PayPal help/advice?

[TylerB]

On Monday I purchased a laptop on eBay from a member with 0 feedback, and he has only joined the site the day before. I wouldn't normally consider purchasing from someone who hasn't received feedback but the deal was too good to miss out on, and after considering that all users have to start from 0 I went ahead. After trying to make the payment I got a message that I hadn't seen before, and ultimately my payment wouldn't go through. I knew it was nothing on my end as I had just purchased something else moments before. After speaking to an eBay agent it seems that the seller had added a PayPal email address that wasn't verified, which was the problem, and the person I spoke to said that I could request his contact number as he hadn't responded to my email, so I did.

 

I got in touch with him and I did my best to help to verify his email address. Being new to eBay and PayPal he didn't have a clue how to do things so I was as patient and helpful as I could possibly be, and tried half a dozen times to make the payment again only to get the same message as I did at the beginning. We kept in touch and kept trying, and yesterday he suggested paying through the PayPal website instead, as he was sure that the payment would go through. I wouldn't usually do this as the original transaction was done on eBay, but I went ahead and made the same payment via the 'Paying for goods and services', which I believe mentioned about having Buyer protection, and he got the payment no problem. Anyway, he was supposed to post out the item today but since I made the payment he's been very quiet and has yet to respond to my text message. Granted that there is more than enough time left in the day for him to get in touch but with such a large amount of money one can't help but worry a bit. Am I protected if he doesn't send me the laptop the same as I would be on eBay? I also paid with my credit card that I have linked to my PayPal account as I believe I once read that this also has some sort of protection, though first and foremost PayPal is my main concern.

 

Cheers!

[robf]

Don't know if this is helpful but there's some info in this link.

 

Good luck and I hope it does turn out OK:

 

http://pages.ebay.co.uk/help/buy/paypal-buyer-protection.html

[Houston Valiant]

Hmm, seems a bit dodgy to me. My concern is that all your attempts at paying this person have actually gone through somehow.

PayPal should give you your money back though, and I think it's a safe way of protecting your money. I hope it works out for you.

[TylerB]

Each time I tried to make payment via eBay and got the 'pending' message, I would sign into my PayPal and cancel the payment myself afterwards, so I don't have too many worries there. The guy I purchased from is a teenager, and being new to eBay/PayPal maybe he thinks that if he spends the payment I sent him and has zero in his account that PayPal/Capital One won't be able to take the money from him and he can get away with it, so I hope that they can indeed!

 

Cheers.

[Andy06]

Sounds well dodgy that does if you have paid with a credit card ring the card company up and tell them what's happened and get the transaction cancelled

 

I had a similar prob buying a mobile had to ring paypal and get them freeze the funds/payment and they put ur into a safe account and tell the person your sending it to get in touch if they don't all funds are returned great customer support i had

[JOHNNYAITCH]

Sounds well dodgy that does if you have paid with a credit card ring the card company up and tell them what's happened and get the transaction cancelled

 

Good advice. I think that even if it's gone thru the credit card company have a certain window within which they can back out the transaction

[TylerB]

Well after sending a message saying that via eBay I had his address (which I don't) and wouldn't hesitate in contacting his local police station as I detected online fraud he soon replied, and insisted that he couldn't send it today as he didn't have my address, despite me sending it to him last night and also in the notes section when you make a PayPal payment. In his latest text he is now stating that it has been posted and that I will get it Saturday morning, so either he's panicking and will actually post it out tomorrow (I've just asked him to provide me with a tracking number - you wouldn't send off a laptop without one if he actually has sent it) or it's just more bull**** and he's trying to bide a bit of time.

 

I've a good mind to just contact my credit card company while the transaction is still showing as pending, despite him actually getting in touch all of a sudden.

 

It's awkward for me, because I'm a nice enough guy and like to think I'm fairly reasonable but if somebody tries to **** me over I want to torture that person. So if he is being genuine I will no doubt feel pretty guilty later on.

[Andyregs]

Well after sending a message saying that via eBay I had his address (which I don't) and wouldn't hesitate in contacting his local police station as I detected online fraud he soon replied, and insisted that he couldn't send it today as he didn't have my address, despite me sending it to him last night and also in the notes section when you make a PayPal payment. In his latest text he is now stating that it has been posted and that I will get it Saturday morning, so either he's panicking and will actually post it out tomorrow (I've just asked him to provide me with a tracking number - you wouldn't send off a laptop without one if he actually has sent it) or it's just more bull**** and he's trying to bide a bit of time.

 

I've a good mind to just contact my credit card company while the transaction is still showing as pending, despite him actually getting in touch all of a sudden.

 

It's awkward for me, because I'm a nice enough guy and like to think I'm fairly reasonable but if somebody tries to **** me over I want to torture that person. So if he is being genuine I will no doubt feel pretty guilty later on.

 

If I use paypal and I'm not happy, I don't mess about with trying to resolve anymore. I just go straight to opening a dispute and escalate it a claim straight away. Can't be bothered waiting for someone to get your act together. Once that's started I either get my item within a day or two or get a refund. Never been left out of pocket as paypal usually protect the buyer. Just open a dispute and be done with worrying about it.

[TylerB]

If I use paypal and I'm not happy, I don't mess about with trying to resolve anymore. I just go straight to opening a dispute and escalate it a claim straight away. Can't be bothered waiting for someone to get your act together. Once that's started I either get my item within a day or two or get a refund. Never been left out of pocket as paypal usually protect the buyer. Just open a dispute and be done with worrying about it.

 

That's good to know! It's just that it's the very first time I've paid by PayPal directly, and if I've ever had a problem eBay have always been the one's to sort it out. I have 300 transactions and 100% feedback while he's a new member without a single transaction to his name, and at this moment in time he's unable to provide a tracking number of any sort, so I don't really see how he has a leg to stand on should I have to open up a dispute.

 

Still, until the money is back in your account you can never feel too content!

[TWIGGY]

That's good to know! It's just that it's the very first time I've paid by PayPal directly, and if I've ever had a problem eBay have always been the one's to sort it out. I have 300 transactions and 100% feedback while he's a new member without a single transaction to his name, and at this moment in time he's unable to provide a tracking number of any sort, so I don't really see how he has a leg to stand on should I have to open up a dispute.

 

Still, until the money is back in your account you can never feel too content!

 

personally I would just cancel the transaction if he is being uncomfortably quiet.as pointed out by another post, credit card companies have a certain window in which to pull out of a transaction.if that window is 24/48 hours, your in bother if you leave it.you can get all their contact details from the resolution centre can't you?

[For Us All]

That's good to know! It's just that it's the very first time I've paid by PayPal directly, and if I've ever had a problem eBay have always been the one's to sort it out. I have 300 transactions and 100% feedback while he's a new member without a single transaction to his name, and at this moment in time he's unable to provide a tracking number of any sort, so I don't really see how he has a leg to stand on should I have to open up a dispute.

 

Still, until the money is back in your account you can never feel too content!

 

 

Like Andyregs has said,PayPal will go out of their way to protect the buyer so I don't think you'll have a problem getting your cash back if the seller lets you down.

[Andy06]

Like Andyregs has said,PayPal will go out of their way to protect the buyer so I don't think you'll have a problem getting your cash back if the seller lets you down.

 

If it's one thing they don't like its people ripping others off they take zero tolerance to it im sure you will get the money back

[TylerB]

The seller finally sent me a tracking number today. Knowing my luck I'll receive an empty box. :rolleyes:

 

I know that a lot of people on eBay do business straight through the PayPal website instead, because the seller can usually offer them the item for cheaper as they cut out the eBay selling fees. I guess a lot of people wouldn't take that risk without the protection PayPal seemingly offer.

[Bycarsbill]

In my experience, paypal (who are owned by Ebay) has been great in the two instances of dispute resolution I have raised with them and on both occasions got it sorted and/or my money credited back very quickly. If the supplier doesn't deliver, just raise a "dispute" with Ebay and I feel confident it will be resolved for you. Good luck.

[TylerB]

In my experience, paypal (who are owned by Ebay) has been great in the two instances of dispute resolution I have raised with them and on both occasions got it sorted and/or my money credited back very quickly. If the supplier doesn't deliver, just raise a "dispute" with Ebay and I feel confident it will be resolved for you. Good luck.

 

Thanks mate!

 

What I think has happened, and I could easily be wrong, is that the laptop I purchased was owned by some kid, and it was him that was answering my questions about it and who I was trying to sort the eBay payments out with. He generally didn't have a clue. Upon payment via PayPal I think he was just a bit lackadaisical about posting it, and once I sent a message saying that I have his address and would contact the police if I felt I was being scammed he went running to one of his parents, who I've been dealing with since and have been very responsive and helpful. The proof will be in the pudding tomorrow once the laptop arrives I guess, but all I wanted to put my mind at ease was a tracking number and I finally got that, so hopefully I won't have to open up a case with PayPal and/or contact my credit card company.

 

I certainly won't be doing it again though, or buying from an eBay member that isn't established.