eBay Advice - sale gone bad

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#1457839 27-Dec-2015 18:23

macuser: I think this isn't a courier issue...

OP thinks the buyer switched the new iPhone with a broken one and is now trying to return it for a refund.

He's trying to get photo evidence of the serial number without alerting the buyer that he doesnt trust him

I know this sounds elaborate, but perhaps if you asked the buyer to take a video that includes both the screen being broken and a macro shot of the serial number on back.

Don't use the eBay message tool for it though, tell him the standard procedure is before he sends it back for refund, he needs to send you this video (via Dropbox or another sharing tool) in 1080P and the damage and the serial need to be clearly visable - tell him the same video needs to include any courier package damage as the point of it is to make sure there is proof for courier.

once he has sent the video verifying the serial, you will need the phone to be sent back to NZ for verification.

When it arrives, if it ever does ...check there is no signs of tampering (perhaps they switched the LCD) so there potentially could be wear marks on screws (new exposed metal, rounded center from it being stripped by the wrong size screwdriver) or pry marks around the edge of the display where it would require a tool to lift the LCD.

But the only way that it could be damaged is if it was courier damaged. Unless the buyer is outright blaming the seller for sending a broken device intentionally. In which case it is one persons word against the other. A video showing the items being boxed may have helped with this, but who does this.

The other thing is that you don't know if the buyer has opened it up and switched the internals. Alternatively they may have dropped it the first day they got it.

Batman

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#1457857 27-Dec-2015 19:09

mattwnz:
scuwp: Wow, un-trusting lot much? Hows the buyers feedback?

It is equally possible that the buyer is being genuine is it not? Do your due diligence for sure, but I would be keeping an open mind until you have all the facts. Accusing the buyer of being a scammer will not do you any favours when asking for information. Keep in touch with the buyer and be impartial and pragmatic, and you will more likely get to the truth faster.

Buyers feedback can be misleading. Especially when in low numbers, as they may have purchased a few cheap items to get good feedback. It is a better guide if they have done hundreds or thousands of trades.

What is the OP's feedback like?

gzt

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#1457866 27-Dec-2015 19:41

Start the claim process a lot of things will flow from that.

firefuze

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#1457867 27-Dec-2015 19:43

UPDATE:

OK looks like I have nailed this guy. I informed him a 'claim' is under way and need photos of the packaging and of the phone powered on showing the Serial No/IMEI once I get these I can proceed with his claim...

He posted the requested photos (quite possibly using my iPhone that I sent him).

Here's a summary of the evidence I have against his claim:
- The packaging is in great condition with no signs of significant impact capable on penetrating through the 3 boxes it was incased in.
- He has taken a photo of the inner box which has a sticker on it showing the shipped device serial number
- He has provided a photo showing the 'About' page on the device, this shows a different serial number to the one on the box and different to what I have on record.
- The photo of the 'About' screen also shows a different IMEI to what I have on file
- A cross check of the Serial No in his photo shows it is in-fact a iPhone 6s not a iPhone 6
- The photo of the ''About' screen also shows over 6,400 photos (why would these be restored on there if the phone was damaged out of the box)
- The EXIF/META data supports my claim that he is in fact using the iPhone 6 to take the photos
- The package was signed for in acceptable good condition through DHL (why wasn't it rejected if it was damaged)

The photo he sent me of the damaged screen also shows a large piece of the glass missing around the front facing camera exposing some of the components inside the phone, I'm currently trying to find a similar picture of one for an iPhone 6 to compare to see if the components are laid out different to further support my evidence.

I don't plan on having any further contact with this buyer and will be carefully and factually compiling all of my evidence to handover to eBay.

With regard to an above comment about eBay taking back funds, yes they have now held my PayPal funds so I cannot access the money I am owed until this claim is resolved with eBay.

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#1457877 27-Dec-2015 19:55

All the best! Horror indeed.

gzt

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#1457880 27-Dec-2015 20:01

I'm guessing you cant get serial from the exif. Use of your phone for the photo seems likely but inconclusive so far.

mattwnz

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#1457893 27-Dec-2015 21:06

You don't think the box has been intercepted by a third party who has removed your phone and put in the damaged one? I am guessing Apple keeps a record of who the original serial belonged to when the phone was first connected to a iTunes account, although whether they will provide that information to authorities is another matter. If is a bit strange that the buyer would be as cooperative as they are with the photos, unless they have done this sort of thing before with another account. If is possible that both. the buyer and seller are the victim.

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l43a2

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#1457894 27-Dec-2015 21:11

i hope you win this bro, what a scum thing for the buyer to do.

kingjj

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#1457918 27-Dec-2015 21:57

mattwnz: You don't think the box has been intercepted by a third party who has removed your phone and put in the damaged one? I am guessing Apple keeps a record of who the original serial belonged to when the phone was first connected to a iTunes account, although whether they will provide that information to authorities is another matter. If is a bit strange that the buyer would be as cooperative as they are with the photos, unless they have done this sort of thing before with another account. If is possible that both. the buyer and seller are the victim.

Possibly, but lets face it, highly unlikely. Courier companies aren't the wild west, they don't leave packages unattended in insecure places. With Courier companies you ether get your package or get nothing, you don't get inbetween.

From the OP's update it seems pretty clear that their is dishonesty and i'd place that (based on info at hand) squarely at the hands of the buyer.

mattwnz

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#1457974 27-Dec-2015 23:54

kingjj:
mattwnz: You don't think the box has been intercepted by a third party who has removed your phone and put in the damaged one? I am guessing Apple keeps a record of who the original serial belonged to when the phone was first connected to a iTunes account, although whether they will provide that information to authorities is another matter. If is a bit strange that the buyer would be as cooperative as they are with the photos, unless they have done this sort of thing before with another account. If is possible that both. the buyer and seller are the victim.

Possibly, but lets face it, highly unlikely. Courier companies aren't the wild west, they don't leave packages unattended in insecure places. With Courier companies you ether get your package or get nothing, you don't get inbetween.

From the OP's update it seems pretty clear that their is dishonesty and i'd place that (based on info at hand) squarely at the hands of the buyer.

Yeah sounds that way, but I have learnt to always look at both sides just in case. Courier companies can leave things in the wrong place, or just leave stuff on your door stop and signing for it themselves, but the odds of someone switching an iphone in that case, rather than just taking the entire parcel would be very low.
From what the OP has said, there is the possibility that the OP is potentially being scammed, possibly by a pro. As they have had a few piece of positive feedback, prior to ordering it, to get a good reputation. What are those previous feedbacks for , and what sort of time were they placed in, and are they a new trader. Can Ebay be contacted by the seller to report a possible scam?

kingjj

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#1457991 28-Dec-2015 01:21

mattwnz:
kingjj:
mattwnz: You don't think the box has been intercepted by a third party who has removed your phone and put in the damaged one? I am guessing Apple keeps a record of who the original serial belonged to when the phone was first connected to a iTunes account, although whether they will provide that information to authorities is another matter. If is a bit strange that the buyer would be as cooperative as they are with the photos, unless they have done this sort of thing before with another account. If is possible that both. the buyer and seller are the victim.

Possibly, but lets face it, highly unlikely. Courier companies aren't the wild west, they don't leave packages unattended in insecure places. With Courier companies you ether get your package or get nothing, you don't get inbetween.

From the OP's update it seems pretty clear that their is dishonesty and i'd place that (based on info at hand) squarely at the hands of the buyer.

Yeah sounds that way, but I have learnt to always look at both sides just in case. Courier companies can leave things in the wrong place, or just leave stuff on your door stop and signing for it themselves, but the odds of someone switching an iphone in that case, rather than just taking the entire parcel would be very low.
From what the OP has said, there is the possibility that the OP is potentially being scammed, possibly by a pro. As they have had a few piece of positive feedback, prior to ordering it, to get a good reputation. What are those previous feedbacks for , and what sort of time were they placed in, and are they a new trader. Can Ebay be contacted by the seller to report a possible scam?

Considering OP said PayPal have put a hold on the funds pending a resolution of the complaint to Ebay I'm gonna hazard a guess and say that the OP will have presented all the information above to Ebay and that Ebay will certainly entertain the possible scam outcome.

The problem I foresee for the OP is PayPal. If Ebay don't come to a resolution than PayPal will (from previous experience) probably revert the payment to the buyer for no other reason than they dislike getting chargebacks and seem to favour the complainant.

I hope the OP wins out here, I can't see any reason to place fault on them and they have kept up there end of the deal.

trig42

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#1457998 28-Dec-2015 06:46

Sounds like a scam.

OP where are you? In NZ? If so, why did you list on eBay anyway?

sdav

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Ultimate Geek

#1458004 28-Dec-2015 08:22

Can you confirm the serial number you checked (and found out to be an iPhone 6s serial number) was via the screenshot of the about page or from the photo of the box you sent him?

It's actually hard to prove for both parties unless like gzt said, you can get exif data with the serial number. Cause it could be interpreted as you sending a damaged 6s in a 6 box. Just cause he took photos with a 6 doesn't mean it was the one you shipped.

I think you need wait for eBay now as they will ask for his side of the story as well as yours. They may be able to pick it apart if it's inconsistent.

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#1458040 28-Dec-2015 08:59

Out of curiosity what model did you have? If it was a NZ/Intl model I wonder if the buyer realised the phone was pretty much useless for some bands and networks in the US and then damaged it after they realised they'd purchased something that wasn't going to be that useful?

firefuze

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#1458061 28-Dec-2015 10:55

I have tried a few EXIF programs and none of them will show a serial number unfortunately. Just a manufacture as the only identifiable information.

The device was NZ new so is unlocked and will work with any of the US networks providing they are not CDMA (which I did state in the listing details)

Reason for selling on eBay is factory unlocked iPhone's like the ones sold here in NZ catch a good premium over the flooded market of carrier locked devices in the US. Also I buy a lot from the US with my PayPal account so selling on eBay and getting paid in USD is quite handy to have.

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