know that have been encountering this with increasing frequency as of late across multiple FS/FT sites. This may be a new scam/troll tactic out there to part your goods and your money from you a bit easier. I wanted to post this up as a warning to many sellers out there.

I have noticed a frightening trend where buyers will swoop in and pay full price for your item(s) listed for sale. However, after they get it, they'll nit pick over every detail and threaten you with negative evaluations or paypal claims unless you give them a partial refund.

My suggestion is, rather than cave to these extortion type tactics, simply tell them to return the items and offer them a full refund, no more no less. These folks are trying to get your item in hand, and then use that as leverage (they have the goods, and PayPal has a very liberal policy with respect to BUYERS).

I just wanted to give everyone a heads up so people are aware this is out there. This should be pretty much common sense, but it deserves a reminder.
 
Thanks for the reminder. I have experienced a similar thing from a buyer. I had to chalk it up to an old lesson re-learned.
 
I experienced similar situation couple months back but i don't want to deal with the hassle of returning and stress out that it will be damage in transit so i gave the buyer a partial refund. Needless to say, i only sell to people with heatware now.
 
This is exactly why a BUYER'S references are just as important as a sellers.
 
i always afraid of that, im new here , but i consider any kind of reputation a big plus. ebay, here or other places.......
 
For this reason you put in your add that is for sale or trade that you gurantee items to be non DOA but they come as is and you are not responseable for compatability issues. Problem solved
 
Nothing new. This same thing was going on several months back, possibly a lot longer and it happened to several sellers including me.
CYA, take a lot of pics of item, packaging etc. and INSURE the damn thing.
 
you know what i think?
never happen to me but i afraid about that, i think record when i pack and ship items
 
exomega said:
For this reason you put in your add that is for sale or trade that you gurantee items to be non DOA but they come as is and you are not responseable for compatability issues. Problem solved
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PayPal doesn't give a damn what your ad says. An "unhappy" buyer pretty much guarantees a chargeback is incoming unless the seller takes action to appease the buyer. A PayPal seller is guilty until proven innocent via congressional mandate.

Ad.
Guarantee.
Compatibility.
Responsible.
 
The only thing this thread serves is as a reminder for the new fraudsters. Good job.
 
This is a noticeable trend. I make sure that I list every possible detail I know to, to cover myself, but I might miss something and that is the leverage they need. It's terrible that we cannot sell things anymore without being afraid of losing money.
 
Paypal does suck balls when it comes to being the seller. Also, they kind of suck period. I only use it for transactions of $200 or less.
 
bigddybn said:
PayPal doesn't give a damn what your ad says. An "unhappy" buyer pretty much guarantees a chargeback is incoming unless the seller takes action to appease the buyer. A PayPal seller is guilty until proven innocent via congressional mandate.

Ad.
Guarantee.
Compatibility.
Responsible.
Click to expand...
Exactly. If I am approached by a new buyer, I demand a postal money order or other payment method. I won't do paypal. If they refuse, I don't sell. Simple. I'd rather throw stuff in the trash now than "sell it', let them chargeback and keep the items.
adriantrances said:
The only thing this thread serves is as a reminder for the new fraudsters. Good job.
Click to expand...
If you cover yourself as you should, it doesn't matter if you tell them how to "work the scam" as they already probably know. You need to work them more by demanding a different payment method and if they refuse, you should skip the sale. Simple. If you take the ball from their court (not using paypal), they can't play the game to begin with.
 
My personal motto is, if I can't afford to simply throw the item away or live without the money that the sale would bring in, I can't afford the risk of selling it online.
 
I had this problem with a mobo I sold on Ebay. The guy said it didn't work when he received it. It was still under warranty so he sent it back to the manufacturer. The sent him another one. He still wanted a refund from me for shipping plus his time lost or negative feedback.
 
bigddybn said:
PayPal doesn't give a damn what your ad says. An "unhappy" buyer pretty much guarantees a chargeback is incoming unless the seller takes action to appease the buyer. A PayPal seller is guilty until proven innocent via congressional mandate.

Ad.
Guarantee.
Compatibility.
Responsible.
Click to expand...

You are 100% correct but at least if you say as-is in the ad and the buyer still demands a partial refund, you have a legitimate reason to leave negative heatware. Assuming sellers only sell to buyers with heatware, then this should all be a non issue soon enough.
 
not its possible create some kind of form, and make buyer sign it :D
and give two days for inspect, check, test, articles after it arrives to him
 
solaris54 said:
I had this problem with a mobo I sold on Ebay. The guy said it didn't work when he received it. It was still under warranty so he sent it back to the manufacturer. The sent him another one. He still wanted a refund from me for shipping plus his time lost or negative feedback.
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Well it sounds like in that case, you should have sent him a few bucks for shipping. Time lost = bs
 
solaris54 said:
I had this problem with a mobo I sold on Ebay. The guy said it didn't work when he received it. It was still under warranty so he sent it back to the manufacturer. The sent him another one. He still wanted a refund from me for shipping plus his time lost or negative feedback.
Click to expand...

Same thing happened to me. I sent a X58 board out to a buyer on ebay, Used the original box / anti static bag / bubble wrap / socket protector. I even tested the board fully before packing it and he emails me says the 5 pins are bent when he gets it. I ended up having to pay return shipping and a full refund :( Got the board back and it looked as if he dropped the CPU in the socket while attempting to install. I bent the pins out and the board posted and worked great but still lost money over a person with no integrity.
 
brandonwh64 said:
.............Got the board back and it looked as if he dropped the CPU in the socket while attempting to install..............
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That is another reason I take a lot of pics prior to shipping; in case the buyer tries that, or if the item is damaged in shipping and I have to make a claim.

The photos are documentation of the way it was before it got shipped.
 
"That is another reason I take a lot of pics prior to shipping;" <------This
 
DPOSCORP said:
That is another reason I take a lot of pics prior to shipping; in case the buyer tries that, or if the item is damaged in shipping and I have to make a claim.

The photos are documentation of the way it was before it got shipped.
Click to expand...

I tried that as well, Paypal still sided with the buyer. Their reason was simply stated to me as "dissatisfaction" and I was out the item and money since they broke it. Typically now, if it's a higher $ item I won't use Paypal at all.
 
The reality is no matter what you do, the buyer will win the dispute. It doesn't matter if you take plenty of pictures, made a boxing video, have the post office sign off on it, etc. You win lose the dispute if the buyer paid using a CC. PayPal/Amazon will not want to lose their accounts with the major CC companies so they will either eat it or make you (the seller) eat it, so guess who gets the short end of the stick?

Gillbot said:
My personal motto is, if I can't afford to simply throw the item away or live without the money that the sale would bring in, I can't afford the risk of selling it online.
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^ This is the ultimate truth. I know full well what Gillbot is saying. I've been selling on ebay well over 10 years and over 3,000 transactions. I've gotten scammed no more than a dozen time but each time it costed me money and merchandise. I had a buyer flat out did a chargeback, kept my item and PP did nothing about it. I sold that buyer a brand new camera, shipped with tracking and signature confirmation, still lost the chargeback. On top of that, I had to pay PP a $25 chargeback fee. :mad:

PayPal will not "protect" you. If you read the TOS, they even admit to it. They admit to not being able to do much about a chargeback. If I am ever given the opportunity to stick one to PP, you bet your bass I'm going to do it.

On topic, I haven't met a buyer who tried to extort money out of me. Can you sellers PM me the names of users who did this to you?
 
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This just happpened to me on ebay.. I sold an item that worked last time used it. Even put as is.. the buyer got the item said when they hooked it up it didnt work properly.. And then wanted a refund.. I offered for buyer to keep the item and i would give a partial refund. Buyer agreed. Than 1 day later put a case wanting a FULL refund.. For all i know he hooked it up wrong, switched the item out with a broken one they had.. Its some bull crap.. Ebay told me that if the buyer wants to return the item to me.. that i would have to take a broke item (Witch they may/may not have did) and give them a FULL refund.. I will be out shipping. the item and the amount sold item for..!! ALL BULL SHIT!!
 
I had similar happen with a cell phone, told the buyer to pay return shipping, called ebay, said id give a refund if it was damager during shipping, he dropped the case.
 
i wish ebay or somebody create some kind of check center for items, its only way , anyway its too complex

im not scammed yet lucky me............only solution is self destruction
 
This is why I stipulate in all my posts:

"Full refund will be given for a DOA item (up to 10 days after receiving device) AFTER item has been returned to me"

I've had a couple people try to pull this -- they normally shut their pie holes after I refer them back to this.
 
Many years ago I had something similar happen on ebay. Sold a guy some vintage capguns, made notes of what worked and what did not then concluded with AS IS no refunds. Guy gets the capguns, then a couple weeks later says one of them was not working right so he took it to a guy that fixes stuff like that and forwarded me the bill to pay, and said if I did not pay it he was going to leave negative feedback. The fuck? I told him to get bent, it's as is and he didn't even mention there was a problem before getting them fixed and sending a bill. He filed a dispute and PayPal, amazingly enough for PayPal, sided with me. Still left me negative feedback.
 
I had one of these very VERY recently. I felt like I was being screwed over, but I just went with it to avoid some long drawn out headache over a relatively small amount of money. Learned my lesson, and absolutely will only guarantee against DOA from here on out.
 
I'm normally lenient but this deserves the harshest punishment.
I've been on a somewhat of a FS/T buying spree lately. I love the trading spirit on the most respected forums. The thing is these sellers don't make money, best case scenario they recover a portion of what they spent. Yet I see so many understate their times and conditions. Just few days ago, I bought a used Antec sig PSU. Seller (badz24) listed his PSU as slightly used but it turns out it was only used for a week.

I rarely sell stuff (I give away locally 9 out of 10 times) but I can appreciate the position sellers are in. It was heartbreaking to see guys 200+ heat eval get ruined by a SOB. People take pride in trading here, last thing they need is trolling losers.
 
This is why I start to sell my items AS-IS.

- OR -

Don't like it? Return it at your cost, refund will be full amount minus the cost of shipping if paid by me.

Simple as that.
 
I got shit on the other way.....

I ordered a "new" router on Amazon from one of the affiliates.
I should have known better, the guy has no feedback at all.

I got a clearly used item, shipped to me in a Bannana Republic shirt box, inside were a few pieces of old newspaper. The router and the power adapter were loose in the box. There are scratches and marks all over the router.

The warranty seal on the router has also been slit/torn.

The guy refuses to deal with me. Says the item was never used so it's "new".

What a fucked up deal.:eek:
 
Some of the trends I've noticed have me fearful of selling things on the HardForum at times. I don't sell things very often, but I'll keep doing so until I run into problems.
 
Even more upset about these tactics than I thought I could ever be. Got my mouse after a smooth deal with a very nice trader. Dude even threw in a bonus of 3 steam games! Last thing I want is these mofo's souring the good sellers. I'll stop right here, talking any further on the subject would include profanity.

EDIT: Good karma! I just remembered, back in 2006 I parted my 7800GT setup, sold one card and "limped" on the other for a while. When I sold it on ebay, I also threw in few of my games. Buyer was happy as he really liked them. I guess I just got rewarded for that act.
 
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