Yet another ebay problem - Postal Orders this time

[Bobby Dazzler]

A colleague told me that she bought a phone last week in an ebay auction.

Advert said it was new and unused, but had been unlocked, and seller insisted on Postal Orders for payment. Well given the title of this thread you can possibly guess what's coming next...

Phone did arrive but was in used condition (with box), and didn't work. She thought it hadn't been unlocked, but it turns out it has been blocked as a lost/stolen phone. Out of pocket to the tune of £110.

Seller has dried up - no longer responding to emails. Colleague is about to escalate to ebay. It looks like there's no ebay buyer protection for purchases using postal orders.

Colleague has the name that the Postal Order was made out to, and the postal address it was sent to. I've suggested that they do an electoral roll check to see if they can tie it up.

Anyone know if ebay are likely to be able to do anything in this case? Also anyone know any alternative course of action they might take?

 

[pammy]

Doubt there will be anything they can do. Using POs is as bad as sending cash. Why would you do it? It offers no protection at all.

Sadly, I think'll they'll have to chalk this one to experience.

I find it so sad that ebay is becoming more and more risky like this. I won;t ever us it to buy this type of product ever again - it's just too too risky.

 

[MartAD]

Sorry this is nothing to do with Postal Orders, but it's an ebay issue and possibly a clue to the level of ebay's interest.

Some months ago I bought a Blackberry from an Australian seller, a month went by and it never arrived, I started a dispute process, Ebay gave the vendor a week to provide proof of postage ... I then received (recorded delivery) a blank piece of paper from the vendor, they provided this as proof I had received something! Ebay immediately closed the dispute, despite my photographing the A4 envelope (c/w contents) and emailing them, they stated they can't (read wont/cant be bothered/not interested in) re-open a 'resolved' dispute.

 

[glojo]

I have heard terrible things about ebay, the most common is where people sell alleged new telephones, get the money, then report them as stolen to claim the insurance. The telephone then gets blocked and because a three month period has past, ebay simply says, "tough"!!!

I have been given an old mobile phone to carry about, but be blowed if I will buy a newer model from ebay!

Buying a mobile phone off ebay is extremely risky!

John

 

[Alps]

im currently going through an ebay issue, where i bought a pond pump advertised as working, when i recieved it it worked for 30 secs and died, seller refusing to refund , trying to say i must have blown it somehow!, just had the local aquatics place have confirmed its 5 yrs old and the damage is one caused over time!... ebay... you win some you loose some!

 

[esox]

.

Seller has dried up - no longer responding to emails. Colleague is about to escalate to ebay. It looks like there's no ebay buyer protection for purchases using postal orders.

Dont you have to provide credit/debit card details to ebay when setting up a sellers account?
Surely someone (ebay?) could contact the seller this way via the card issuer and start "leaning" on them to resolve any dispute?
Or is it not as easy as that?

A seller could only get away with this scam once anyaway - the feedback received will surely put other buyers off dealing with them.Is it worth the hassle for a few quid?

 

[mobeyone]

Doubt it I am afraid.

What was the feedback like of the seller?

 

[big x]

This has nothing to do with Ebay,but everything to do with dishonest people who can found everywhere.If you buy something used out of the paper it may break,that's the risk you take.Buying mail order increases the risk however the advantage you get with the Ebay/Paypal route is you can use a credit card and do a credit card chargeback if there are problems.You get more protection on Ebay as a buyer or seller not less.Currently the buyer protection limit is £500 per transaction and seller protection £3150 per annum on my account but most of this is tied to using Paypal.
Buying a used mobile from anything other than a dealer is risky...period.Please stop blaming Ebay !

adam

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

The feedback was good - 100% - at the time the auction ended. Since then had two negative feedbacks in last couple of days.

History of selling clothes, and this was the first mobile they had sold - since then they have sold another one for £175 (negative feedback), and Concert Tickets for £265 (negative feedback) least recently. All big ticket items.

I fear the account has been hi-jacked. I wonder whether there's much ebay can do, given Postal Orders were used?

If all else fails, at least she has a name and address (real or otherwise) she could pass to the Police. I doubt how much attention would be given though, despite the fact that there is some kind or fraud and theft involved.

 

[glojo]

Buying a used mobile from anything other than a dealer is risky...period.Please stop blaming Ebay.

adam

Hi Adam,
Are you suggesting that ebay has no responsibility over the adverts that are placed?

I am asking out of curiousity and NOT confrontation.

Regards,
John the curious

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

This has nothing to do with Ebay,but everything to do with dishonest people.

Adam, you're absolutely right, it is all to do with dishonest people.

Buying a used mobile from anything other than a dealer is risky...period.Please stop blaming Ebay.

I've just re-read the posts in this thread and I'm not sure anyone has blamed ebay - my interpretation is that posts are touching upon the fact it's increasingly likely to encounter problems these days when using ebay. As you say this is down to dishonesty of the users.

By being the middle man in a sale, I believe that there is an implied involvement in mediating in the event of a dispute - I think it's in this respect that MartAD had found a dead end in resolving an issue he encountered. I don't believe that MartAD was blaming ebay for the cause of the actual problem though, ie that his Blackberry never arrived.

However I am hopeful that ebay will be able to offer some kind of assistance, although I fear there's little they can do beyond put a stop on the account if it's a hi-jacked one, and help the police with enquiries should that avenue be taken.

 

[big x]

Hi Adam,
Are you suggesting that ebay has no responsibility over the adverts that are placed?

I am asking out of curiousity and NOT confrontation.

Regards,
John the curious

I remember a few years ago Ebay had over 2 million active daily listings.Guess how many people they employed ? 200 Worldwide and 20 in the UK.
Things have changed sizewise but the principle is the same.... it all works on trust the cornerstone being the feedback principle.
Ebay cannot monitor everything, it works because at the end of the day most people are honest.

adam

 

[big x]

Adam, you're absolutely right, it is all to do with dishonest people.



I've just re-read the posts in this thread and I'm not sure anyone has blamed ebay - my interpretation is that posts are touching upon the fact it's increasingly likely to encounter problems these days when using ebay. As you say this is down to dishonesty of the users.

By being the middle man in a sale, I believe that there is an implied involvement in mediating in the event of a dispute - I think it's in this respect that MartAD had found a dead end in resolving an issue he encountered. I don't believe that MartAD was blaming ebay for the cause of the actual problem though, ie that his Blackberry never arrived.

However I am hopeful that ebay will be able to offer some kind of assistance, although I fear there's little they can do beyond put a stop on the account if it's a hi-jacked one, and help the police with enquiries should that avenue be taken.

Being realistic I think Ebays powers are very limited that's why I mentioned credit card chargebacks. You have consumer rights with your card issuer that mean they not Ebay should be the first port of call.
These days the Police don't even follow up house break ins unless part of a spate where clues are being left so they will not be interested in this case IMHO.

adam

 

[BonzoDog]

Yes it is dishonest people but Ebay tend to be unhelpful/difficult to contact when there is a problem. We have stopped using it now.

 

[glojo]

Guess how many people they employed ? 200 Worldwide and 20 in the UK.
Things have changed sizewise but the principle is the same.... it all works on trust the cornerstone being the feedback principle.
Ebay cannot monitor everything, it works because at the end of the day most people are honest.

adam

That is unbelievable!!
I saw a news item on CNN where a wooden shack in some African country was raided. Inside this shack were about thirty individuals all sat at computer terminals working ebay scams!! That was just ONE shed, I wonder how many other 'sheds' there are in different towns\countries, and ebay have just twenty UK staff to deal with ALL ebay issues!!

I am going WAY off topic here MANY apologies, but surely even with just twenty staff could they install software that blocks ALL adverts that contravene their own codes of conduct? I am thinking specifically of that old favourite of contacting the seller via e-mail! Is that an easy thing to filter?

I accept that there are folks that are extremely street wise, and think it serves people right if they get ripped off, but perhaps that atitude might be slightly unfair?

I wonder how much money ebay are making and how much they are investing in security?

Whilst I am 'wondering' I wonder how the Police look on ebay? Are these incidents something they would take on, especially if the suspect is from abroad?

These questions are for my own education, and hopefully the post is not confrontational?

Regards
John the curious

 

[MartAD]

I should say first off, I still use ebay and have no way of knowing if my case was typical.

But I believe if Ebay can do something, they should do something, I had a feeling that for them the box was ticked and they could erase another case feeling justified they had done their job, whereas a small child could have reviewed the evidence and realise it was a scam.

Such is the perceived importance of the feedback system (and to my shame) I never left the seller any feedback, negative or otherwise, knowing full well that I would receive the same in return ~ which would have worsened the situation. I appreciate that's not helpful to others, but I guess this happens a lot, where feedback is king.

 

[big x]

That is unbelievable!!
I saw a news item on CNN where a wooden shack in some African country was raided. Inside this shack were about thirty individuals all sat at computer terminals working ebay scams!! That was just ONE shed, I wonder how many other 'sheds' there are in different towns\countries, and ebay have just twenty UK staff to deal with ALL ebay issues!!

I am going WAY off topic here MANY apologies, but surely even with just twenty staff could they install software that blocks ALL adverts that contravene their own codes of conduct? I am thinking specifically of that old favourite of contacting the seller via e-mail! Is that an easy thing to filter?

I accept that there are folks that are extremely street wise, and think it serves people right if they get ripped off, but perhaps that atitude might be slightly unfair?

I wonder how much money ebay are making and how much they are investing in security?

Whilst I am 'wondering' I wonder how the Police look on ebay? Are these incidents something they would take on, especially if the suspect is from abroad?


Regards
John the curious

That 20 figure was some time ago, I don't know the current number but it's clearly far far more as Ebay UK has really taken off after a slow start.
There are sites where email is partly disabled unless you join by replacing the @ and numbers with ***.It doesn't really work as many are guessable.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Such is the perceived importance of the feedback system (and to my shame) I never left the seller any feedback, negative or otherwise, knowing full well that I would receive the same in return ~ which would have worsened the situation. I appreciate that's not helpful to others, but I guess this happens a lot, where feedback is king.

Hanging my head in shame, I too am guilty of not leaving negative feedback to avoid a reciprocal slinging match - visible for all to see on my feedback history.

I felt bad at the time, although on both occasions I think they were probably sound ebay-ers but just didn't want to let their goods go for so little (and wishing they'd put a reserve on their item).

 

[w124coupe]

I would suggest this (based on my own experience with non-delivery of an Ipod).

Unfortunately you can't get Ebay Standard Payment Protection as it doesn't cover Postal Order payments (or money "wired").

First, open a dispute via Ebay (find it on the menu). This will provide evidence that you tried to come to a reasoned conclusion and will also help suspend the seller.

Wait a couple of weeks, replying to all messages via the Dispute process.

Via the Dispute console, warn the seller you intend to issue a Moneyclaim against them - give an exact date.

Then, start a Moneyclaim against the seller (online, costs £30 which is added to the money claimed).

In my case, once the Court wrote to the seller asking him to plead, he paid immediately (obviously didn't want a Judgement against him).

If the claim proceeds, you need to have kept everything from the Ebay transaction plus the phone and a witness account of the phone condition on delivery.

Remember, at court he WILL be risking a "passing on stolen property" offence as the phone is barred.....

At court (informal) it will all be over in an hour assuming your evidence is all there.

I'm a great believer in not letting these b'stards off - because they just move on an "do" the next person and make us all look like fools....

Do it NOW!

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I would suggest this (based on my own experience with non-delivery of an Ipod)...QUOTE]

Superb. I'll pass this on to my colleague.

Just Googled "moneyclaim" and found this.

https://www.moneyclaim.gov.uk/csmco2/index.jsp

Looks like this is the way to go if all else fails.

Do you know if the other party is found guilty they pay the £30 cost?