Fraudulent purchase through PayPal. Options?

M7roadrunner

I purchased a gaming key from an online site (that I should have look at reviews first but didn’t) and the key I received had been already redeemed.
I contacted the seller through the site and gave them the details, they asked me for proof which I supplied and then I was ignored.
I opened a support ticket with the site for a refund and they want me to report it to my local authorities and send them proof before they take action.

I paid through PayPal, and when I attempted to open a dispute PayPal said to go through the sites own resolution process.

This key was just under €20, would the Gardaí take such a report seriously?
It’s hardly worth my time to follow this up for such an amount, but I wouldn’t want anyone else caught by this site/seller.

L1011

Gardai would consider this a consumer issue. It isn't even something of yours to report as stolen; they've sold you nothing basically. Push it with Paypal saying the sites resolution process doesn't work.

AppleD

I am surprised at Paypal tbh, I bought a counterfeit iPhone through ebay earlier this year. By the time I discovered it was a fake, it was outside of ebays 60 day returns policy. The seller had also blocked me from contacting him.
Paypal got involved and got me a full refund. I would get back on to them again and say that u are having no luck in resolving the issue with the seller.


From Paypals site:


If buyers have a problem with a transaction, they can bring it to the seller’s attention by opening a dispute in our Resolution Center. The dispute process is an opportunity to resolve issues before they become escalated to a claim. It’s in a seller’s best interest to work with the customer to resolve the dispute. This is a seller’s chance to use great customer service to solve an issue and help prevent it from growing into something larger.

Why do disputes occur?

Significantly Not As Described (SNAD). In this type of claim, the buyer is stating the item they received is significantly different than they expected, based on the seller’s description. For instance, maybe the buyer ordered a red sweater but received a blue one instead.

wonski

Just tell PayPal you already tried to resolve with the seller with no success. There usually is a time limit where PayPal allows the seller to make things right before acting on the buyer instructions.

B_ecke_r

Paypal will sort it for you once you show you've tried to resolve with the seller.

they will then contact the seller and make a decision

corks finest

TBH I'd let it go as you won't get any peace of mind if you pursue it,if it was e50 + certainly I'd chase it,but if take it as a lesson learned

DelBoy Trotter

corks finest wrote: »

TBH I'd let it go as you won't get any peace of mind if you pursue it,if it was e50 + certainly I'd chase it,but if take it as a lesson learned

A couple of emails to Paypal isn't really much hassle, and there is a good chance of getting the money back. It would be different if the OP hadn't paid via Paypal though

M7roadrunner

Thanks guys,
I will get back in contact with PayPal and see how it goes.

Darc19

Open dispute with buyer, wait 24 hours and then escalate it to a claim.

killanena

Paypal will refuse to refund any virtual items such as game keys. I know this from personal experience. They will just close the case.

"Buyer Protection only applies to PayPal payments for certain tangible, physical goods that can be posted. We are unable to grant you a refund because your payment was for one of the following items:

Intangible items, including Digital Goods
Services
Real estate, including residential property
Businesses
Vehicles, including motor vehicles, motorcycles, caravans, aircraft and boats
Custom made items
Travel tickets, including airline flight tickets
Items prohibited by the PayPal Acceptable Use Policy
Items which you collect in person, or arrange to be collected on your behalf
Items that violate eBay?s Prohibited or Restricted Items Policy
Industrial machinery used in manufacturing
Items equivalent to cash, including prepaid or gift cards
PayPal Direct Payments
Virtual Terminal Payments
Personal Payments"

Slippin Jimmy

killanena is correct here. They class the item as a digitally delivered good. The most they will do is notify the seller but the case would just be closed. If possible, you should try a chargeback through your bank as the transaction was fraudulent.

MOH

Slippin Jimmy wrote: »

killanena is correct here. They class the item as a digitally delivered good. The most they will do is notify the seller but the case would just be closed. If possible, you should try a chargeback through your bank as the transaction was fraudulent.

Anecdotally, chargebacks for something that went through Paypal will result in Paypal blacklisting you.

No idea if this is true, but it's been said here quite often.

killanena

I'd imagine its true as when your buying something with PayPal using your linked debit / credit card it Transfers to your PayPal balance and then to the retailer so a charge back would result in PayPal loosing the money you paid into your balance and the money they sent from your balance to the retailer.

corks finest

MOH wrote:

Anecdotally, chargebacks for something that went through Paypal will result in Paypal blacklisting you.

Didn't happen to me

Slippin Jimmy

corks finest wrote: »

Didn't happen to me

Was it just the once? If so, they possibly only block people that have multiple chargebacks open against them.

corks finest

Slippin Jimmy wrote:

Was it just the once? If so, they possibly only block people that have multiple chargebacks open against them.

Twice in years,once over a Mobile phone ,other over a car part or something motoring

Del2005

killanena wrote: »

I'd imagine its true as when your buying something with PayPal using your linked debit / credit card it Transfers to your PayPal balance and then to the retailer so a charge back would result in PayPal loosing the money you paid into your balance and the money they sent from your balance to the retailer.

That's PayPal's fault though for not following consumer law. The law allows for a charge back when a service isn't provided and PayPal are essentially trying to override consumer law by not issuing refunds for non tangible items. So if they get charge backs it's their own fault for not following the law.

M7roadrunner

Just thought I’d update this, I disputed this transaction with PayPal and escalated it as soon as I could, and have received a refund from them of the full amount.
I have used PayPal for 12 years and that is the first time I had to go through their dispute procedure.
That’s a bit of a lesson learned.
Thanks for all your helpful advice.

corks finest

M7roadrunner wrote:

Just thought I’d update this, I disputed this transaction with PayPal and escalated it as soon as I could, and have received a refund from them of the full amount. I have used PayPal for 12 years and that is the first time I had to go through their dispute procedure. That’s a bit of a lesson learned. Thanks for all your helpful advice.

As long as you're sorted, personally I can't fault PayPal s customer care etc, annoying going through the hoops etc but it is what it is