Really Bad eBay and Paypal Experience

Abbazz · Joined: 23 Jun 2007 Posts: 382 Location: Brunei

I would like to share with you the really bad experience I had with Paypal and eBay recently.

At the beginning of June, I have sold two items on eBay (a Fujica GL690 and a Fujinon F:5.6 65mm lens). Both items went to great buyers (cheers to them!), who paid immediately through Paypal. As agreed, I sent the items fully insured through EMS, a very reliable express mail service.

Then I received an email from Paypal stating that Paypal had detected some "illegal activity" on my account and therefore had to suspend my account. I inquired about this "illegal activity" and I received no reply, only a stock e-mail stating that I had to fax over an impressive amount of personal documents in order to restore my account.

Immediately after that, I received the two following notifications from eBay:
"We're sorry to tell you that your eBay account was suspended because recent account activity has raised serious security concerns."
"The following listings have been removed from eBay due to concerns we have for the safety of the eBay Community: 280231362466 - Fujinon F/5.6 65mm Lens for Fuji G690/GL690 NO RESERVE and 280231417183 - Fuji GL690 Rangefinder Medium Format Camera NO RESERVE."

Needless to say I also received worried emails from my buyers, who had no yet received the items they had pay for, and were informed by eBay that these items had been removed "due to concerns for the safety of the eBay Community." They were also advised to lodge a complaint against me. Great!

Fortunately, the buyers accepted to trust my word against eBay's and both items reached their destination soon after. But the story didn't end there. I had faxed all the documents over to Paypal, but the company sent me an email stating that the documents were fine but my account couldn't be restored until both buyers of my items had left a positive feedback on my eBay account, which was of course not possible, my account having been suspended and the items deleted by eBay! On the other hand, eBay was not willing to restore my account until the so called "Paypal Abuse" had been cleared.

After more than two weeks, Paypal accepted to restore my account but eBay was still refusing to do so:
"Additional proof of ownership is required. Please submit a photograph of you with the items. Your User ID must be clearly displayed in the image."

Of course it was not possible to take a photograph of me with items that had been sent to the buyers more than two weeks before!

It took another week to eBay to finally restore my account, after almost one month of suspension. But eBay had decided that the items sold should not appear on my account:
"After further review, it has been decided that your account qualifies for reinstatement. Please note that, although your account is now active, any listings or bids that were cancelled by your account suspension will not be reinstated."

I would like to stress the fact that neither Paypal nor eBay has provided any explanation about the "abuse" I was suspected of. When my account was restored, neither company did also offer an apology or any form of compensation for the pretium doloris suffered.

Cheers!
Abbazz
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maddog10 · Joined: 08 Apr 2008 Posts: 736 Location: Maryland, USA

Worse part is eBay and PayPal are the same company, just perhaps different divisions. You may be a victim of what you were selling (cameras/electronics) and to/from where the items were shipped. Probably was suspended by some automatic function and then no person got involved until the end. Even then they probably didn't know what they were looking at. New competitors to eBay and PayPal are starting to show up. i will look into them once they get established.
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nemesis101 · Joined: 25 Mar 2008 Posts: 261 Location: Oregon USA

I've had a similar frustrating time with them - nothing as bad as yours though.

I bought something and then when a few days had passed and I had no answer about delivery , I found the seller's account was unavailable.

Ebay refused to explain why, and Paypal said I could not make a non delivery complaint until I had given this guy a 'reasonable' time to send the goods.

So., he is not trustworthy enough for them, but I must be patient? I waited and waited and then attempted to initiate a goods not sent complaint. They said that I must forward everything to the seller too (the one whose account is unavailable).. Hmm

Eventually after discovering through non ebay means the guy's address etc. I managed to convince him of the health benefits of completing the deal and sending me the goods or a refund. he agreed to the refund option...

He then failed to make the refund for weeks.. and still paypal pleaded that they could do nothing... eventually he grudgingly gave me a partial refund. I then was stunned to find that ebay had reinstated his account and HE had initiated an unpaid item dispute against me!

I pointed out I paid 17 SECONDS after the auction ended, and they said not to worry he's just doing this to recover his seller's fees!

I left a neutral, which I thought generous.. next I know the twat has left me a negative.. Ebay refused to intervene saying all transactions are purely between the parties and we should do our best to be efficient!

Thanks a bunch 'sellerartist' and as for ebay and Paypal... how easy it is to hate them!
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poilu · Joined: 26 Aug 2007 Posts: 2469 Location: Greece

this is a crazy story Sebastien
look like ebay are master of the game and we just have to wish to stay away from trouble with them
I don't know if it is a robot who made the mistake but all ebay surely react like a computer without brain
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Orio · Joined: 24 Feb 2007 Posts: 10764 Location: West Emilia

I always say Ebay are vampires.
They don't give a damn about the individuals.

Gosh these are nightmare stories really. My deepest sympathy.
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Farside · Joined: 01 Sep 2007 Posts: 1654 Location: Ireland

Attila · Joined: 24 Feb 2007 Posts: 13289 Location: Budapest,Hungary

Damn it, I am so sorry to hear this story! I moved your post to another dedicated forum.
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Abbazz · Joined: 23 Jun 2007 Posts: 382 Location: Brunei

Thanks to all for your sympathy.

The nightmare seems to be over now. I have listed two more items for sale, hopefully I will not encounter the wrath of eBay a second time and everything will go smoothly this time.

When selling items from my remote location, eBay seems like the easiest way to reach a large audience but I can tell you these guys don't make the experience very enjoyable!

Cheers!

Abbazz
_________________
Il n'y a rien dans le monde qui n'ait son moment décisif, et le chef-d'oeuvre de la bonne conduite est de connaître et de prendre ce moment. - Cardinal de Retz

The 6x9 Photography Online Resource:
http://artbig.com/

ChrisLilley · Joined: 01 Jan 2008 Posts: 876 Location: Nice, France

Farside · Joined: 01 Sep 2007 Posts: 1654 Location: Ireland

lahnet · Joined: 10 Apr 2007 Posts: 500 Location: Denmark

And while we are at it, never use same password on eBay and PP.
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Abbazz · Joined: 23 Jun 2007 Posts: 382 Location: Brunei

maddog10 · Joined: 08 Apr 2008 Posts: 736 Location: Maryland, USA

It was a bit questionable, right up to the point the accounts were reinstated. Smile

They (eBay and Paypal) have gotten pretty bad lately. I joined in 1998, the good old days, when you could get some really nice bargains. It has changed a lot over the years.
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DSLR: Nikon - D3, D80, D40 Canon- 5D
Film: Nikon - F5, F2, F, EM, FG, FE, Nikkorex Contax - G2 Mamiya - M645 Olympus - OM1 Praktika - LTL PLC3 Pentax - Spotmatic SP Yashica Electro 35 GSN Zenit - B
Nikon Mount Lens: Nikkor - 2.8/20 2.8/24 2/28 2.8/28 3.5/28 2/35 2.8/35 1.4/50 1.8/50 2/50 1.8/85 2/85 2.5/105 2.8/135 3.5/135 2.8/180 4/200 4.5/300 Micro 2.8/55 Micro 4/200 Zoom 3.5/36-72 3.5/43-86 4/70-210 Sigma - Zoom 2.8-4/35-70 Soligor - 3.5-4.5/28-80 4.5/80-200 5.6/95-310 Tamron - SP 2.8-3.8/35-80 SP 3.5/70-210 3.8-4/80-210 Vivitar - 3.8/19 2.8/28 (Series 1) 3.5-4.5/19-35 (Kiron) 3.5/70-210 Zenitar - 2.8/16
Contax Mount Lens: Carl Zeiss - Biogon 2.8/21 Biogon 2.8/28 Planar 2/45 Sonnar 2.8/90 Yashica - 4.5/70-210
M42 Screw Mount Lens: CZJ - Flek 2.8/20 Flek 2.4/35 Tessar 2.8/50 3.5/135 Focal - 2.8/28 Helios - 44-2 2/58 44M 2/58 44M-4 2/58 40 1.5/85 Industar - 50-2 3.5/50 Jupiter - 37A 3.5/135 Meyer Optik Gorlitz - Domiplan 2.8/50 MIR - 24M 2/35 1B 2.8/37 Pentacon - 2.8/29 1.8/50 2.8/135 Pentax - SMC 3.5/135 SMC 4/200 SMC 5.6/400 Rexatar - 6.3/400 Rokinon - 3.5-4.5/35-135 Sears - 2.8/28 2.8/135 4.5/90-230 Soligor - 2.8/105 3.5-4.5/28-80

ChrisLilley · Joined: 01 Jan 2008 Posts: 876 Location: Nice, France

ChrisLilley · Joined: 01 Jan 2008 Posts: 876 Location: Nice, France

Here is text from a well-known ebay phishing letter: