[PFLY]

So, it goes something like this.

-I decided I want a Treo 650 for Verizon,
[removed]

-Paid for it through Paypal, the charge has not yet shown up on my CC
-Emailed the seller 3-4 times asking for anticipated ship date (no response to date)
-Saw this thread and started to panic a little: http://discussion.treocentral.com/sh...ad.php?t=84670

-Filed a complaint with Paypal, and my CC. Unfortunately my CC can't dispute the charge until it posts.

Do you guys think it's a scam? My only rationale is that it isn't an UNLOCKED phone, but if it's a replacement (and not a scam), will I be able to activate it?




Anyone else have this issue? How did it all end? At this point I'm thinking I need to be proactive (and not go shopping on eBay at 1AM).


Thanks, I look forward to contributing once I get my 650 (wherever I end up getting it from!)

PFLY

[ronbo2000]

Try Paypal first.

You can always dispute it after with the credit card company but that action has some repercussions with Paypal. Anyway, better that you keep your money than lose it just because Paypal cannot do the financial recovery for you.

[msafi]

i have always had good experience with paypal. from looking at the auction i can tell that your purchase is eligible for coverage up to $1000. don't worry. they will refund your money. i once purchased a $500 gadget and the seller didn't ship and didn't answer my emails. i complained to paypal and they refunded the total amount.

don't contact your credit card company until you're sure paypal can't help you. paypal don't like their clients retreiving money through credit card disputes. it costs them i think.

[RickMG]

This auction only ended two days ago. The guy has 100% positive feedback on 86 auctions. It does seem a little fishy that he only had a one day listing when he probably could've gotten more money by having it listed for at least five days and saying he's going to be gone for awhile. But, you're going to have the same protection from paypal and your credit card a month from now as you are today. It really sounds like you're having buyers remorse, something very common with paying that kind of money for a product on ebay.

What I would do, is give it a week or so to see if you get it. Then see if you can activate it. If you don't get it, or can't activate it, then file a claim with the credit card company who will most likely give you an immediate credit while it's being investigated. Two days is not enough time to get that worried, seriously. Good luck and keep us informed.

don't contact your credit card company until you're sure paypal can't help you. paypal don't like their clients retreiving money through credit card disputes. it costs them i think.

Actually, that's pretty good advise. I would try going through paypal 1st, then the credit card company.

[deanfx]

I think his account could have possibly been hijacked. If you look back at his 100% positive feedback, it is mostly for starbucks coffee, fairytale books, and panty hose. Not $400 cellphones. Just my .02

[RickMG]

I think his account could have possibly been hijacked. If you look back at his 100% positive feedback, it is mostly for starbucks coffee, fairytale books, and panty hose. Not $400 cellphones. Just my .02

My ebay account is mainly for buying cigar boxes, but I've sold a digital camera for $600, and a Palm organizer. I've only sold three things on ebay and bought over 175. I know what you're talking about, but the fact is, it's only been two days, way too early to get that worried when he is as protected a month from now the exact same as he is today, and it might be all for naught. NOT TO SAY, IT MIGHT NOT BE. Just too early to tell.

[deanfx]

This is true, I have 100% feedback and have only purchased up until yesterday and I sold a food processor for $400 bux. So you can't ever tell.

[msafi]

nonetheless, when i see the trend that deanfx decribed i get suspicious. it's important to note things like that. if you get suspicious, email seller. ask for pictures and be extra cautious. not overly though. my 2c

[pabo]

I have had trouble with Paypal in the past regarding no shipment. I paid thru paypal, never got the item and never got my money.

The CC, on the other hand, is your best defense. If the charge shows up and you do not get the device, or the device is clearly not as advertised (can;t be activated, etc), cal the CC company, sign the paperwork and the charge is reversed.

I never use Paypal balance or checking account to pay (thru paypal) for this reason.

[rbenjami]

I am the one who had the problem in the thread that made your nervous. If your gut says it was a scam, it probably was. No response for two days is a very bad sign. The best thing to do is file a report with PayPal ASAP. They can recover the money if it is a scam. They will try to talk you into waiting. Don't. File it as soon as you feel everything isn't right. $275 for a new Treo 650 is a scam no matter how you look at it.

Good luck and I hope you get your money back.

By the way, it is best to solve it through PayPal rather than your credit card. Your credit card company will want to cancel your card and issue a new one. If you have a lot of automatic payments to your credit card (as I do) you know what a pain it will be to have a new number.

Also, the PayPal buyer protection does not apply to cell phones. You have no security there. Try PayPal first and give them a chance to fix it. If that fails, go to your credit card company. It is a good idea to tell your credit card company now you think something is up but are trying to resolve it with PayPal first. It will be helpful to you to have a record if you end up having to challenge it through your credit card.

[pabo]

I (politely) disagree. The CC companies rarely cancel your card unless it is physically lost or stolen. If it needs to be cancelled, you probably shoudl do so to protect against further abuse. Notify them of the issue (the cc company) and you're set until a charge shows up.

Unless Paypal has changed their policies, I recently had a verified buyer issue a payment - I shipped the product, and Paypal retracted the payment. Luckily the buyer was polite enough to correct the issue, but I got little if any info / feedback / help from paypal.

[griz]

One day auctions are actually high advised on items like this. I have sold a laptop about a few months ago this way. It created a certain rush with the buyers to where they new they only had a small window in which to bid. The average price for the laptop on the other multiple day auctions was around $500. I ran a 1 day auction and received close to $700.

Griz

[lgreenberg]

I'd also say let this be a lesson not to jump to conclusions so quickly and definetly not to dispute charges so fast.

The auction details say pretty clearly that the seller was going to be away "I AM OUT OF TOWN FOR A SHORT TIME DUE TO PERSONAL FAMILY REASONS" which might explain why you didn't receive a response.

To dispute the charges when the auction has only been over for 48 hrs seems extreme. This might be why Ebay makes you wait over a week before you can file a "non-paying bidder" report on someone.

It's okay to be careful but you'd better be sure before you start going after a person's credibility.

P.S. As the winner of the auction you are entitled to the seller's contact information. This includes their address and telephone number. They are also entitled to yours. All this information can be obtained quite easily by filling out the form on the Ebay web site.

[hariustrk]

sounds like you were just expecting immediate response and freaked out when you didn't get it.

[PFLY]

hariustk, you're right. I think it was the "out of town" excuse, since that was what someone said on rbenjami's thread was a common tactic - they keep making excuses for why they are unable to send until it's too late to dispute.

PF

[stevie_g]

In Life go with your gut, if you think you are getting screwed you probably are. Since your expeactions are in jepoardy of not being met, you feel you are screwed and just really might be and if not all the better.
Of course IMHO.

[butterfly_wings]

First Of All, I Am The One Who Sold This! I Shipped It! Thank God For Honest People, Someone Wrote To Me Telling Me Where To Find This Link! First Of All Babaak, I Am Going To Really File A Claim With You Now! You Have Released Personal Information About Me On A Stream File, That Is A Big No No. Secondly, To Say That I Didnt Respond To You Is Ridiculous! I Have Every Email That We Sent Back And Forth! An Insurance Claim Will Be Filed As Soon As 21 Days Is Reached! This Is Crazy. How Dare You Give My Info To People I Dont Know And My Link Which Includes Emails! I Am Beyond Upset Now. You Know Darn Well I Have Proof Of Shipment, Delivery Confirmation, Signature Required And Insurance! I Have 0ver 80 Positive Feedbacks To Back Me Up As Well, You Have 0!

To Everyone Else, He Did Not Get Screwed! The Po Has Lost The Package And I Am In The Process Of Filing A Claim. This Is Nonsense. I Am Done Here.

[jamestr]

Personally, I would tend to believe a seller with credentials like butterfly_wings_n_things over a buyer with ZERO feedbacks.

butterfly_wings_n_things ( 86) Me
Feedback Score: 86
Positive Feedback: 100%
Member since May-03-05 in United States

86 feedbacks and 100% positive is a perfect score and he's had numerous positive and RECENT sales and qualifies for Paypal Protection for the buyer. I'd buy from butterfly_wings_n_things any day.

But, understandable panic from PFLY. Buying on Ebay for the first time is nerve racking enough not to mention it was $280. Chalk it up to an unlucky sale for butterfly_wings_n_things. We all have one or two now an then.

[expidia]

I'd buy from this seller too!

When I sell on Ebay I put in that bids will not be excepted from 1st time buyers, 0 feedbacks, negative feedbacks or International buyers.

My experience is (and learned the hardway) When selling on Ebay it carries with it a steep learning curve. You can't imagine the wasted time spent on back and forth emails, trips to the post office etc etc etc when you try and deal with new buyers.

You wind up running your as* off just trying to protect your feedback rating for a $10 item.

Doesn't matter how clear you were in your item discription, the buyer always has the upper hand. Once you've shipped the item and the buyers unhappy after they have received it or finds a better deal out there. Ebay or Paypal will reverse the payment and now you have the item back and it starts all over again.

I've found an experienced buyer usually knows the game and if they made an error with their purchase they usually just resell the item on Ebay.

IMO stay away from newbies on Ebay!

[PFLY]

My frustration lies in the fact that I never received the item and that now I have to wait until the seller gets money from the Post Office via an insurance claim.

I fulfilled my portion of the obligation - the seller got paid. The seller never fulfilled their obligation and I'm out ~$300/

Let's look at the inverse scenario. Suppose somehow, the seller sent me the item and never received payment because the cash I sent got lost in the mail (very simplified example since I'd never send cash). Do I expect the seller to wait for me to file an insurance claim to get payment? Absolutely not.