PayPal Reversal

[tsachs22]

Sold an item to a customer in Brazil. The customer paid wit PayPal. She had a confirmed address and was verified.
The shipping address was confirmed and I even requested a phone number. So of course I sent the item. Two weeks later pay pal send me this
"It has come to our attention that you may be the recipient of potentially unauthorized funds. We have initiated an investigation into this event. In the meantime, we have placed a temporary hold on the funds in question until the investigation is complete. This temporary hold will show as a deduction in your available balance."
It was a fairly large amount. This has really shaken my faith in PayPal and I am still confused as to why I am being helpd liable. I mean the buyer was confirmed and verified, and still I am being punished.
Does anyone else have some insight?

[recped]

I don't think it's possible to have a confirmed address in Brazil. Of course it doesn't matter anyway as there is NO seller protection except for the USA, UK & Canada.


"unauthorized funds" means either the account was hijacked and used by a scammer or the buyer is themselves a scammer. With PayPal unless you follow the rules EXACTLY the seller is always liable and will bear the cost.

What's the item number?
"What else could I do? I had no trade so I became a peddler" - Lazarus Greenberg 1915

[tsachs22]

The item number is 330061786159.
There is a green "confirmed" logo beside the buyers name.
Darn, by looking back at the buyers recent purchases, it looks as though they've been on a shopping spree the past month. Does that mean I am S.O.L?

[recped]

"confirmed" buyer means nothing.

You're definitely toast on this one I would say. They've been naru'd so I assume some sellers turned them in. Looks like you were just the first of many to get burned.

Interesting that all those sellers left feedback immediately after receiving payment, it only helped to make the buyer look more legit.
"What else could I do? I had no trade so I became a peddler" - Lazarus Greenberg 1915

[funkywatch]

"Confirmed" accounts outside US/Canada/UK will not help you. Paypal sucks when it comes to seller protection, in this case you should request bank draft or Money order. The website Moneybookers.com is also approved by eBay and somewhat safer than Paypal.

From my past experience selling to Brazil and looking at the item in question, I am sorry to say that you are most probably SOL... I have lost a couple thousand dollars sealing with buyers in Brazil and ever since I seriously review every detail of the transaction and never accept new accounts from Brazil (yours was 13 days-old account).

There are always signs that reveal potential fraud, look out for them and/or ask for advice on this forum (before shipping out the item)

Good luck,
eric

[recped]

I have lost a couple thousand dollars sealing with buyers in Brazil and ever since I seriously review every detail of the transaction and never accept new accounts from Brazil (yours was 13 days-old account).

This scammer could have been from anywhere. For the transaction in question it was a BIN with instant PayPal from a user registered the same day in a country without seller protection for an extremely high fraud item.

Truly I feel sympathy for the seller but the red flags were waving stiffly on this one.

Of the 15 - 20 sales I've had to Brazil, slow delivery is the only problem I've had and buyers have always been patient.
"What else could I do? I had no trade so I became a peddler" - Lazarus Greenberg 1915

[futuretech_liquidations]

Well this user spent alot in 15 days time just over US$3000 in purchases and quite a few over $300+. Seems like eBaY and PAYPAL should have caught this one a lot quicker then they did.

I would try contacting some of the other sellers to see how they are managing this and maybe team up and attack PAYPAL together -- worth the try and nothing to lose.

Good Luck!

[tsachs22]

Thank you all for your help. Another learning curve I guess. Mean people really do suck.