PayPal - EBAY RIP OFF - WARNING - Feedback

[sarge]

Need input from members who have had problems recovering money from PayPal after being ripped off thru a transaction.

I'll try to make this short and sweet.

Bid on an item on EBAY, looked like I was going to be the winner, contacted seller to clarify shipping costs and policy. In the last 30 seconds, was outbid. I was contacted by the seller stating that he was sorry that I lost but that he had more of these items and I could buy for my bid price plus shipping. He requested that I please pay thru PayPal which was also posted on his EBAY sale page. I have used PayPal several times without there ever being a problem and the seller had 374 transactions on EBAY with only a couple of negative responses. Thought that I was safe trusting EBAY responses and that my money was safe using PayPal. Boy, did I get an education. The seller did not have the items that he had posted for sale on EBAY. The two "winners" paid (dutch auction) but never received their items either but were promised refunds as was I. In my last e-mail with them, they have not received any money either.

I am not angry at EBAY - because I knew the policy of no guarantee from them if you purchase directly from the seller. PayPal claims to be a banking substitute, safe money transactions etc. BS!!! Your money is gone if the transaction goes sour. I am a verified PayPal user - the seller was not as are many other users of PayPal. EBAY at least immediately suspended the user rights of myeyesaintblue(bueyedhusky@hotmail.com)also using the name of "Carlos de la Puente" from Toronto, ON Canada. EBAY also gave me the telephone number for him - disconnected of course. My e-mails go unanswered from Carlos.

PayPal has offered no help to me and seems to ignore my e-mails to their "security department", replying only with a form letter stating that I should work out my problems with the seller.

This has gone on for a over a month. Paid thru PayPal ($90.00)on 9-1-00 transferred from my Visa card. PayPal will not offer me any contact info for Carlos and will not offer me any solutions thru PayPal to recover my money. I contacted Visa and they have frozen the $ 90.00 sent to PayPal and are now waiting for PayPal to respond. This is only a stop gap measure. Visa was unsure that if PayPal protests my actions what the status of my money would be.

So as a warning to all - know the seller, do not trust PayPal to safeguard your money or transactions.

sarge

 

[PsychRN]

Thanks, Sarge. Just goes to show that Paypal isn't the most secure way of doing business.

 

[Arcus]

Feel your pain - been there and done that. I just gave up after getting canned email reply after canned email reply. I ended up filing a fraud complaint and then waiting a month to file an insurance claim. Both ebay and pay pal were useless in providing any assistance. Just doesn't seem right, does it?

 

[azwilly]

As in the words of our glorious leader "I feel your pain". Since I started using Ebay I have found:
1) sellers with hotmail email addresses are EXTREMELY risky (or any of the free email services)
2) I only use Bidpay (Ebay payment service) because you don't have to sign up to use the service,so you don't give up your rights to dispute the charges to your credit card like Paypal) I paid thru bidpay-never received the item and my Visa charge was reversed - the rip-oof artist was Pi**ed off!!
Better luck in the future!

 

[sarge]

I agree, with a hotmail address alone, I would have been highly suspicious. Coupled with the 374 positive responses from EBAY and an additional e-mail address from PayPal, I thought that this was a "safe" transaction. PayPal seem to assure that your money and transactions are quite safe. They are not safe and PayPal will not lend assistance.

If any members living in Canada, could help with additional info on this individual, this is what I have:

Carlos de la Puente
myeyesaintblue@hotmail.com
416)995-8747
delapuente.carlos@sympatico.ca
Toronto ON Canada

Thanks,

sarge

 

[keencut]

I am sooooo tired of ebay. I have to hold my breath every time I buy a knife there. I am just about finished with them. A letter in Blade recently says alot about how I feel.Also after snipers, bad deals, knives that turned out not so good, etc., I hardly go there any more. Support your hometown dealers! Buy from discount centers on the internet! I guess ebay is good for sellers and specialty items but it is a real pain and drain(of money) sometimes. JMK

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