After Giving a Refund on Ebay Can You Charge Them Again

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How to recognize and avoid eBay scams

Learn how to spot these common eBay scams targeting both buyers and sellers, and larn how to avoid them.

@pabischoff UPDATED: June 28, 2021

Scammers will use whatsoever available platform to trick innocent people out of their money or goods, and eBay is no exception. The online auction site launched in 1995, and scammers have used it ever since. eBay involves a lot of trust on behalf of the buyer and the seller, just information technology's relatively like shooting fish in a barrel for that trust to exist exploited. The company has put in some safeguards, but you can do a lot to protect yourself every bit an eBay user.

This guide will tell you about the most common eBay scams, what to expect for, and how to protect yourself.  Some are targeted at buyers, others at sellers. If y'all accept been scammed, we'll show y'all the steps you tin have to report it.

eBay buyer scam examples

Ownership products through eBay is commonly straightforward, simply some scammers piece of work to defraud innocent people who are just trying to go a good deal. Remember that if an offer looks likewise good to be true, it probably is.

Hither are some of the about common eBay scams for eBay buyers:

1. Non-delivery scam

An eBay money-dorsum guarantee protects buyers from fraudulent sellers, salvage for some exclusions. The post-obit is a list of items that are not covered, which means the seller tin accept payment, fail to send the item, and then you equally the buyer have no recourse through the eBay website. Exist cautious when purchasing items from the following list:

• Businesses for sale
• Some categories of concern equipment
• Websites for auction
• Real manor
• Vehicles
• Services
• Items sold past Sotheby's
• Classified ads

ii. Seller ships with deliberately incorrect proper noun on label

This scam is clever considering the deceit occurs offline later on the eBay transaction is consummate. After completing the sale normally, the seller will post the packet with the correct address but the wrong name. This leads y'all as the buyer to think you've received someone else's parcel past mistake, and you lot render it or have it back to the postal service function. The eBay transaction is listed as refused or returned, the seller gets the product back and keeps the payment, too. At that place is no mode to dispute a transaction once it's finalized in this manner.

iii. The empty box scam

This is a scam to sentinel for if you are looking for a highly popular item that is generating a lot of media attending, has a limited release, or is hard to get elsewhere. You lot may see a coveted item for sale and quickly buy it, sometimes paying in a higher place market price to secure information technology. Sadly, in the rush, yous may have failed to detect that the listing but specified the box the item came in, not the item itself. You lot terminate up owning expensive packaging, without the desired product.

4. Apocryphal goods

The downside of buying online is that there is no mode to verify the authenticity of the goods earlier yous purchase them. Scammers know this and will sometimes offer high quality, brand-proper name items for sale at a very attractive price. Unfortunately, the items are affordable because they are counterfeit, or 'knock-off' replicas.

5. Payment outside of eBay

eBay's security systems can just protect buyers and sellers when transactions occur direct on the website. Illegitimate sellers may offering an particular for sale but and so request that the payment is sent outside of the platform. For example, they may ask for greenbacks, bank transfer, check, coin order or even gift cards. Once the scammer has your money through untraceable means, they will finish communicating with you and will not ship the item. eBay volition not assist with a transaction that occurred beyond its purview.

vi. Fake customer service

Similar to the above scam, a fraudulent seller can place a imitation Ebay client service number on their profile or product page. When a problem with your order occurs—it doesn't arrive or is the incorrect item—the victim calls this number. The scammer pretends to be Ebay client service and convinces the victim to hand over money or sensitive information. In some cases, the scammer will tell the victim that the former needs access to the latter'southward depository financial institution account in gild to process a refund.

7. Gift card scam

Gift card scammers attain out to victims past telephone, electronic mail, or social media. They offer some sort of express-time discount in society to create a sense of urgency. The scammer will enquire for the victim's gift carte du jour number to use as payment. In one case they take the code, they disappear and make off with your gift menu rest.

In 1 instance scammers contacted AT&T customers and told them eBay would pay one-half of their cable nib if they paid six months upfront using eBay souvenir cards. In another version, scammers ask to confirm payment in advance with a souvenir card, peradventure in return for faster shipping or a discount.

eBay seller scam examples

It might come up equally a surprise, only many eBay scams are non targeted at innocent buyers looking for a adept deal. Scammers will often pose as buyers and use consumer protection measures to help them defraud honest sellers.

Here are some of the most common ways eBay sellers are scammed.

ane. Private deal offered outside of eBay

A buyer may see your item and offer to pay for it privately rather than using eBay'south official payment channels. They may reason that when sales are conducted offsite the seller (you) can avert paying transaction fees. You close the listing and transport the item, simply either they don't pay, or they dispute the transaction with eBay, claiming the item was cleaved or that the list was a fake.

2. Overpayment offering

If you have an item for sale, a potential heir-apparent may contact yous and offer to pay over the asking price for it. At first, it might seem foolish to pass up a generous offering, but often it's a trap. The buyer will pay with a fraudulent check. You send the item promptly but days later you lot observe that the check bounces, leaving you with nothing.

three. Changed address

This scam is a new twist on the offer of overpayment. A heir-apparent will offering to purchase your particular and transport a larger payment than required. They say information technology's to cover boosted shipping costs, as they suddenly need it sent to a strange country (ofttimes Nigeria, although not ever). The scammers will likewise inquire for your PayPal electronic mail accost. Soon afterward, you'll be contacted by scammers pretending to exist from PayPal, request for postal tracking numbers. The email will state that the payment will be released to you once y'all accept proven that the appurtenances take been sent. If you're a trusting person, you may transport the item in skilful faith, assuming the electronic mail is authentic. As information technology's a scam, you volition never see your money or your items again.

4. Empty box claim

In this case, the purchase may exist completed without flaw. The buyer pays quickly, and you send the particular without business organization. The heir-apparent receives the item but claims you sent an empty box – in other words, accuses you lot of fraud. eBay volition need a render and the heir-apparent sends the empty box back to you, keeping the particular and the money equally information technology's refunded.

5. Heir-apparent claims the detail wasn't received

PayPal Seller Protection exists to aid sellers trade confidently on eBay. In order for information technology to work, sellers must provide proof of item delivery. If the shipped item was sold for under $750, delivery notification is adequate proof. If the item is sold for more than $750 the particular must accept signature delivery proof. Experienced scammers know this and may take reward of sellers that are unaware of this additional burden of proof requirement. They can claim the item was non received, claim a refund and brand off with the expensive item.

6. Cleaved replica scam

A buyer happily purchases your detail. Once payment is confirmed you transport information technology promptly. In this scam, the heir-apparent then accuses you of sending a damaged item. They may even provide photos of the broken item. Unfortunately for y'all, the item is a replica of the ane you sent. The heir-apparent can written report the item every bit damaged to eBay and get a refund, leaving you without your particular or the payment.

7. Unwarranted chargeback

A scammer doesn't have to attempt very difficult to steal your money, equally about transaction sites are congenital to protect the buyer. If y'all successfully complete a transaction and the buyer pays with a credit carte du jour or PayPal, they can easily contact the provider and cancel the transaction. The coin will be recovered from you and you will be charged an additional chargeback fee (that's $xx for PayPal, individual credit carte companies vary). The scammer only needs to say they suspect something was wrong and most institutions will chargeback straightaway, regardless of whether they already accept the item or what condition it's in. Disputing the chargeback tin can take a lot of time and hassle on your behalf.

8. Feedback extortion

Because eBay functions as an intermediary between private buyers and sellers, the thought of building an online reputation on the site is pretty important. Each transaction creates the opportunity for both buyers and sellers to leave public feedback almost the experience. It'due south normally not a good thought to trade with accounts that have bad feedback. Knowing this, some scammers will purchase from you then demand money be sent through private means and so that negative feedback won't exist left on your business relationship. This is a type of bribery. As completed feedback can't be disputed, it places some people in a position where they feel they must comply or risk the integrity of their account.

How to avoid eBay scams

This looks like a long list only it's important to be very diligent when buying or selling on the eBay platform. Some of this advice may be second nature to you, or may not apply to all sales. Exist aware and act charily as financial dealings online can be risky no matter how conscientious you are.

Hither's how to avoid eBay scams:

• Never have checks as payment. It's very risky as they are often a target for fraud. If y'all do accept checks, wait until they articulate. After you deposit a bank check, the residual will show in your account, only it can take a week or two to verify. If you transport the packet earlier the cheque clears information technology could leave you with an empty bank business relationship and no item. Always use approved eBay payment methods.
• Always consummate transactions through eBay'south official channels. Communicate using the service provided. eBay cannot follow upwardly deals fabricated outside of the platform and cannot verify communications or agreements made on private channels. Give yourself every chance of protection past showing eBay yous've acted in expert faith.
• Document everything. Brand an effort to tape the packing and posting of every item, including any tracking numbers used. This will help protect you against baseless fraud claims. eBay will typically side with the buyer, so dispute any claims you think are untrue and dorsum them up with your photographic evidence.
• Along with photographing everything, endeavour to record any identifying details about the item. Particularly if the particular is expensive, popular, or desirable (such as new cell phones or gaming consoles). Record any serial numbers or unique codes.
• Always suit for a tracking number for any deliveries you send. If the detail is worth more than than $750, arrange for signature on delivery. This helps to encompass you for PayPal Seller Protection (but not necessarily other payment methods available through eBay). Use the highest security tracking you recall is appropriate for the value of the detail y'all send. Remember that the more proof you lot can arrange, the more secure your transaction will be in the instance of a fraudulent dispute.
• You should be able to dispute a chargeback with the depository financial institution if yous think it's fraudulent simply be prepared to provide proof. PayPal Seller Protection also has mechanisms to protect confronting spurious chargebacks, so don't hesitate to challenge one if you recollect it's wrong. It tin too exist smart to issue a refund if you lot have an unhappy client. Information technology will only cost you the corporeality of the item, rather than the additional costs of chargeback fees if the customer takes the matter up with their fiscal institution.
• Check to encounter if the image used to show the detail is existence used on other listings equally well, or if information technology'due south a stock image from the spider web. If it is, and the seller is unwilling to transport other photos or information about the item, information technology could be a scam and should be avoided.
• Compare the cost to other like items. If it'due south heavily discounted without good reason (similar listed damage for example) it may be a scam or even stolen holding. Steer clear.
• Investigate the feedback page. If the good feedback is all from sellers for low-priced items, information technology may be strategic to make the profile expect genuine. It may as well be an inexperienced seller, so don't hesitate to open a conversation about the item within eBay's messaging arrangement.
• There is little you can exercise to protect yourself if the item isn't covered by the money-back guarantee, then investigate the seller profile in detail first, and human action cautiously if the item is very expensive and outside the protection of the policy.
• If you receive a parcel that is not addressed to you, call back carefully. Are you lot expecting a parcel around this time? Check for any shipping numbers or transaction codes y'all can use to verify that it's your package. If every particular matches upwards except the name, you may choose to open it to verify that your goods are there.
• Never blitz to purchase an detail on eBay. Read the listing advisedly. If the particular is listed as the box only in the championship of the listing or clearly in the description, there volition be little you can practice to dispute a transaction, as the data presented was true and correct.

What to exercise if you've been scammed on eBay

eBay is very aware that scams occur on the website. They readily cooperate with constabulary enforcement and encourage scammed users to make a constabulary study with their local government. If yous want to sympathize the process of reporting a scam to law and how eBay is involved, visit the eBay Security Eye.

You can report an issue with a seller to eBay directly here.

If y'all find an detail on eBay that you retrieve is fraudulent, study the list directly.

Report a buyer if you think they have acted illegally or fraudulently here.

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Source: https://www.comparitech.com/identity-theft-protection/ebay-scams/