# Bankdraft/Ebay Sting



## NDynamite (4 Jul 2007)

Hello there,
yes Im an idiot, I sent a bankdraft for an ebay item and it was never sent to me. (€545). (He had really good feedback- 980+). Have I any comeback with the bank? Or is there any point in going to the police. I have all his bank account details and his address. Ebay said they will deal with it but cannot see Ebay getting anything back for me as he is not using Paypal.
Any ideas or suggestions? (It wouldn't be worth the money to call to UK to his house)
Thanks.


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## DrMoriarty (4 Jul 2007)

About all you can do is send him a final written demand, by registered post, and set a deadline after which you will have no alternative but to place the matter in the hands of your legal representatives in the UK, <insert-name-of-law-firm-here>.


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## NDynamite (4 Jul 2007)

Thanks,
Let it be a warning to everyone to use PAYPAL no matter what and shows that Feedback is helpful not a guarantee.
I will compose a letter tonight.
Thanks Dr.


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## Mpsox (4 Jul 2007)

Might be worth asking the bank to see if the draft has been paid and if not, see if they will place a stop on it. As it is a draft, not every bank will allow a stop to be placed on it as it is different from a cheque. 

In fairness, as you sent it in the post, how do you know if he has received it? It wouldn't be the first time that these have been stolen in the post, bear in mind as well that there are postal strikes at the minute in the UK which may have delayed things.

Suggest you ask firstly if he has received it, and depending on his answer, then decide if you want to take it further


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## NDynamite (4 Jul 2007)

It's definetly dodgy, I had him checked out through a contact in paypal- the report was not good. He won't reply to Ebay or me for the last 2 months. I did hold off because people die, get ill etc, but he continued to to trade...
I confirmed with the bank that the draft was cashed, immediately.
Cheers
A


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## askalot (4 Jul 2007)

Hope you left a suitably negative feedback score to warn other would be buyers.

Maybe post a link here as a warning?


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## NDynamite (5 Jul 2007)

Yes left negative feedback, nobody will buy from him with the last few feedback. Won't post details as there may be a legal issue. It's amazing though that with almost a 1000 transactions of almost perfect feedback he threw it all away.
A


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## RainyDay (15 Jul 2007)

NDynamite said:


> Yes left negative feedback, nobody will buy from him with the last few feedback. Won't post details as there may be a legal issue. It's amazing though that with almost a 1000 transactions of almost perfect feedback he threw it all away.
> A



He may well have hijacked the account of a legitimate seller - Always watch out for seller that suddenly changes from selling old Akrington Stanley programmes to LCD televisions and laptops.


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## purplealien (15 Jul 2007)

I also think his account may have been hijacked - nobody would throw that feedback away. This si becoming really common, i have encountered it three times in the last year. I will only buy from people using Paypal, this way, if there's a problem, i know i can get my money back.Just be thankfull it wasnt a few grand you lost out on.


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## Plek Trum (16 Jul 2007)

Use the ebay fraud protection procedure.  I had problems with an ebay purchase (paid for item by wire transfer, wrong item sent, seller refused to acknowledge emails etc).  Ebat have a system to negotiate the situtation on your behalf.

I contacted the relevant ebay protection policy section. 
http://pages.ebay.ie/help/tp/isgw-buyer-protection-steps.html

 Sent copies of correspondance, copy of wire transfer documents etc.  Long wait but eventually ebay refunded me_ part_ of the monies due (less an excess and admin fee) and I got to keep the item sent.  You wont get the full amount but may be something back.  As for whether the seller was penalised I do not know...


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## NDynamite (14 Aug 2007)

Just to update people interested in this saga.

Ebay have been v good but slow. The seller said he would send proof of postage of the item to Ebay. so I am waiting for a response now....
Will let ye know the outcome.  It is in their interests to sort it as the discussion of incidents from person to person is bad for business.

N


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## NDynamite (3 Oct 2007)

Update,
Ebay have compensated me £105 out of £360 lost......
They will not tell me what they are doing with the seller. It is almost 6 months  this process took. All my emails are answered by a different person who copies and pastes stock answers in their replys. I suspect they will look into it  over the next six months....
The slowness and lack of communication it 50 times more annoying than loosing the money.
Ebay users beware.
I am going to think about how I can publicise this so that Ebay can sharpen up their anti-fraud.
N


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## MichaelDes (3 Oct 2007)

NDynamite said:


> Update,
> Ebay have compensated me £105 out of £360 lost......
> They will not tell me what they are doing with the seller. It is almost 6 months this process took. All my emails are answered by a different person who copies and pastes stock answers in their replys. I suspect they will look into it over the next six months....
> The slowness and lack of communication it 50 times more annoying than loosing the money.
> ...


 
I have dealt with ebay in the past re counterfeit items etc. Their service is non existent as far as eradicating this, and most of the goods bought by me were not what they were supposed to be. They claim they are only conduits as the buyer and seller should try to sort out the matters between themselves. What rubbish - it is only encouraging organised crime to hijack what is a brillant and simple concept. Where was the seller, abroad? If you paid with paypal would you have been fully covered? I loved the service and bought and sold many items for the fun of it but I've lost confidence and trust in the intregrity of their service. Once bitten twice shy. The internet is full of other options.


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## NDynamite (9 Oct 2007)

*Come talk to us Ebay?*

Yes the general guide should state:
If u are buying an item over €10, you must only use paypal.
The amount of 'account thefts' going on negate the integrity of 'feedback'.

It's a pity we can't discuss this with Ebay executives on this forum.....

I have been in discussion with executives in Sharewatch.com in another forum.....looking after their customers properly. Also RabboDirect are not afraid to talk to us.
I will disencourage as many people as possible re: Ebay until they convince me that their anti fraud is active and agressive.
The guy who did me and 2 after me - can still trade almost 7months later.....
Even after Ebay acknowledge and find in my favour!
Perhaps the fraud is out of control.....


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## JohnRoberts (16 Oct 2007)

Once bitten twice shy. Ebay need to look after the buyers better. I found the it impossible to deal with and lost faith in the process.


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## truthseeker (16 Oct 2007)

Ndynamite - I assume you left bad feedback for the dodgy seller?

I ALWAYS check feedback and wont buy from anyone who has less than 99% good feedback. If its pricier than 20/30 euro I tend to make contact via email first and see how quick and what kind of reply I get.

Ive been stung once on ebay - and full refund was made 1 year afterwards - the circumstances were that the seller went out of business and a year later came back to trade again and had to refund all those who had been stung at the time I was - from around 3 days after my purchase his feedback was dreadful. I did use paypal though and I dont know if I would have been refunded otherwise.


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## Flax (25 Oct 2007)

askalot said:


> Hope you left a suitably negative feedback score to warn other would be buyers.


 
The problem is they can dispute the negative feedback and get it removed...

I buy everything via credit card so I can do a chargeback if required.


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## RainyDay (25 Oct 2007)

Flax said:


> The problem is they can dispute the negative feedback and get it removed...


Not according to this eBay page.


Flax said:


> I buy everything via credit card so I can do a chargeback if required.


Most eBay sellers don't take direct credit card payments. Do you mean paying via Paypal.


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