PayPal dispute experience - from seller's side

[El Chupacabra]

Curious as to what the maggots' experience has been in a PayPal dispute, from the seller's side of things.

I'll post more details later -- don't want to go into too much detail now, as it's still in process, and I don't want to muck anything up.

Short overview:
Short story is that mini-Chup sold something via another forum, using PayPal, and was scammed. Package was shipped, shipper confirmed delivery, but buyer claimed never received. Mini-Chup failed to insure it fully or require delivery signature. Buyer opened PayPal claim, and money was taken back out of mini-Chup's PP account.

Mini-Chup noticed today that buyer has the item visible in buyer's photos online, and there is no doubt it is the same item.

I had mini-Chup send a detailed response to PayPal (I wrote it for him), explaining all this, and asking for PayPal to freeze the transaction amount in buyer's account, and ultimately, pay it to mini-Chup.

What happens now?
How quickly does PayPal act?
Is mini-Chup hosed, or is this gonna work out for him, just relying on PayPal?
Do we call the local police now? (buyer is out of state) Or wait for PayPal first?
Do we enlist the local maggots now? engage in a little self-help to get that item back?

[pfluffenmeister]

Go Lil' Chup!

Sorry for the shenanigans, hope it turns out proper.

[mall walker]

Paypal is slow, they have a terrible reputation in this sort of thing. They're more likely to freeze the account in question than actually make things right. I'd consider it money lost. You can try to go to the police but to make things worse, odds are they'll just say it's up to you and Paypal, since you agreed to their terms when you decided to use their service.

Vibes, not trying to be a downer but that's been my experience / that of people I know and have spoken to. I'd give it a week or whatever for Paypal to send some form reply that says "eat shit" in nicer words, then I think it's frontier justice or nothing.

Also, tech talk jong

[brutah]

post buyer's information on here and have a maggot make a visit

[El Chupacabra]

post buyer's information on here and have a maggot make a visit

That's a later step in the process, if PayPal doesn't come through.

The photographic evidence is conclusive. Mini-Chup has detailed photos of the item that was sold, and idiotic scammer took his own photos and posted them on his website -- there is no doubt it's the same item. We have screen captures and downloaded images saved, in case scammer deletes that stuff.

We also have buyer's home address (to which item was shipped), phone number, and email address.

[concretejungle]

That's a later step in the process, if PayPal doesn't come through.

We also have buyer's home address (to which item was shipped), phone number, and email address.

How much later?

[El Chupacabra]

Good question. I'd like to hear from PayPal first, so I'm leaning towards giving them a couple days.

OTOH, that couple days could be enough time for the item to vanish from scammer's house.

[grinch]

Don't wait. Phone PayPal. Talk to someone. You'll have better results and probably fairly quick. It makes a difference

[TAFKALVS]

Was the tracking number linked to the transaction?

I sell a metric ton of stuff through paypal and I can tell you they often side with the buyer if there isn't shipping info linked with the transaction.

[El Chupacabra]

Don't wait. Phone PayPal. Talk to someone. You'll have better results and probably fairly quick. It makes a difference

I'll call mini-Chup and have him do that.

Was the tracking number linked to the transaction?

I sell a metric ton of stuff through paypal and I can tell you they often side with the buyer if there isn't shipping info linked with the transaction.

I don't know if the tracking # was linked to the PayPal transaction. I'll ask that too.

[El Chupacabra]

Mini-Chup says he gave PayPal the tracking # after he shipped, but before the package arrived. IDK if that is sufficiently linked to make a difference here.

He's going to call PayPal now too.

[TAFKALVS]

Mini-Chup says he gave PayPal the tracking # after he shipped, but before the package arrived. IDK if that is sufficiently linked to make a difference here.

He's going to call PayPal now too.

I think he's good then.

[goldengatestinx]

I sold some things years ago. Paypal claimed my name was similar to another where there was alleged fraud. They held $900 of mine for months. Was horrible fighting them to get the funds released. Haven't used them since.

[hutash]

Send Blurred over to check his spare.

[PNWbrit]

I sold some things years ago. Paypal claimed my name was similar to another where there was alleged fraud. They held $900 of mine for months. Was horrible fighting them to get the funds released. Haven't used them since.

That sounds like you got the wrong end of the stick somewhere.

Similar name to fraudster doesn't sound like particularly useful policy for them.

[mall walker]

They have held money donated to charities - tens of thousands of dollars - for months and months, they have closed peoples accounts and kept the funds, etc. Getting screwed isn't necessarily the norm, but there are some horror stories out there.

[dunfree]

Mini-Chup says he gave PayPal the tracking # after he shipped, but before the package arrived. IDK if that is sufficiently linked to make a difference here.

ime, yes. If he has receipt documentation that can help too - a picture of a receipt dated from the sale timeframe saying he shipped a package to the zip/address specified. The problem can be they will, imo, err to the side of history not as much merits of the case. e.g. long time customer who calls and complains they give it to you, not the other guy.

[neufox47]

You can try pressing charges for fraud. Is it across state lines? How much $?

Sent from my SM-G930V using TGR Forums mobile app

[El Chupacabra]

The tracking info shows the shipment, weight, shipping and delivery details.

Item value is a bit over $1000, and it was across state lines.

[tripice351]

Over a grand and no shipping insurance? Sounds like an expensive life lesson. PayPal will also see that as a red flag. 50/50 shot they come thru for you.

And regardless if they do or not, scammer needs to get taught a life lesson as well. See the Maggot of the Year Award thread for inspiration.

[powpig]

Fuck paypal! They may be a necessary evil but I'll only use it to pay, I'll never again accept payment from those shysters.
Several years ago I sold an item on eBay. Buyer paid me through paypal, sent me a confirmation email (to my private email where we'd been conversing) that he'd received the item. Then a few weeks later my paypal account was debited the over $500 which luckily for me, I'd already spent. Cardholder claimed the charge was unauthorized and paypal refused to hear my side of things. I didn't end up out of pocket but paypal sent it to collections so I had those lowlifes harassing me for months after that. If I hadn't spent the money I would've been out my item & the money for it. Fuck paypal!
Good Luck!

[DJSapp]

I would hire out a certain purple primate that specializes in the recovery of scammed gear.

Fuck paypal.

[El Chupacabra]

Over a grand and no shipping insurance? Sounds like an expensive life lesson.

That's my reaction exactly when I first heard of this shipment, a couple weeks back. Yesterday was the discovery of the scammer's photos of mini-Chup's item, which revived the issue and revealed it to be a scam. We were giving the buyer the benefit of the doubt -- maybe someone just walked off with the package from his porch.

Mini-Chup hasn't gotten back to me on the status of any response from PayPal. He's 19, so although I would think he'd be a little more focused on getting his $1000 back, his mind doesn't work the same way sometimes...

[PNWbrit]

He's 19

I kind of assumed we were talking about a child.

[El Chupacabra]

I kind of assumed we were talking about a child.

He shipped a $1000 package several states away, without requiring a signature upon delivery, without insuring it, based upon a transaction on an online forum where he didn't know the buyer.

Yeah.