Avoid ebay scammer "pricemistake" at all costs

[MissaFX]

Hello everyone,
Remember that 5GB microdrive I ordered?

Item number:
250290248011


Payment Method: PayPal
Date of Payment: 09/04/08
Date of Dispute: 09/08/08
Seller Contact: No-I have not attempted to call

Customer concern: Hello,
I purchased a HD from a seller and after 4 days they apparently lied to you guys and said that I and them had mutually agreed to withdraw from the transaction.  It is untrue!
"An Unpaid Item dispute has been opened for the following item: Seagate ST1 5GB 5 GB MicroDrive CompactFlash CF II Card (#250290248011)
Reason given for Unpaid Item: We have both agreed not to complete the transaction.
Buyer actions reported by seller: The buyer returned the item for a refund."

I paid for the item on the 4th, how is this an unpaid item?  Further I used a pre-paid credit card to make these transactions which I no longer have because I used it up.  Therefore the paypal refund is totally useless to me, I have no way to ever, ever see that money again.  Totally useless and a slap in the face when they lie saying I made any agreement with them.  The only agreement we had was the one they made to sell the item by listing it on ebay and by accepting my payment.  The seller has not once contacted me, not emailed me, nothing.

I said to ebay that the seller and I made no such agreement (With your button option) and I said the following "I have not made any agreement with the seller and I was expecting the item to arrive by today or tomorrow.

I expect to recieve my HD soon."

To which ebay then closed it:
"The Unpaid Item dispute has been closed for the following reason:
Buyer rejected the transaction withdrawal."

So I rejected it...but what happens now?  I expect my HD or at the very least money I can use.  The shipping they were charging was high too in the first place, I am guessing to dodge some closeing value fees.  This is a 1 inch drive, which cannot weigh much more than 50 grams.

I only have about 20 minutes on my cell phone right now and I am disabled, so I cannot just magically make money appear to try to talk to this person over the phone.  Otherwise I would have at least tried that.  I normally would contact them through ebay too first, but since they are lying and saying I agreed to back out of this transaction without talking to me first, I am going straight to you guys since they are not playing ball by the rules.

Oh and I noticed that they re-listed my item for sale probably a day after I won it or less: http://cgi.ebay.com/Seagate-ST1-5GB-5-GB-MicroDrive-CompactFlash-CF-II-Card_W0QQitemZ250291932912QQihZ015QQcategoryZ31388QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Thank you for any help you can provide,

[rolins]

Welcome to club! If you have to deal with fishy people, always pay with a credit card (mastercard, visa, etc). Credit card companies side with the card user, so you'll most likely get a refund if you get screwed.

The paypal refund they sent you...is it in your paypal account now? You could always withdraw the money to your bank account if you have that linked.

[Necromancer]

What a flaming douche bucket!  I vote you give him standard response 34a - shit in a box and mail it.  If you're really pissed, go for 23c - shit in a box and lace it with anthrax before mailing. 

[MissaFX]

Welcome to club! If you have to deal with fishy people, always pay with a credit card (mastercard, visa, etc). Credit card companies side with the card user, so you'll most likely get a refund if you get screwed.

The paypal refund they sent you...is it in your paypal account now? You could always withdraw the money to your bank account if you have that linked.

It was a temporary, prepaid 100 dollar card I used to buy this item, some adapters with and my 3 japanese children's books (they were 75 dollars with shipping, gak).  When I had used it up on the 4th, I threw it out...  Since then I linked another to my paypal account and removed that one with I did.  They can get the refund back and paypal me money directly or send the drive.  I don't think the feedback will be positive either way unless they refund and send the drive.

[albinoMithos]

What a flaming douche bucket!  I vote you give him standard response 34a - shit in a box and mail it.  If you're really pissed, go for 23c - shit in a box and lace it with anthrax before mailing. 

I agree with Necro although I think you need to make it explodable. A giant shit bomb package is just what scammers need from time to time.  If only you could get it in their mouth..........

[ceti alpha]

 

Necro's advice sounds excellent. Seriously though, what a P.O.S.

[Arkhan]

make them refund it to your paypal account, and then use it to buy the card elsewhere

or have paypal mail you a check maybe?

[Sensei]

If I remember correctly anyone with an email address can be paid via paypal.  It is just a matter of getting the money in a form you can use.  So hopefully the money isn't gone for good. 

Still what a crappy thing for this guy to do.

[MissaFX]

Ebay wrote me back and informed me of what a crappy person I was to not pay for my item by telling me that winning an auction legally obligates me to pay the seller and that I am inviolation of their own policies on this...  no seriously.  But they did then say they would pass me on to a specialist to talk to me about the sellers overcharging for shipping. 

Gee, who cares about their own pocket?  Can we say Ebay?  I knew you could.

[Necromancer]

Ebay wrote me back and informed me of what a crappy person I was to not pay for my item by telling me that winning an auction legally obligates me to pay the seller and that I am inviolation of their own policies on this...  no seriously.

Was it just an automated message based on the scum seller reporting you for failure to pay?  Send those blood suckers a copy of your paypal receipt along with a note telling them to go f*ck themselves.

[MissaFX]

Ebay wrote me back and informed me of what a crappy person I was to not pay for my item by telling me that winning an auction legally obligates me to pay the seller and that I am inviolation of their own policies on this...  no seriously.

Was it just an automated message based on the scum seller reporting you for failure to pay?  Send those blood suckers a copy of your paypal receipt along with a note telling them to go f*ck themselves.

I just did, and I also sent them the tracking number the seller gave me on the 7th:
4209 7487 9101 8052 1390 7695 8534 51

If I didn't pay them and they relisted the item on the 5th, why would they then send me a tracking number on the 7th?