posted on August 11, 2001 12:11:25 PM new
I have been on ebay for nearly four years and selling for around three. I have never had any trouble with sellers I bought from....until last month.
I won the bid on an antique sword. It actually came in rather low. I paid the seller with a USPS money order and was told my item was being shipped. Weeks past, I contacted again and asked where this was. Was forwarded a scanned tracking slip that said it had been shipped and received by another buyer in another town. I got very angry, said this wasn't me. Fellow was not answering emails for a while until I mentioned safeharbor. Got an email from a third party, unsigned, telling me the seller would give me a refund. I wait. I tell him I' needed to get a refund with signed delivery in a week or I was going to report. Was then told the old "check is in the mail" line. Waited more. Nothing came. Contaxcted again and was told it was mailed.
OK, went to feedback and there is new feedback indicating that this guy has just done something similar with someone else. The other guy had 23 emails and long-distance calls to this fellow and got the
run-around. It has been almost a month and a half and I have neither the item nor a refund. I suspect he probably either reposted
the item I won the bid on afterwards, in hopes that it would bring more, selling it out from under me, or is planning to and made it look like it was sold by mistake. What do I need to do now to bring safeharbor into the act?
posted on August 11, 2001 12:29:46 PM new
Last year I read of a seller of antique swords etc who sold broken, re-welded junk as good. He offered refunds if the item was returned to him w/in 5 days (or so), but always had an excuse why he wouldn't refund - mainly that the buyer had rewelded it!
Was the shipment insured? Get him to file for insurance, then he's guilty of fraud.
Anyway, just send an email to safe harbor. They will tell you how sorry they are but that ebay is "only a venue".
Also give him a neg.
Also file a complain for postal fraud. Whether it was shipped by USPS or nbot, you did pay with a PO MO.
posted on August 11, 2001 03:49:12 PM new
I sent all my email documentation to safeharbor with the note that I was retaining copies for possible forwarding to the State Attorney General's Office and the Congressional Committee looking into Internet Fraud {I live near DC]. Apparently there were two fellows working as partners on this. They've recently had a parting of the ways and I may end up contacting postal investigators. Has anyone had any dealings with the Postal Inspectors on a USPS money order. This guy was probably guilty of violating ebay trading rules, by the emails I forwarded. I have an email where he promised delivery and the sword got shipped to someone else. I think this was deliberate. Oh, if ebay wants to say, "It's Only A venue" I'll just forward my corresponence to the folks in the Congressional office building and they can ask Meg next time she's testifying on "the hill". Ditto with State Atty. Genl's office.
posted on August 11, 2001 05:15:49 PM new
We had an experience with a seller on E-Bay selling camera memory. It was a dutch auction and they were about 6 or 7 other "winners." We all never got the item, upon calling the seller he said that the camera memory was defective and he was going to get another shipment shortly. Three weeks after that there was no communication and no delivery. I contacted the Postmaster that handles mail fraud in my area, and within a week of getting the letter from the Postmaster, I had my refund and so did everyone else!
If you paid with a USPS money order and mailed the payment by USPS, so much the better. Print out the auction and money order receipt with all the e-mail correspondence and bring it to the post office. Safe Harbor wouldn't hurt either. What was the price of the antique sword? You may be able to file an insurance claim on the item too. Good Luck!
posted on August 11, 2001 07:32:08 PM new
The seller BS'd me beyond the 60 day eoa limit and I'm not sure that I can collect anything off ebay. I've already reported him to safeharbor with all correspondence. I wonder if I should wait to hear from them or go to the Postal Inspectors asap. I reported his partner, also, who is doing business on ebay under a separate name. This guy reportedly gave a refund to another fellow who was gyped, but the guy I spoke with who got this wasn't sure if he was going to ante-up for other stuff this guy did. They've reportedly parted company. I wanted ebay to investigate just in case they hadn't. This could be a good crook/bad crook rip off, for all I know. The guy has more auctions ending the 19th. I heard he might be taking off after that. I told safeharbor about this.
