Am I scammed by ebay buyer

[madrich]

PayPal is different, you can call and explain situation, PayPal is much more seller friendly than eBay

only precise diagnose will tell you how damage is complex

eBay policy says:
Buyers and sellers have an opportunity within 30 days from when we make a decision about a transaction issue to appeal our decision by providing appropriate documentation. We have the right to seek reimbursement from the seller if a buyer successfully appeals.

 

[_Kiki_]

eBay policy says:
Buyers and sellers have an opportunity within 30 days from when we make a decision about a transaction issue to appeal our decision by providing appropriate documentation. We have the right to seek reimbursement from the seller if a buyer successfully appeals.

their appeal option it's a total joke, I tried once appeal by phone (only available option) and they told me I need wait 24h for decision, but actually they closed appeal within few minutes after I called for them, lairs, idiots and scumbags, eBay support is always your enemy doesn't matter if you buying or selling

 

[Septembersrain]

their appeal option it's a total joke, I tried once appeal by phone (only available option) and they told me I need wait 24h for decision, but actually they closed appeal within few minutes after I called for them, lairs, idiots and scumbags, eBay support is always your enemy doesn't matter if you buying or selling

EBay has never worked in disputes for me either. PayPal has been a much better go between.

I refuse to sell anything on eBay after seeing the hell a seller went through when they sold something they weren't supposed to, to me. I wasn't thinking about it either. It was a software code. It took us about 3 weeks of me telling eBay it was a good code and to give the damn seller his money! We both emailed, called, said sorry, I agreed that the code worked, he agreed that he shouldn't have sold it. Just give him the money and we both learned.

Then seeing posts about how eBay really doesn't protect the seller as much as the buyer. I've had a couple bad transactions with cases being for wrong device, etc but I won't buy a top dollar item there.

 

[ItnStln]

I’d attempt to get proof it was the MacBook Air you sold as I’ve heard of people having a device that they use to scam eBay sellers.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Closing the PayPal account won't keep PayPal from collecting on you, should you lose the case. Doing that will make you look like a scammer.

Never ever ship to an unverified PayPal address. That is a strike against you.

Even though I think the OP was scammed, I don't see him winning the caae, unfortunately.

Unless the OP has verified pictures to show there was no previous damage, or some kind of letter from Apple, it becomes a he said / he claimed matter, which goes in the buyer's favor most of the time.

 

[_Kiki_]

EBay has never worked in disputes for me either. PayPal has been a much better go between.

I refuse to sell anything on eBay after seeing the hell a seller went through when they sold something they weren't supposed to, to me. I wasn't thinking about it either. It was a software code. It took us about 3 weeks of me telling eBay it was a good code and to give the damn seller his money! We both emailed, called, said sorry, I agreed that the code worked, he agreed that he shouldn't have sold it. Just give him the money and we both learned.

Then seeing posts about how eBay really doesn't protect the seller as much as the buyer. I've had a couple bad transactions with cases being for wrong device, etc but I won't buy a top dollar item there.

eBay doesn't protect any services or digital content, so you can lose the money quite easy by selling these items

 

[Septembersrain]

eBay doesn't protect any services or digital content, so you can lose the money quite easy by selling these items

I felt for the seller. If they'd refused to pay him and gave me my money back, I'd have gifted him PayPal.

We both learned a lot from that.

 

[ItnStln]

EBay has never worked in disputes for me either. PayPal has been a much better go between.

I refuse to sell anything on eBay after seeing the hell a seller went through when they sold something they weren't supposed to, to me. I wasn't thinking about it either. It was a software code. It took us about 3 weeks of me telling eBay it was a good code and to give the damn seller his money! We both emailed, called, said sorry, I agreed that the code worked, he agreed that he shouldn't have sold it. Just give him the money and we both learned.

Then seeing posts about how eBay really doesn't protect the seller as much as the buyer. I've had a couple bad transactions with cases being for wrong device, etc but I won't buy a top dollar item there.

Why can’t you sell software code on eBay?

 

[Septembersrain]

Why can’t you sell software code on eBay?

I have no idea! Guess it's because it's not exactly hardware? It could be pirated maybe? I just remember eBay saying it's prohibited to the seller and me having to convince them it was fine. That it worked out.

 

[Sedulous]

I think there is still a risk of Paypal dispute after 30 days (up to 180 days). Yes no rocket science, but it was middle of the night, I could not sleep due to jet lag, I am returning Monday from Europe from a conference, I was trying to understand the meaning of the options given, and I believe the Accept was accepting right away, without Next option.

Component repair comes with 90 days warranty, but of course, replacement would be better. In this regard, interesting analysis of Sedulous above, that it may be not the motherboard itself damaged.

I have not seen the logic board itself but if the liquid damage is localized to the DC board, not only is replacing the logic board unnecessary, it actually would not solve the problem! You can pick up a DC board for around $20 and it is super easy to replace. If I remember correctly, it is only held in by two torx screws. Pull out a ribbon cable and lift out two lif connectors and that is all there is to it. Please don't waste a ton of money to "professionally" replace it... this is something anyone can do. I'd do it for free if you were local.

 

[Daud]

I have not seen the logic board itself but if the liquid damage is localized to the DC board, not only is replacing the logic board unnecessary, it actually would not solve the problem! You can pick up a DC board for around $20 and it is super easy to replace. If I remember correctly, it is only held in by two torx screws. Pull out a ribbon cable and lift out two lif connectors and that is all there is to it. Please don't waste a ton of money to "professionally" replace it... this is something anyone can do. I'd do it for free if you were local.

The pictures are throughout this thread and as you say, without inspecting the motherboard itself, who knows, but looking on the instruction at https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/MacBook+Air+13-Inch+Early+2015+I-O+Board+Replacement/40695
it looks trivial and why not try this first. I am wondering whether the buyer just pulls some numbers in his estimate of initial $30 repair part (I/O board) which is now $600 part (motherboard?) This would indicate that he did more involved disassembly than the pictures show.

 

[Billburns]

You should have called eBay. After 30 days you are NOT obligated to accept any returns nor could the buyer/eBay force it

A simple pone call would have closed that in your favor.... although the buyer then would still be able to open on via PayPal but that's a little harder for the buyer to win but still 90% chance for them to win lol

 

[Invizzible]

The first picture, showing the inside of the bottom cover, and the corner of the unit looks like it's showing damage on the bottom cover, but compare the damage to the board in that photo with the photos showing the board damage.

It's like the 'damage' has been magnified in the board shots, and is largely missing on the bottom case shot.

Either way, I smell a scam.

I agree, it's suspicious how the corrosion doesn't appear to be on the pcb in the first picture but is on the pcb in the other pictures.

 

[ThunderSkunk]

Yep, you're getting screwed, but as eBay loves to explain to sellers "the buyer is the customer, and the customer is always right. As the seller, you have to factor in some amount of loss in your business, and realize that these types of disputed only discourage buyers from spending more money on our site." Over and over.

Though I have 3700+ auctions with 99.9% positive, eBay and PayPal are the two worst companies I have ever had the misfortune of doing business with. The minute there is a viable competitor, they're done.

Have fun getting to the part of this deal where after being defrauded of your $, quite possibly your product, and paying full eBay & PayPal percentages to do so, you then get the satisfaction of receiving negative feedback from your buyer, and no option but to leave him positive feedback in return. Because to be truthful or honest or have any integrity might discourage other buyers from spending their $ on ebay.

 

[_Kiki_]

You should have called eBay. After 30 days you are NOT obligated to accept any returns nor could the buyer/eBay force it

A simple pone call would have closed that in your favor.... although the buyer then would still be able to open on via PayPal but that's a little harder for the buyer to win but still 90% chance for them to win lol

"close dispute" button is easier and working 100%, yeah and support on eBay will tell you to Accept the return even after 30 days, scumbags !!!

 

[Billburns]

No they won't, it's clearly stated everywhere after 30 days they cannot ask for a return. That's when they have to take it with PayPal

Check the eBay reddit

 

[_Kiki_]

No they won't, it's clearly stated everywhere after 30 days they cannot ask for a return. That's when they have to take it with PayPal

Check the eBay reddit

I don't need check anything, I had similar cases on the past and only "magical" button "close the request for return" worked for me, you cannot trust these bastards from eBay support.

If you know better than me, go by own way, but do not cry on the forum if something happen.

Do not mess PayPal and eBay, they are different

 

[ItnStln]

I have no idea! Guess it's because it's not exactly hardware? It could be pirated maybe? I just remember eBay saying it's prohibited to the seller and me having to convince them it was fine. That it worked out.

Was it a code to unlock a program or what kind of code was it?

 

[davidoloan]

Have fun getting to the part of this deal where after being defrauded of your $, quite possibly your product, and paying full eBay & PayPal percentages to do so, you then get the satisfaction of receiving negative feedback from your buyer, and no option but to leave him positive feedback in return. Because to be truthful or honest or have any integrity might discourage other buyers from spending their $ on ebay.

+1

I've been on eBay nearly 20 years. I was very enthusiastic about eBay and Amazon in the early years. But not so much now; I don't see either of them as very positive and I try to buy expensive things from specialist stores online now. I think the only expensive thing I have bought on eBay in the last five years is a set of new speakers that were being discounted 50% by a well known HiFi retailer. I just don't want to purchase on a place where so many get screwed and eBay don't take a share of the screwing.

I'm not a business seller, but I have sold and got screwed twice - therefore **** them. Simple. I read a few years ago that ebay were making a concerted effort to be a venue for expensive purchases because they were loosing a grip on that market to Amazon and specialist retailers. And I think they are failing and still are in that.

You only have to get screwed once and have it cost you, say 300 of whatever currency and you end up with a pretty poor view of the whole thing. I use it for cheap stuff, e.g an out of print book, a blu ray, a cable..... Flea Bay indeed.

I know the OP has a big loss, but I wouldn't put heart and soul into recovering much. If he gets anything at all back in the post it may well have been hacked about and damaged elsewhere or have missing parts.

 

[madrich]

Time out: Let's look at the situation as told by the seller. He sells his computer and ships it to the buyer. The buyer receives it at a confirmed address; other than his own address which is not confirmed. The seller gets confirmation of receipt per the tracking number, and the buyer leaves favorable feedback for the seller. The buyer had a few weeks or days to renew the Apple Care warranty which he did not. After 30 days the computer stopped working, and the buyer opened the computer to see what was wrong. (Alternatively, the buyer damaged the computer and opened it.) The buyer then opens a complaint in eBay as not sold as described by the seller. The seller inadvertently clicks the bot to accept the return and pay for shipping. The seller subsequently does not send the prepaid shipping label. The date to send the shipping label expires. I am not sure what happen since, but it seems that eBay ruled in favor of the buyer based on the latter default, and the seller has not appealed.

If I made the mistake in this situation when I clicked the wrong button, I would have on the phone with eBay and PayPal ASAP! As far as we know, he has not talked to eBay or Paypal?

 

[Billburns]

Apparently not and in that case eBay would award the buyer a refund considering he didn't send a label to the buyer...

Then the seller will com here to complain how he lost on the money and laptop because after that the buyer is not required to mail anything back

 

[madrich]

Apparently not and in that case eBay would award the buyer a refund considering he didn't send a label to the buyer...

Then the seller will com here to complain how he lost on the money and laptop because after that the buyer is not required to mail anything back

I agree with you that's what the situation as it stands now, seems to indicate. I think Daud was surprised by the buyer's complaint 30 days after receipt, and he made mistakes afterwards that cost him.

 

[Rum_Becker]

I bet this stuff happens everyday, this is the reason ebay is dying.

 

[nexesnex]

Agreed. Unless the Buyer did something between pictures, such as trying to clean the board (which would make zero logical sense if this was a problem that they did not cause), the pictures look more different than angles/lighting conditions can explain. It is almost like this is a MacBook Air the Buyer had they damaged themselves, tried to clean, didn't work, so they purchased another on eBay with the intent of returning their own damaged product in place of the working one they purchased.

View attachment 715042

I agree. There is something fishy going on....

 

[Daud]

I agree, it's suspicious how the corrosion doesn't appear to be on the pcb in the first picture but is on the pcb in the other pictures.

I think it is the same (I/O board) but "somehow" cleaned. The corrosion outline on the Magsafe connector has the same outline. The question is how professional thee cleaning was, with parts inside, or disassembled, with clean isopropylalcohol, maintaining static electricity precaution, etc. ?