Model Railroading > EBAY Scam

Dear TOs,  I have become the victim of a scam on EBAY by another modeler. Have anyone else, what legal action do you suggest.  We are tight group to bad for a bad egg.  PM if  you have a suggestion.  TIA  robert

The buyer is heavily protected through Ebay's user policy. Go through their outlined steps with conflict resolution and save your time, money and energy by NOT persuing any legal action. Get your money back, leave negative feedback, and move on. 

What he said. From a heavy EBay user.

What they said above.  Ebay's policies prevent you from getting scammed.

I agree with the other responders.


But I am curious as to how you were scamed.

Jon Fink
Schenectady, NY

A few times you get sent trash that doesn't work or broken. Just send it back

But go through the eBay protocal and contact the seller first...

Victor Baird

WAF Wrote:
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> A few times you get sent trash that doesn't work
> or broken. Just send it back

SPDRGWfan Wrote:
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> What they said above.  Ebay's policies prevent
> you from getting scammed.

Sort of only if the seller knows how to do it just right suddenly the buyer is out of luck. Happend to me China seller did things just right what I thought was the right answer turned out to be my down fall. Only time had a problem getting my money back as to do the deal and get it back would have involved sending it back on my nickle because there is a limit on shipping it seems. Packing the item back up would have taken two large boxes for one and then the shiipping was more than the item. It would have been about 300.00 shipping to China. 
The item was a 1/6 scale tank kit.

robert162 Wrote:
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> Dear TOs,  I have become the victim of a scam on
> EBAY by another modeler. Have anyone else, what
> legal action do you suggest.  We are tight group
> to bad for a bad egg.  PM if  you have a
> suggestion.  TIA  robert

So as to potentially save the rest of us such an ordeal, please tell us exactly how you were scammed.  Exactly what did you buy and what was wrong with it?

I bought a bridge in NOV 22,  seller replied with several excuses. Even showed a shipping/track #. A shipping label was printed and tracking # BUT item was never shipped. It seems the seller knows his way around EBAY  time frames.

robert162 Wrote:
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> I bought a bridge in NOV 22,  seller replied with
> several excuses. Even showed a shipping/track #. A
> shipping label was printed and tracking # BUT item
> was never shipped. It seems the seller knows his
> way around EBAY  time frames.

You waited 6 months?    Wow, just wow.

That ship may have sailed if 8 months went by.

Yeah, if you gave it that long, you're probably out of luck, I'm sorry to say. I've been screwed over twice on eBay, but that's out of at least 3K transactions. I think it's generally safe. But like every barrel, there's a bad apple or two in there.

This is very unfortunate, as eBay buyers are given an abundance of time in which to file a complaint, request a return or refund.  I feel that ebay is absolutely rock solid in their policies that protect buyers, but there have to be limits and in this case, it's just too bad that the OP waited SO very long to react.  

Typhoon Wrote:
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> robert162 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I bought a bridge in NOV 22,  seller replied
> with
> > several excuses. Even showed a shipping/track #.
> A
> > shipping label was printed and tracking # BUT
> item
> > was never shipped. It seems the seller knows
> his
> > way around EBAY  time frames.

>
> You waited 6 months?    Wow, just wow.

My feelings also

Jon Fink
Schenectady, NY

robert162 Wrote:
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> I bought a bridge in NOV 22,  seller replied with
> several excuses. Even showed a shipping/track #. A
> shipping label was printed and tracking # BUT item
> was never shipped. It seems the seller knows his
> way around EBAY  time frames.

You like many others simply see the best in people. Contact eBay,. explain the situation and they can help you.

Was it the Brooklyn Bridge?

Follow the procedures and call Ebay out if there is any variation. I had an issue with a buyer and Ebay did not follow their own procedures and took his side 100% and missed timeframes with their response. I filed for arbitration and they ended up settling as it would be less for them to do that than pay for the arbitration. I was made whole but it took some work. 
Point is, don't back down and follow the procedure exactly and use Ebays own policies to make it right. 

I suppose I'm fortunate...bought tons of stuff off eBay....and the odd piece of junk...but never had anything misrepresented....On one occasion it was weird...I bid on an old Auto brochure...won and found that the document actually was previously sold but the seller who specialized in auto brochures looked around his collection and found another and sent it. Not a collectors item by any means but I wanted it so.....

I don't know about scams but the prices things have been selling for lately tells me the economy is about to down turn.  I've seen DCC/Sound equipped steam locomotives that are brand new selling for $150-$200 and other diesels selling for $70-$130.  Prices have tanked on the auctions so I have been taking advantage of a few low bidding auctions and have gotten some really good deals 70-80% off MSRP on items.