Avoiding ebay scammers

[tuff_enuff_toft]

Ok,

I'm asking a preemptive question here, as I know this will happen to me sooner or later....

 

Can anyone advise how you would deal with a situation where you sold something on ebay (fully working), only for the buyer to return a dud one and keeping yours...

 

On expensive used items, I've started using UV pens to mark up parts and taken pics.

But say for example, you do sell an item (with all the UV marks and taken pics) and the buyer returns their own faulty item and keeps yours, how do you proceed?

The problem is that the Buyers are always treated as Saints in these situations and ebay/paypal would likely freeze the payment, ask for it to be returned and then refund them.

 

As a seller, would you have to appeal to ebay/paypal and send them the proof and let them decide (likely outcome would still be them going with the buyer) or can you literally get the police involved and get them to go round and catch them red-handed with the item with the security markings....

 

Just curious, as I'd rather ask while it's all good in the hood, than post when I'm about to go rip a buyer a new one.

[bob6600]

Buyer would claim and you would have to inform eBay that item is not the same one returned. Either way it is a ballache

 

I would put in my listing 'items security marked for fraud prevention' or similar, it will put plenty of them off imo

[Diddy]

Mark with UV pen and take pic before postage with a copy of that day's newspaper clearly visible. Another thing is to take a pic using phone of the package weight when you send it - that defeats the buggers who send you back either an empty packet or a house brick. Other than that what can you do apart from restrict your buyers on ebay (i think you can do this) so that no newbies ect can even see the advert.