Is there safety using PayPal? Not always - read on.

[morden2004]

I recently won a Roku 2 XS from an eBay seller in China who had GOOD feedback score (over 99) and no damaging feedback.  Within hours I receive an email from PayPal informing me that I MUST initiate a dispute as this purchase seems to be fraudulent!  What?  Why?  Because the eBay member closed his account shortly after my winning bid and AFTER I had paid him with PayPal.  No problem, I thought, because of the protection offered by PayPal.  Wrong!

As it now stands I am screwed out of the funds I sent the seller because in response to a PayPal dispute I initiated as requested, PayPal request to him send shipping info.  He responded with a tracking number and declared that the item had been shipped.  Well, the 'package' arrived and I immediately knew we'd been had.  It was an envelope containing a $1.00 cable, and I reported this (stupid me! My 2nd mistake) to PayPal and updated the dispute status because I HAD received 'an item' (not the auction item).

Now PayPal states that I must ship it back with tracking in order to get my money back from PayPal. 

So, what's the problem?  The eBay sale was for $27.00. To ship back the 'cable' to CHINA with tracking will cost me $56.00 and that means I'm screwed by the PayPal rules.

Buyer beware!

[almond_t]

Well, being that, God-willing, I hope I'm still around for hundreds of months yet, and plan on still having mobile phone service ( until something better comes along!)  for the entirety of those blessed months - I'm very good at doing the math and   I'm pretty sure that it will all average out nicely  in the long  ( or short) run!   🙂

The only stipulation is maintaining the same  service provider for 3 years, which, is already a given, because when I receive good service, I stay loyal to that company!  (or store...or eBay seller. )    If I  switched, I'd be paying the same, just to someone else!   So the 'contract' is pretty much a moot point!

So in theory, ' my ' contract is a contract in name only. And I really like my piece of junk! 😉

[i*m-still-here]

All right..... bad example (and my pet peeve....... most of my friends bought into the plans too)......

The point was that to me it's not surprising that someone would fall prey to the promise of a deal like that in the world we live in with retailers promising free stuff all around us every day.

Not an sophisticated purchase that an ebay-wise buyer would fall for ....... but maybe "deserved" is a little harsh..... :).

[almond_t]

Agreed 😉

[dipmicro]

Come on guys, it was $27, not $2700 🙂 It was money spent on a lesson.

My friend who also peddles stuff from China had once DHL misplace $4k shipment. The sender wanted to save $50 and did not buy insurance. Ouch!

I just went through the bad $3k purchase where 39% out of 200 units had manufacturing defects and I spent 15hrs this weekend testing and repairing. I still have 3 irreparable units left and 8 units went out before I found out this batch was untested, so there still may be return/refund issues.

Sorry, but $27 scam from China does not impress me into compassion.

[dipmicro]

Btw., did I mention how I dislike Chinese right now ?

I just keep chuckling on the idea that if they are using same quality controls for their military acquisitions, then US would have no worry engaging that country, because of manufacturing scams and production shortcuts, most of their guns will jam and most of the ammo are duds

[morden2004]

Well, back in my more youthful days I would have flamed you for that provocative comment but now that I'm a mature senior I'll just smile and nod 'yes'. 

In fact, those boys is China can get their hands on anything (I have an unbranded Google Nexus 7 from China @ $90) but I do agree that I was a bit foolish to pull the trigger even with his good feedback (isn't that what the feedback is for?).  And as I mentioned in an earlier post, these Roku units have been marketed in the sub $60 range so $27 was a bargain but not an obvious scam.

Cheers

[morden2004]

*** GOOD NEWS ***

I did contact PayPal and updated them about the details of my objection to spending $$$ to loose even more by winning my dispute!

They investigated and have decided in my favour and they are refunding all of the money.

I'm 100% behind PayPal as a payment source and I always choose them for making payments when offered by any vendor.

Cheers!