Hello,

I am a Paypal/Ebay user with 61 transactions at 100% feedback.

I recently sold my wife's lightly used HP laptop on eBay as I just bought her a tablet for Christmas and wanted to cover some of the tablet cost by selling the computer.

The auction description stated there were no scratches, blemishes, damage, etc. The computer worked perfectly. The buyer paid approximately $193 plus shipping. I feel I did an excellent job in describing my item.

I deleted all of our personal info from the computer, cleaned out the keyboard with a duster and wiped it down, packaged it in the original bags and box with shipping foam.

I shipped using USPS Priority (with tracking number/delivery confirmation).

After receiving funds, I transferred the money to my bank account, received it in 3 days then noticed an email from the buyer stating the computer screen was cracked/scratched and the keyboard was broken. I know I didn't send the buyer a busted computer and the way it was packed would have to have someone open the box, then open the laptop and create the damage. Paypal dispute was initiated shortly after my response back to buyer saying that I sent him a perfectly functioning computer and I can't be liable for what happens after he received it.

My PP account is now on hold/in the red since I took the funds out and they want to reimburse the buyer. PP has already sided with the buyer with the condition he returns my now broken computer.

My question: Should I accept the now broken computer and refund the buyer?

Or..... should I keep the money, close my bank account associated with PP and let the buyer keep the broken computer once it gets 3rd attempt for delivery "Returned to Sender" by UPS?

As far as PP and Ebay go, I am done. Ebay is no longer an auction site and it's more geared towards stores rather than some guy trying to get rid of personal items.

Same thing just happened to me and ebay didn't even consider all the proof that I had. The buyer is a scammer and ebay decided to be on his side. Now he will ship an empty box and I will have to issue a full refund...sorry not going to happen!

I'm closing bank account, credit card and email on ebay and paypal...they asked for it...

Are you certain that the Laptop you sent is the same one you got back? Are you certain that part haven't been removed from inside, i.e. Hard Drive or Memory?

I used to mark items I sold in secret places just so I knew that if a conflict arose, I would know if what I got back was indeed what I had sent.

That is precisely why I don't want to accept the return, especially since my auction specified no returns or exchanges... I also Google'd the user's email and checked out his Facebook and it looks like he is in the field of computers so he may have swapped out parts.

My hunch tells me it is a case of buyer's remorse. The buyer may not have done anything to the computer but just lied to get his money back after he found out he may have paid a little too much for my computer. Either way, an auction is an auction.

My decision has been made: ignore UPS and the door tickets they left ( a signature is required). I saw the UPS guy carrying the box, which is smaller than what I shipped out, so perhaps he used the oem HP box and serial numbers.... I don't know... but I do know I shipped it in an HP box and it looked like a smaller flatter brown box about half the size, without the foam inserts and packing.

I am hoping my theory works out. Paypal requires that I receive the (broken) item back from the buyer for him to receive the refund, even though my account is on hold/in the negative. Whether Paypal actually needs confirmation of delivery should be interesting.

I am closing my associated bank account first thing in the morning.

Already have a cease and desist/debt verification letter drafted up for any potential collectors.

I made my decision after just a few hours of reading all the horror stories on this and several other sites and blogs. I am puzzled at how Paypal is allowed to operate in the way that it does.

Here is a bit of advice to anyone using PayPal that has registered a Credit/Debit Card and/or a Checking Account: Close them all at once, report the cards lost. If you still want to use PayPal to get paid, have them send you a check. Pay your EBay fees (with PayPal) only after you have a PayPal balance. Make certain PayPal has no way to take money from you; this is the only way you will ever be protected.

Debit card associated with PP acct = cancelled

I have to wait until tomorrow until 2 pending charges clear the bank to close the account though. Either way, I took out all the money except for a few dollars. If PP somehow decides to debit me before then, I can claim it as an unauthorized charge.

Funny how things work out because I was actually going to close the account I used and move it to a credit union anyway. This incident just got me off my ass to do it. Thanks Paypal!

I did all the same today...cancelled everything that I gave to paypal...

What pisses me off the most is that a bid on Ebay is a legally binding agreement. This can be circumvented through Paypal's protection. Paypal is enabling fraudulent activity with this plan.

I can understand that items on Ebay can be "not as described", "not received" and even damaged during shipping. This was not the case with my item.

The buyer in my case made the mistake of not destroying the whole computer...

Instead, he claimed damages that would not be possible without opening the box, taking the computer out of the protective foam inserts, unwrapping the original plastic bag the laptop was wrapped in, taking off the original screen protector ... I would have believed that the postal service damaged it in which I would be out the money and a working laptop.

The messed up part is I have no proof to PP of how I packaged the laptop. Just my word which means nothing. Photos of the laptop I took with the Windows screen showing it functioned and the screen was not broken are not good enough. The buyer claims to have sent in photos of the damage to PP making me pissed off even more. My photos don't mean sh%&^#t, but his are damning evidence the item was "not as described"???

Either way, I am glad this site is here to vent my frustrations.

In regards to telling paypal to mail you a cheque, unfortunately thats ONLY AVAILABLE TO THE US and NOT TO CANADA. So that unfortunately is not an option for me, otherwise thats exactly what I would do.

Update:

Final resolution in favor of buyer.


I have not received my item back and Paypal still sided in favor of the buyer. So as long as the buyer sends back anything with a tracking number, whether it gets received or not, the buyer wins.

Even with Paypal requiring a signature which I never gave, nor was a package left at my door, the buyer wins.

Got an email stating they would be debiting my account for the money.

Well, good luck because the account is closed.