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Way to track iPhone sold on eBay?

imetazoa

imetazoa

macrumors member
Original poster
Aug 12, 2008
78
0
bfe
Hi everyone,

I sold an iPhone 3G on eBay over a month ago. The buyer claims he never received the phone. I filed an insurance claim with USPS and it was denied because they said the phone was delivered.

I want to find out where the f this phone ended up. Did the guy actually receive it? Did someone else steal it? Is there a way I can track the phone? I never wrote down the serial number or installed any tracking apps...

I appreciate any help you can give. I don't want to be out $200 bucks. Thanks!
 
Afraid this is always a risk. It is best avoided by not despatching the goods until funds are in your possession.

Did USPS get a signature? If so, you can prove the buyer did, in fact, receive it and I suppose you could threaten legal action.
 
If you sent the phone via a tracked service to the buyer's provided address and it arrived according to the mail carrier, then there's really nothing else that you as a seller can do.

Has the buyer opened a Paypal/Ebay dispute? I guess you have to leave it to the buyer to file a claim with the mail carrier at their end.
 
It's always best to ship with Delivery Confirmation with USPS. Then it can definitely be tracked and the person has to sign for it. If you do that and insure it, even if the phone is lost you're not shortchanged on the deal. But from what you said, it sounds like you're up a creek right now. :(

A thought: if Apple or AT&T has a record of your old iPhone serial number, you might be able to track it through AT&T if it's been re-activated.
 
You are ALWAYS supposed to get a tracking number for eBay items. Anything that's over $150 needs signature confirmation as well, otherwise PayPal won't cover you.
 
FXT 1 said:
If you sent the phone via a tracked service to the buyer's provided address and it arrived according to the mail carrier, then there's really nothing else that you as a seller can do.

Has the buyer opened a Paypal/Ebay dispute? I guess you have to leave it to the buyer to file a claim with the mail carrier at their end.
Click to expand...

yeah. but my dumbass refunded him his money (as ebay suggested!) before i got the claim back. i was so afraid of negative feedback. but now i would rather have my $200 and the negative feedback! expensive lesson...
 
imetazoa said:
yeah. but my dumbass refunded him his money (as ebay suggested!) before i got the claim back. i was so afraid of negative feedback. but now i would rather have my $200 and the negative feedback! expensive lesson...
Click to expand...

It seems more and more that ebay is just not worth it when dealing with the iphone. It's become an item that attracts too many scammers, and even if it goes through, you are in a nervous state the whole time.
 
imetazoa said:
yeah. but my dumbass refunded him his money (as ebay suggested!) before i got the claim back. i was so afraid of negative feedback. but now i would rather have my $200 and the negative feedback! expensive lesson...
Click to expand...

Ebay's kinda gone downhill for private and small sellers these days. If the buyer was lying and he did in fact receive the phone there's nothing you can do I guess because USPS are in the right (for their end at least) and there's no way of forcing the buyer to re-pay you.

Did you send insured with a tracking number, if so you should have a receipt with the address of the buyer? (I speak for Royal mail in the UK, don't know how USPS do it), cross reference that with the buyer's provided address as mistakes can be made by the postie behind the till!

You could watch this guy's recent purchases via feedback, guess that's cyber stalking but if he starts buying iPhone 3G cases and screen protectors then you'll know somethings up!
 
circularforward said:
It seems more and more that ebay is just not worth it when dealing with the iphone. It's become an item that attracts too many scammers, and even if it goes through, you are in a nervous state the whole time.
Click to expand...

I'm waiting a 3gs that i bought over ebay, and i wasnt nervous before reading this post. now i am.
 
circularforward said:
It seems more and more that ebay is just not worth it when dealing with the iphone. It's become an item that attracts too many scammers, and even if it goes through, you are in a nervous state the whole time.
Click to expand...

+1

Private/Small sellers can no longer leave negative feedback, allowing 'bad buyers' to use feedback as essentially blackmail. Also more buyers are unaware of Ebay policies and think that they can bid and commit but not pay, but can you leave neagtive feedback on them? Not anymore.

Anyhow, this is not an Ebay Rant thread lol
 
xplor said:
I'm waiting a 3gs that i bought over ebay, and i wasnt nervous before reading this post. now i am.
Click to expand...

You shouldn't be as your a buyer, so you are more protected than a seller imao.
Ebay is actually quite safe to buy from, as as a buyer there a multitude of systems present to ensure that your not left out of pocket.

Unfortunately, this can't be said for sellers.
 
next time just leave the phone on and use find my iphone, once it arrives at its destination do a remote wipe :p

Honestly I have grown to hate ebay because there are so many scammers out there. I have only been burned once, but I hear so many stories about it that I hardly even look over there anymore.
 
FXT 1 said:
You shouldn't be as your a buyer, so you are more protected than a seller imao.
Ebay is actually quite safe to buy from, as as a buyer there a multitude of systems present to ensure that your not left out of pocket.

Unfortunately, this can't be said for sellers.
Click to expand...

Yes. This has really disappointed me. I have used eBay on and off to sell items since 2005 (w/ a feedback rating of 130). Unfortunately these last two years I have been screwed more than once. It's getting out of control and I am getting frustrated. I feel completely helpless.

I contacted ATT phone service and they said that the ATT store might be able to track my old phone. I'll go there this weekend and keep my fingers crossed. The eBay fraud department also contacted me and said that I can file a fraud complaint w/ USPS and then a complaint with the local law enforcement to where the item was delivered. I have done both those things now, though I have little to no hope I will get my money back unless I can find the person who is in possession of the phone.
 
imetazoa said:
yeah. but my dumbass refunded him his money (as ebay suggested!) before i got the claim back. i was so afraid of negative feedback. but now i would rather have my $200 and the negative feedback! expensive lesson...
Click to expand...

Yeah, you kinda screwed yourself on this one. If you have the package confirmed as delivered, then why did you return the guy's money? You should have just let the dispute run it's course. He could still leave you negative feedback even if you return his money. You can't be so scared of negative feedback. Would you rather be out $200 or have one negative feedback from some jerkoff?

What's the guys feedback like?
 
circularforward said:
I wonder too. But lately, it seems like there are many scams happening from accounts with fairly good feedback. The whole ebay system is broken for small sellers.
Click to expand...

Agreed, I just sold my iPod touch on Ebay, someone with "good feedback" tried to scam me after he won the auction. Luckily showed him to be the liar.
 
Why would you refund the money if usps showed the item reached it's destination?
 
imetazoa said:
Yes. This has really disappointed me. I have used eBay on and off to sell items since 2005 (w/ a feedback rating of 130). Unfortunately these last two years I have been screwed more than once. It's getting out of control and I am getting frustrated. I feel completely helpless.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, you have only yourself to blame. You neglected to get a tracking number or signature confirmation. Otherwise, you would have been eligible for paypal seller protection and not be screwed out of your $200.

Sellers have successfully protected themselves from fraudulent buyers by following this route. It's even possible to protect yourself against Significant Not As Described dispute (in which case you're not covered by paypal seller protection) if you document well. There have been success stories here from sellers who fought a never received dispute by using MobileMe tracking and presented evidence to eBay/paypal that the buyer was actually in possession of the item.
 
If you're assuming that the buyer is telling the truth and the phone did not reach him then surely it must be classed as stolen?
Ring your operator with the IMEI and tell them the phone has been stolen - they will send a signal to the phone killing it.
You may not have the phone any more but at least some little git can't use it either! At least that's what happens in the UK..
 
Of course, this will not help you now, but I have seen one app on the store that was a tracking app. When installed, it was disguised as Sexy Pictures or something similar, to entice the person to open it, but it sent location data back when it was opened. If they did not open it, it of course did nothing at all. Not even sure of the legality of installing something like that on a phone to be sold, but you could always do it, then once it phones home, tell the buyer so they can just delete it. Also, this was before MobileMe, so who knows if it is still sold.

As far as tracking it, I am sure that ATT has the capability to find it by serial and or IMEI in their systems, but who knows if they would use it for you.
 
You screwed yourself on this one. eBay would have let you keep your $.
 
FXT 1 said:
Private/Small sellers can no longer leave negative feedback, allowing 'bad buyers' to use feedback as essentially blackmail.
Click to expand...

This is just not true. I ABSOLUTELY can leave negative feedback as a small-time seller. I am looking at the form right now. I have sold approximately 50-60 items on eBay and have really not had any issues that I can recall since I started in 1999.

The OP should have gone to the seller reporting hub...

"Sellers have an easy way to report problems with buyers
Sellers can use the seller reporting hub to report an unpaid item, Feedback extortion, or any other problem with a buyer. eBay investigates all reports and will remove any negative or neutral Feedback that's in violation of eBay policy."

NO way would I have refunded the money when the USPS said it was delivered to the address.
 
iceterminal said:
Yet 1 more example on why I've never ever used eBay. Damn shame something good got turned into something very bad.
Click to expand...

Yet you have the iPhone 4, despite the many posts/threads from distractors deriding it. The OP made a number of mistakes and basically screwed himself out of his $200. It's still possible to play it relatively safe with eBay by making yourself eligible for paypal seller protection, just as it's possible to get a working iPhone 4.
 
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