E-bay Scam Con?

[taffy1967]

I didn't know where to post this, so I just thought I'd put it here. But move it to the right board if necessary.

Right well I'd had my eye on this particular e-Bay item (Item number: 300223208668) which was a 'ROVER MINI COOPER 1990/91 DUTCH SALES BROCHURE' for some time, mainly because I couldn't decide whether to buy it or not. As you can see it was offered on a 'Buy It Now' price sale and not a bidding sale: -

cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=300223208668

Anyway on the 30th of April I contacted the seller to ask if the brochure related to the carburettor Mini Cooper and I got no reply whatsoever to my message: -

Hello,

Is this the Dutch brochure for the carburettor Mini Cooper? i.e. the 'Mainstream Mini Cooper'?

Many thanks,

Taffy.

But I noticed he'd provided the 'publication number' which is: - 'EO839' and so it pretty much proved that it was the one I wanted as it also appears here: -

z11.invisionfree.com/mainstreamcooper/index.php?showtopic=10

So even though I'd not had a reply to that message after waiting for a few days. On the 1st of May I decided to click the 'buy it now' button anyway and I then completed the 'Paypal' payment immediately afterwards and I also sent him another message: -

Hello,

Well I'd have liked confirmation about it being a 'carb Cooper Dutch brochure', but either way I've found out that it is anyway.

So I've sent the payment via 'Paypal' and I look forward to receiving the item soon.

Many thanks,

Taffy.

I then heard nothing and so I sent another message on the 6th of May (i.e. Wednesday): -

Hello Chris,

I believe the payment is now completed via Paypal, so what's happening and when am I going to get the Mini brochure?

I've contacted you twice previously and you've not responded. So please contact me, or do I need to cancel the transaction?

Thanks,

Taffy.

So then later on that day I finally received an e-mail from the vendor, (although I find it annoying now that many of these messages don't appear on my e-Bay accounts inbox? So I sometimes worry that their not genuine? They always used to appear there too and that's how I knew they were genuine, so what's up with the system now?)

Anyway this is the message I received: -

Hi Sorry i have been away at a show the brochure you asked for has been sold the only other mini brochures i have are the ERA Mini brochure in English or the Mini 25 in English you can have both if you are interested, if t are of no interest to you i will refund you your money thanks chris.

And yes I wasn't best pleased as I already have the brochures he's now offering (I have something of a collection of Mini brochures that I've been slowly building up for some 24 years) and so I sent him this message: -

Hello Chris,

It's not a brochure that I asked for, it's the brochure you had offered with a 'Buy It Now' price. So I'm a pit peeved that you've sold it and didn't withdraw it from sale earlier.

I'm not interested in the other Mini brochures as I already have them in my possession as I have something of a large collection of Mini brochures.

So please will you refund my money asap?

Taffy.

Later that evening I then received a message from Paypal with the heading 'Payment refund from chris bayley automobilia', with all the relevant details on it.

But then day before yesterday the money was finally taken from my bank account though and on checking my Paypal account details, it states that a refund is being processed but a 'temporary hold' has been placed? This is what's written in the details: -

Temporary Hold Information: This temporary hold was placed because your Direct Debit or Bank Funding payment was denied, cancelled, or refunded.The funds from this payment cannot be released until they have arrived from your bank account, which usually takes 7-9 working days.


Okay so basically I'm really annoyed that he sold that brochure (possibly at the Riviera Run), even though he must have known I had an interest in it since I sent my first PM asking for information on the 30th of April? A PM that he chose to ignore.

Either way if he took it somewhere with the intention of selling it, then surely he should have removed it from sale on e-Bay first? I expect he was just playing safe and if it didn't sell at the show, then there was still a chance it might on e-Bay and yet he must have known I was interested but he probably thought he'd get more for it at a Mini show anyway?

Right so I expect I'll get a full refund, but should I report him to e-Bay? Or just leave a negative feedback rating and description?

Even though I'm having a refund (hopefully anyway), the option is there to leave feedback and okay he was naughty and sold the item. But he did then offer me 2 different Mini brochures to make up for it, or at least the way he worded it sounded like I could have both of them instead?

I didn't want them as I already have them, so yes I'm still pretty gutted about it but he was trying to be reasonable in offering me those 2 other brochures to make up for it.

To be honest I'd been watching that brochure for some time, but after spending a lot of money on those Mini stamps the other day I received a bit of a ear full from my misses for not telling her and for spending too much money on items that will just get put away.

So yes I wish I'd clicked the 'buy it now' button much sooner, but I didn't want another bollocking off my misses (I get enough grief for spending too much time on here as it is) and I had to wait for the right time, which was last week as she bought something off e-Bay and that was when I tried my luck.

I might report him to e-Bay though, but just not bother leaving any feedback whatsoever.

But yes I am disappointed and this isn't the way to do business on e-Bay.

[Phil J]

From the sounds of it he has canceled your payment, paypal wil still take it out but itn should re-apear in your acounnt soon,

I would be just as anoyed with you as if you press the buy it now button you expect to win I would wait a few days, check that the money is back in your account, if not contact ebay / paypal, try to resist posting negative feedback as if he is a scammer he will no doubt posy negative straight back

[boycie101]

make sure you get your refund before doing anything mate then give him crap

[mlswansea]

your money will be refunded its just the way they do it, your money must leave your account and register in theirs and then it will imediately be refunded back but only after a few days in electronic limbo. Only know this cos my refund has only just re-appeared after 9 days back and fore.

[taffy1967]

Well I'm told that sellers can no longer leave negative feedback against buyers on e-Bay.

I imagine he can only leave an explanation or a rant against the feedback that I could leave on his account though.

But he was kind of being nice offering me 2 brochures instead (which I already have), even though he was totally wrong to sell the one I paid for without removing it from sale first.

So I'll have to wait and see what happens then.

[taffy1967]

May 8, 2009 23:48:29 GMT 1 @mlswansea said:

your money will be refunded its just the way they do it, your money must leave your account and register in theirs and then it will imediately be refunded back but only after a few days in electronic limbo. Only know this cos my refund has only just re-appeared after 9 days back and fore.

Well I don't mind waiting, so long as I get it back and it's not a massive amount anyway.

But I know I wouldn't behave like that if I was selling an item as the last thing I'd want is to annoy someone and get negative feedback.

[coedy]

Negative feedback will hurt him more than not giving him any at all.

Your right that it was quite nice of him to offer you the other ones, however seeing as you clicked the buy it now there's no way he could have sold elsewhere (unless he covered his arse and said item may be removed early as for sale elsewhere)...

if he didn't cover himself I say leave him neutral feedback, and give a brief explanation. that way he wont feel obliged to make snide remarks back and you arnt going out of your way to cause arguments but it will still drop his feedback rating down a touch

[taffy1967]

Okay thanks and maybe I'll do that. Once the money is back in my bank account of course.

[taffy1967]

Well the refund money is now sitting in my Paypal account and today I decided to leave a neutral feedback and a description: -

myworld.ebay.co.uk/jaguarmotorracing/

It doesn't appear to have affected his rating though, but I also reported the case to e-Bay as it's really not the way to do business.

[coedy]

nice one taffy! just have to keep your eyes peeled now for another!

[taffy1967]

Yes I will.