Tydriver
06-29-2006, 06:41 PM
I will warn you ahead of time, this is rather LONG. I want to share a buyer beware horror story about Paypal with you. This is still a little fresh in my mind (and my wallet is still burning) so please dont be offended if I go off the deep end about the $134+ I lost through Paypal.
Here is scenario.. I purchased these transmission lines from Ebay auction :
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=8069349982&sspagename=ADME%3AB%3AEOIBSAA%3AUS%3A11
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif
and this is what I received :
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif
OK, now we are done with show, its time for the TELL part...
I bought the stainless braided lines on ebay 05-25-06 and paid within moments of the auction closing.. I heard nothing from the seller until I received a postal email advising me of a tracking number for an item shipped on 05-30-06.
One week goes by, and no shipping details have been updated on the post office website. 1st email sent to the seller goes unanswered.
I wait about 5-6 days and send off a 2nd email to the seller goes unanswered by the seller (this puts me into around June 10-12th.)
3rd Unanswered email to the seller gets fired off a couple days after this, around June 15th advising seller that future lack of response is going to result in a PayPal Dispute. I know that you will find it very hard to believe, that they didnt respond to this email either so lets just fast forward to the Paypal dispute.
June 18th, I notify Paypal that I want to enter the dispute process, only then to FINALLY receive a response from the vendor, at this point I am thinking WAHOOOO !! I am going to get my lines, they claim the lines were shipped out 05-30-06 as in the post office email, oddly enough the post office NEVER shows anything being shipped at this point. They only show the electronic transmittal paperwork being started but no activity past that.
3 days later (oddly enough, exactly the time the post office takes to delivery priority mail from when I started the dispute) a package arrives !!! I was like FINALLY.. Only to open it up and see the blue bulk hose and the press on fittings shown above and NOT the stainless lines pictured in the auction. Within 1 hour, I am back at the post office shipping the BOGUS parts back to the vendor. I acqure a tracking number and escalate the status of the PayPal dispute to full MEDIATION BY PAYPAL.
Here's where the fun really begins...June 21st the escalation begins between paypal and myself. By this time, I figuire its a done deal, I have all the proof of returning the part and I should be receivng my $134.29 back.. June 27th I receive the following email from paypal :
PayPal has concluded our investigation into your claim.
Transaction Date: May 25, 2006
Transaction Amount: -$134.29 USD
Seller's Name: Carla Dawson
Seller's Email: [email protected]
In response to your claim, the seller has provided proof of shipment indicating that the item was shipped to you. Because the seller was able to provide proof of shipment, we cannot reverse this transaction or issue a refund. We encourage you to continue to work directly with the seller to amicably resolve this matter.
PayPal does not tolerate fraud or illegal activities. Your complaint has been noted in the record of the PayPal user you reported. If we find this user has violated our policies, we will investigate and take appropriate action. If this occurs, you may be contacted in the future about the status of this complaint.
To make sure future transactions proceed smoothly, we suggest you visit the PayPal site and click the Security Center link located at the bottom of any page. There you will find tips on how to avoid fraudulent sellers in the "Fraud Prevention Tips for Buyers" section.
As you can well imagine, I am totally pissed at this point. I proceed to contact PayPal directly via the telephone.. First contact was a person named JACK (who didnt know JACK !) Paypal is telling me that I am stuck for the $134, and that since the seller provided proof that something was shipped (ANYTHING, they really DONT care what was shipped) they are done and I no longer have any dispute rights. PERIOD.. Of course this escalates further into me talking to Jack's Supervisor "Allyson". This lady has slightly more intelligence, and proceeds to tell me how great Paypal is, and that they are "protecting my personal and financial information from sellers" I am like, well so doesnt my credit card, why use you ? They would have refunded my money by now.. This conversation ends up in a 30 minute battle over the phone.. Which results in the following action, Paypal has agreed to offer me an "APPEAL" but since I lost the first dispute chances are, it most likely, wouldnt be overturned. I offered the following analogy :
Sell a diamond ring on ebay for $500 for example. I can sell this item on ebay and wait until the person purchasing this auction files a dispute through paypal... Then as long as I can provide proof that I shipped them ANYTHING, I get to keep the $500, yes.. I can even ship them a box of DOG**** and they dont care !! so long as I can provide proof that SOMETHING was sent they will side in my favor !!! I cant believe this.. The operator at PayPal admitted this is the case however quickly cautioned that this is indeed FRAUD (NO REALLY ?? WOW !! Why dont you protect your members then from this activity ??).
She claims that there is indeed NO RECOURSE through paypal for this scenario and I am welcome to contact either or both of the following websites:
Internet Fraud Complaint Center - http://www.ic3.gov
National Fraud Information Center - http://www.fraud.org
Yeah, I am sure they are going to be all over the $134 I lost, like they dont have larger cases to research and prosecute !!
OK, so now the Appeal has been filed and I receive an email from paypal asking for a complete history of the transaction (it was already listed in the dispute transaction history already, but remember the paypal monkeys CANT read and dont really want to settle anything anyhow.)
Withing 24 hrs I am to receive a response after I file my side of the story which I completed ASAP with the following email :
The auction in question is for some transmission oil cooler lines. The
auction clearly shows lines that are pre-made from stainless braided lines
with machine assembled ends (in most cases LEAK FREE). I have uploaded a
picture of the AUCTION HOSE here:
http://www.turbols6.com/albums/4L80e-Trans/abq.jpg
The item received was an "self assembly" setup thats proven to be leak
proned over time. If I wanted to purchase a do it yourself kit I would have
gone to my local hardware store and purchased the appropriate fittings and
rubber hoses (similar to what was actually received) for a fraction of what
I paid in this auction.
The lines pictured in the auction are braided stainless which is resistant
to damage and vibration due to their very design, whereas the hose received
is merely rubber hose and not as resistant to damage because the hose does
NOT have the braided covering. This is what I actually received from the
vendor:
http://www.turbols6.com/albums/4L80e-Trans/abh.jpg
The item received was promptly returned to the vendor immediately after its reception and was noted as not being the same and a credit was asked for as well as notification of the impending paypal dispute (the USPS tracking# for the return is: 0306 0320 0001 6653 9194 ). www.usps.gov shows it being received at the sellers location on 06-26-06.
Every attempt to contact the vendor on my part has gone UNANSWERED, the only email that was answered was when the initial paypal dispute was filed. That was the only time I heard from the seller. Their account on Ebay has also been suspended so I have no recourse through ebay since they are "NO LONGER A REGISTERED USER".
The auction clearly states the following:
You are bidding on a new set of Performance Stainless Steel Braided
Transmission cooler lines!
Custom -6 Stainless Steel Braided transmission lines.
Rated at 3000 PSI.
-100F to +450F Operating Temperatures.
Extremely Flexible!
This kit includes;
a.. Stainless -6 kit with one 54" and one 66" line.
b.. Adapter fittings for your radiator.
c.. Adapter fittings for your transmission.
What was received clearly shows in the pictures was NOT what was pictured or described in the auction. I have done all I know how to do, I dont know how else to get a response from the vendor. I attempted to locate their information in directory assistance. Every phone number has been disconnected or is no longer in service. Any emails I send go unanswered. Ebay has suspended their account. I really do NOT know what else to do in
order to reach this vendor and ask for a credit. Should you require anything additional from me, please let me know.
Shortly after my email to paypal, I receive this response to the "APPEAL"
Dear Todd,
Hello my name is Cheri.
PayPal understands your concern and desire to resolve the dispute in question. However, once a claim has been canceled, it is considered resolved and cannot be reopened.
Should you have the need to file another claim in the future, we suggest that you do not cancel the claim until you have received the merchandise or a refund.
We encourage you to continue to work with the seller for a mutual
resolution. You can seek other avenues of resolution such as an auction website if one was used to conduct this transaction. We value your business and regret that you have had this experience. To avoid similar experiences in the future, we recommend that you read our dispute resolution policy by clicking on https://www.paypal.com/bcp You may also copy and paste the
entire link into the address bar.
If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us again.
Sincerely,
Cheri
Protection Services Department
PayPal, an eBay Company
OK, so since THEY CANCELLED the 1st dispute (NOT ME) I am going to pay for it.. Because their rule is, ONE SHOT ONLY.. I dont get it... The monkeys at PayPal must be eating TAINTED BANANAS !!!
So at this point heres where I stand:
1. Paypal advises me to contact the seller, Of course I have 3 times with no response, now that they have my $$$ and the product I'm sure they will be quick to respond.
2. Paypal has washed their hands of the entire scenario, they are clearly SELLER ORIENTATED and could give a **** about the purchaser.
3. My wallet is $134.29 Lighter and I dont have a single thing to show for it except an increasing headache.
4. The Ebay USER ID has been suspended so I have little to no recourse through ebay.
Here is what I would strongly suggest to anyone that has made it this far and is still coherent after reading all this...
1. AVOID PAYPAL
2. Obviously the 1st thing is hard to do because most ebay vendors embrace paypal with open arms. So do NOT have it linked directly to your checking account.. Link it to a CREDIT CARD so you have further recourse through them and obviously more rights !
3. Always apply a very LIBERAL COAT of vaseline when filing a claim through paypal !
Here are some additional Facts concerning the fraudulent vendor
Ebay ID is/was cpperformancesales
(personal information removed by moderator,sorry.)
No doubt this is NOT over.. I am going to continue to follow this and attempt to recover my $$, I wanted to share this so potential buyers on PAYPAL realize they really have NO RIGHTS if the seller provides proof of shipment.
Here is scenario.. I purchased these transmission lines from Ebay auction :
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=8069349982&sspagename=ADME%3AB%3AEOIBSAA%3AUS%3A11
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif
and this is what I received :
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif
OK, now we are done with show, its time for the TELL part...
I bought the stainless braided lines on ebay 05-25-06 and paid within moments of the auction closing.. I heard nothing from the seller until I received a postal email advising me of a tracking number for an item shipped on 05-30-06.
One week goes by, and no shipping details have been updated on the post office website. 1st email sent to the seller goes unanswered.
I wait about 5-6 days and send off a 2nd email to the seller goes unanswered by the seller (this puts me into around June 10-12th.)
3rd Unanswered email to the seller gets fired off a couple days after this, around June 15th advising seller that future lack of response is going to result in a PayPal Dispute. I know that you will find it very hard to believe, that they didnt respond to this email either so lets just fast forward to the Paypal dispute.
June 18th, I notify Paypal that I want to enter the dispute process, only then to FINALLY receive a response from the vendor, at this point I am thinking WAHOOOO !! I am going to get my lines, they claim the lines were shipped out 05-30-06 as in the post office email, oddly enough the post office NEVER shows anything being shipped at this point. They only show the electronic transmittal paperwork being started but no activity past that.
3 days later (oddly enough, exactly the time the post office takes to delivery priority mail from when I started the dispute) a package arrives !!! I was like FINALLY.. Only to open it up and see the blue bulk hose and the press on fittings shown above and NOT the stainless lines pictured in the auction. Within 1 hour, I am back at the post office shipping the BOGUS parts back to the vendor. I acqure a tracking number and escalate the status of the PayPal dispute to full MEDIATION BY PAYPAL.
Here's where the fun really begins...June 21st the escalation begins between paypal and myself. By this time, I figuire its a done deal, I have all the proof of returning the part and I should be receivng my $134.29 back.. June 27th I receive the following email from paypal :
PayPal has concluded our investigation into your claim.
Transaction Date: May 25, 2006
Transaction Amount: -$134.29 USD
Seller's Name: Carla Dawson
Seller's Email: [email protected]
In response to your claim, the seller has provided proof of shipment indicating that the item was shipped to you. Because the seller was able to provide proof of shipment, we cannot reverse this transaction or issue a refund. We encourage you to continue to work directly with the seller to amicably resolve this matter.
PayPal does not tolerate fraud or illegal activities. Your complaint has been noted in the record of the PayPal user you reported. If we find this user has violated our policies, we will investigate and take appropriate action. If this occurs, you may be contacted in the future about the status of this complaint.
To make sure future transactions proceed smoothly, we suggest you visit the PayPal site and click the Security Center link located at the bottom of any page. There you will find tips on how to avoid fraudulent sellers in the "Fraud Prevention Tips for Buyers" section.
As you can well imagine, I am totally pissed at this point. I proceed to contact PayPal directly via the telephone.. First contact was a person named JACK (who didnt know JACK !) Paypal is telling me that I am stuck for the $134, and that since the seller provided proof that something was shipped (ANYTHING, they really DONT care what was shipped) they are done and I no longer have any dispute rights. PERIOD.. Of course this escalates further into me talking to Jack's Supervisor "Allyson". This lady has slightly more intelligence, and proceeds to tell me how great Paypal is, and that they are "protecting my personal and financial information from sellers" I am like, well so doesnt my credit card, why use you ? They would have refunded my money by now.. This conversation ends up in a 30 minute battle over the phone.. Which results in the following action, Paypal has agreed to offer me an "APPEAL" but since I lost the first dispute chances are, it most likely, wouldnt be overturned. I offered the following analogy :
Sell a diamond ring on ebay for $500 for example. I can sell this item on ebay and wait until the person purchasing this auction files a dispute through paypal... Then as long as I can provide proof that I shipped them ANYTHING, I get to keep the $500, yes.. I can even ship them a box of DOG**** and they dont care !! so long as I can provide proof that SOMETHING was sent they will side in my favor !!! I cant believe this.. The operator at PayPal admitted this is the case however quickly cautioned that this is indeed FRAUD (NO REALLY ?? WOW !! Why dont you protect your members then from this activity ??).
She claims that there is indeed NO RECOURSE through paypal for this scenario and I am welcome to contact either or both of the following websites:
Internet Fraud Complaint Center - http://www.ic3.gov
National Fraud Information Center - http://www.fraud.org
Yeah, I am sure they are going to be all over the $134 I lost, like they dont have larger cases to research and prosecute !!
OK, so now the Appeal has been filed and I receive an email from paypal asking for a complete history of the transaction (it was already listed in the dispute transaction history already, but remember the paypal monkeys CANT read and dont really want to settle anything anyhow.)
Withing 24 hrs I am to receive a response after I file my side of the story which I completed ASAP with the following email :
The auction in question is for some transmission oil cooler lines. The
auction clearly shows lines that are pre-made from stainless braided lines
with machine assembled ends (in most cases LEAK FREE). I have uploaded a
picture of the AUCTION HOSE here:
http://www.turbols6.com/albums/4L80e-Trans/abq.jpg
The item received was an "self assembly" setup thats proven to be leak
proned over time. If I wanted to purchase a do it yourself kit I would have
gone to my local hardware store and purchased the appropriate fittings and
rubber hoses (similar to what was actually received) for a fraction of what
I paid in this auction.
The lines pictured in the auction are braided stainless which is resistant
to damage and vibration due to their very design, whereas the hose received
is merely rubber hose and not as resistant to damage because the hose does
NOT have the braided covering. This is what I actually received from the
vendor:
http://www.turbols6.com/albums/4L80e-Trans/abh.jpg
The item received was promptly returned to the vendor immediately after its reception and was noted as not being the same and a credit was asked for as well as notification of the impending paypal dispute (the USPS tracking# for the return is: 0306 0320 0001 6653 9194 ). www.usps.gov shows it being received at the sellers location on 06-26-06.
Every attempt to contact the vendor on my part has gone UNANSWERED, the only email that was answered was when the initial paypal dispute was filed. That was the only time I heard from the seller. Their account on Ebay has also been suspended so I have no recourse through ebay since they are "NO LONGER A REGISTERED USER".
The auction clearly states the following:
You are bidding on a new set of Performance Stainless Steel Braided
Transmission cooler lines!
Custom -6 Stainless Steel Braided transmission lines.
Rated at 3000 PSI.
-100F to +450F Operating Temperatures.
Extremely Flexible!
This kit includes;
a.. Stainless -6 kit with one 54" and one 66" line.
b.. Adapter fittings for your radiator.
c.. Adapter fittings for your transmission.
What was received clearly shows in the pictures was NOT what was pictured or described in the auction. I have done all I know how to do, I dont know how else to get a response from the vendor. I attempted to locate their information in directory assistance. Every phone number has been disconnected or is no longer in service. Any emails I send go unanswered. Ebay has suspended their account. I really do NOT know what else to do in
order to reach this vendor and ask for a credit. Should you require anything additional from me, please let me know.
Shortly after my email to paypal, I receive this response to the "APPEAL"
Dear Todd,
Hello my name is Cheri.
PayPal understands your concern and desire to resolve the dispute in question. However, once a claim has been canceled, it is considered resolved and cannot be reopened.
Should you have the need to file another claim in the future, we suggest that you do not cancel the claim until you have received the merchandise or a refund.
We encourage you to continue to work with the seller for a mutual
resolution. You can seek other avenues of resolution such as an auction website if one was used to conduct this transaction. We value your business and regret that you have had this experience. To avoid similar experiences in the future, we recommend that you read our dispute resolution policy by clicking on https://www.paypal.com/bcp You may also copy and paste the
entire link into the address bar.
If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us again.
Sincerely,
Cheri
Protection Services Department
PayPal, an eBay Company
OK, so since THEY CANCELLED the 1st dispute (NOT ME) I am going to pay for it.. Because their rule is, ONE SHOT ONLY.. I dont get it... The monkeys at PayPal must be eating TAINTED BANANAS !!!
So at this point heres where I stand:
1. Paypal advises me to contact the seller, Of course I have 3 times with no response, now that they have my $$$ and the product I'm sure they will be quick to respond.
2. Paypal has washed their hands of the entire scenario, they are clearly SELLER ORIENTATED and could give a **** about the purchaser.
3. My wallet is $134.29 Lighter and I dont have a single thing to show for it except an increasing headache.
4. The Ebay USER ID has been suspended so I have little to no recourse through ebay.
Here is what I would strongly suggest to anyone that has made it this far and is still coherent after reading all this...
1. AVOID PAYPAL
2. Obviously the 1st thing is hard to do because most ebay vendors embrace paypal with open arms. So do NOT have it linked directly to your checking account.. Link it to a CREDIT CARD so you have further recourse through them and obviously more rights !
3. Always apply a very LIBERAL COAT of vaseline when filing a claim through paypal !
Here are some additional Facts concerning the fraudulent vendor
Ebay ID is/was cpperformancesales
(personal information removed by moderator,sorry.)
No doubt this is NOT over.. I am going to continue to follow this and attempt to recover my $$, I wanted to share this so potential buyers on PAYPAL realize they really have NO RIGHTS if the seller provides proof of shipment.