Is this an eBay scam?

[AdrianUK]

An item sold on eBay beginning of sept has been returned, without any communication previously, with a hand written note from the buyer asking to be refunded onto a Visa card, Visa card number written onto the note.

Original purchase was via PayPal, no explanation as to why item returned, it is not damaged in any way and is as described.

In addition, the buyer has included two additional similar items in the return that were not purchased from me.

I definitely won’t be returning any funds via the Visa card, a strange request!

I may return via PayPal, as I have item back.

So, is this a new scam?

The buyer is UK based, possibly new to eBay with just 3 feedback ratings, all in the last 6 months.

 

[Bristol_Rob]

Wait until Ebay orders you to refund.

 

[Phill05]

I would write to buyer and explain you cannot refund without going through e-bay request to do so, and as buyer returned items without e-bay they must stand cost to get them back.

 

[Sandyn]

Sounds very like a scam, Pay for something on-line using a stolen card, then return to another stolen card they have the pin number for and take the cash out at a machine. If it's for small amounts they might be able to do it often before the card(s) are cancelled

 

[DBT85]

Can't even return the money to a card anyway can you? You need bank details or an email address to send money to.

But I'd do nothing until eBay asks you to refund and then I'd do it via paypal if thats what they paid with.

 

[Jameshow]

Use PayPal.

Protects you.

And refund is recorded.

Cheers James

 

[Steliz]

It's possible to get Paypal to cancel a payment after the fact. They want you to refund to the card and then they'll cancel the Paypal payment and get their money back twice.
A similar scam, which I experienced recently on Gumtree, is for the scammer to offer to pay for the item on Paypal then pay too much, pretend to have made a mistake and ask for the difference to be refunded back through Paypal. Once they have the overpayment back they then cancel the original payment and get that back too.

 

[AdrianUK]

Thanks all
I’m definitely not an easy mark, however, Ebay a scams do evolve, and this, if it is a scammer, is a new tactic to me.

I don’t want someone to be out of pocket if it’s genuine, but at the same time, don’t want to initiate contact if it’s a £#@&?6 trying it on.

So shall wait and see.

 

[baldkev]

I would be informing ebay of the development so its on file

 

[artie]

I would be informing ebay of the development so its on file

I informed ebay on three occasions about fraudulent ads, they did fanny all about it.

 

[baldkev]

Doesn't sound good..... ive been pucky so far with ebay, although i hardly ever sell on there, just buy

 

[danst96]

Sounds like a surefire scam. It sounds not disimilar to the "royal mail" delivery scam where an expensive item was delivered to you without you ordering and then I can't remember the details but you ended up paying for the item and returning it all at the same time. With the 2 additional items coming back to you that's big warning bells to me. Also with there only being 6 reviews that's another reason not to trust.

 

[Orraloon]

As baldkev says inform Ebay and have it on record. Photos of items, photocopy of note and visa card numbers. If it had just been the item you sold then a refund via PayPal would leave you all square but the two other items are very suss. Got to be thinking what happens next. Hope things get worked out.
Regards
John

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Doesn't sound good..... ive been pucky so far with ebay, although i hardly ever sell on there, just buy

We had absolutely no help whatsoever from either ebay or Paypal. despite its being thought they are always on the side of the buyer.

 

[okeydokey]

I'm sure you have already but --- go to eBay go to Help and Contact (at the top sort of left hand side) go to refunds and returns for sellers. Then to Request Assistance then down to Need More Help then keep scrolling down the page and at the very end you will find a Contact Us - should get you to a real person.
If they don't help I would simply print a copy of the original sale details and the address of the buyer, box everything up put it in the attic and forget it.
Or contact the buyer via the sale link page asking them why the item and other things have been returned in error? Then any correspondence is on ebay records, if they ask for a refund then tell them to start the refund procedure via eBay - then forget it if they don't reply.

Don't send any money anywhere as you give details of your finances/where you hold money to originate the payment
Does sound like a scam irrespective of the value

 

[JAW911]

Along similar lines, my wife runs an internationally-operating food business based in the UK. They received a very large payment into their bank from an unknown source followed by an order which was duly cancelled with a request to refund the money to a ‘sister’ company in Holland. Laundering/moving money. They refused and the bank returned it to the sender saying it happens often.

 

[HamsterJam]

Could be as simple as you refund outside eBay, they claim through eBay that they never received the goods so eBay refunds them again at your expense.

 

[danst96]

Could be as simple as you refund outside eBay, they claim through eBay that they never received the goods so eBay refunds them again at your expense.

This sounds likely

 

[Cozzer]

I don't think anyone above has mentioned this aspect yet - apologies if I've missed it.
Are you certain it's exactly the same item you sent?
They've not sent an (already) broken item back to you, pretending it's the one you sent?
Have they not given a reason for the return?

 

[DavidConnelly]

An item sold on eBay beginning of sept has been returned, without any communication previously, with a hand written note from the buyer asking to be refunded onto a Visa card, Visa card number written onto the note.

Original purchase was via PayPal, no explanation as to why item returned, it is not damaged in any way and is as described.

In addition, the buyer has included two additional similar items in the return that were not purchased from me.

I definitely won’t be returning any funds via the Visa card, a strange request!

I may return via PayPal, as I have item back.

So, is this a new scam?

The buyer is UK based, possibly new to eBay with just 3 feedback ratings, all in the last 6 months.

It sounds like a scam. I had a similar thing. I've only refunded once through Ebay. The only way to do it is when the buyer requests it through ebay or PayPal. Then the repayment portal is available to you.
If you pay by any other means, the buyer can then ask for a refund via ebay or PayPal. They will then debit your payment method. You pay back twice