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Paypal - EBAY Sellers beware - Paypal will not check out the buyer before you delvier the item San Jose California
I sold an item on Ebay on May 4 for $4500.00. The buyer gave me a deposit as requested on my EBAY account via PAYPAL for $1000.00 on May 4. I paid a Paypal fee and EBAY sellers fee out of my account. The deposit cleared into my account so I instructed the buyer he could come and pay the balance of $3500.00 which he did on May 7. That date I transferred $500 of the deposit to my account (my monthly limit) and delivered the item.
On May 22, OVER TWO WEEKS later, Paypal says via email they are investigating this deposit and then a week later reverse it. I call EBAY/PAYPAL and email numerous times daily until on June 2, 2007, I was told by a clerk the buyer had used a stolen credit card to pay and I am now responsible (???).
Now they tell me I am out the funds for PAYPAL taking almost four weeks to process a stolen card (so they say???) on a fraudulent buyers account which I have no control of? This is simply not acceptable. Paypal has a responsibility to check out buyers just like they checked out me. I have never had a bad feedback or complaint against me on ebay. I have never had a bad debt in my life!
I used eBay and paypal for the simple reason of being protected and was marketed to the public to use Paypal for deposits. I assumed that when I was paid by PAYPAL that they had legitimate funds from the buyer to transfer to me (with your sizable fee of course). Paypal took the funds from the buyer and is responsible to go back to VISA or whoever the card was from. (How do I even know they are telling the truth that the buyer defaulted on the deposit?) They cannot expect a seller to hold on to the goods forever waiting for a deal to go bad while the buyer wants to come pick up or have the goods shipped.
Now they have turned the account over to their collections agency who calls me daily like some deadbeat when in turn they owe me funds! I have received no calls or letters from anyone in PAYPAL management after numerous attempts by me to resolve this issue.
This has boiled down to harassment and extortion as nobody from Paypal will reply to this matter. Turning this over to a harassing collections agency is extortion.
Jeff vb
Va Beach, Virginia
U.S.A.
3 Updates & Rebuttals
Rabbit
Massillon,Ohio,
U.S.A.
Once the money hits your bank account, it HAS cleared
#4Consumer Comment
Wed, August 15, 2007
"I know you are upset, but PayPal has no way of knowing if someone uses a stolen credit card to fund a Paypal transaction."
PayPal doesn't seem to know much of anything. If someone uses a stolen credit card on PayPal, then PayPal should be the one to eat it, NOT PayPal's PAYING customers. What are people paying for if they can't even get a secure transaction?
"Here is how you protect yourself.
1. Never use PayPal for more money than you can afford to lose."
Just shorten this to "Never use PayPal."
"3. Do not ship any merchandise until payment clears."
Like Jeff here, I had the money in my BANK account when I delivered. That is what I call "cleared". If PayPal wants to give a fraud artist his money back, then THEY should be the ones to eat it, NOT PayPals PAYING customers.
"I don't see how you can be in collections for money you didn't get. The deposit to your account simply gets reversed."
Because PayPal waits until you send the money to your bank account and THEN gives the defrauder his money back and expects YOU(the paying customer) to take the hit for their impotence. Western Union doesn't sick collections on their customers for their company's mistakes. Neither does Walmart for their moneygram service. Why does PayPal/Ebay?
In the end, if someone lets their Credit Card get stolen, it should either be that person or their creditor that eats any losses incurred. NOT the end payee. PayPal gets a big "RIPOFF" stamp from me.
Steve
Bradenton,Florida,
U.S.A.
It's not PayPal's responsibility to check out the buyer. It's yours.
#4Consumer Suggestion
Sun, August 12, 2007
It sounds like this person buying was not a seasoned PayPal customer. It sounds like a one time buyer which is a problem. And a major red flag.
Please post the buyer's ebay username and paypal email address here.
I know you are upset, but PayPal has no way of knowing if someone uses a stolen credit card to fund a Paypal transaction.
Here is how you protect yourself.
1. Never use PayPal for more money than you can afford to lose.
2. Always check out your buyer thoroughly on any large transaction. If the account is new, do not use paypal, demand a certified check.
3. Do not ship any merchandise until payment clears.
I don't see how you can be in collections for money you didn't get. The deposit to your account simply gets reversed.
Did you ship the merchandise?
You need to get as much information on the buyer as possible and file a police report in your jurisdiction, and thiers.
Good luck
Rabbit
Massillon,Ohio,
U.S.A.
I am with you Jeff
#4Consumer Comment
Sun, August 12, 2007
I had a very similar experience with Paypal Jeff. They seem to think that it is okay to let themselves be defrauded and then place the responsibility of that fraud onto their paying customers. Other than myself, you aren't the first and you won't be the last that I have heard this happening to. The best thing I can recommend to you is to find a lawyer that does free consultation and see if they can do anything.
Lucky for me I moved almost all of the money from my Paypal account to my bank account before Paypal could steal it. They stopped harassing my when I moved, perhaps because they lost my address.
I did receive a letter from their collection agency, but when I tried to access the website listed, the confirmation code was no good and I couldn't get in. I honestly wish they would call me so that I could tell them how it is.
You may also want to look into the laws on collections in your state. What you are getting sounds like harassment to me(especially when, in my opinion, they owe YOU money, NOT vica versa), but I am not an expert.
Good luck and keep us posted if you have any progress.