Web Hosting Talk : Other Forums : Web Hosting Lounge : [RESOLVED] got scammed $400

[FreshFroot]

Well it looks like I was scammed out of $400...

There was a member, who needed some gfx done. I basically made everything he wanted and had it ready for him. On the payment date he told me he was having issues with Paypal. I asked him what the problem was and he said his account was put under review.

Now hearing that I got a bit worried, but he said it was nothing to worry about. So finally the day comes, he sends me the funds and I send him all the graphic files. Within 1 hr after the transaction, I get an email from paypal. My account has been put under review? Now I've never had issues with Paypal before, this is the 1st time my account has been put under review.

So I email the buyer back and for the last few days he's been telling me he will call paypal and confirm the transactions and always has been making excuses. Finally today he told me, if I don't buy him a hosting package and domain name, he will not call Paypal to verify the transaction... and that my account will be locked for ever, so I'll never be able to use Paypal again..

Now I'm left posting this with an account under review, I've contacted Paypal a few times, but they haven't done much at all.. except run me around a circle lately.. the last reply was "please have the buyer call us" However, the buyers taking advantage of this now and wants me to pay for his own services.. I also just noticed after, the buyers last name is different from his Paypal account and the email he uses with Paypal (his gmail).

I'm not sure what to do right now, besides see what paypal can do.. This has been a horrible experience with a member and paypal.

[datacenterdirectory]

Sorry to hear that this happened to you. You should look into other means of trasacting online, like escrow.com. I think it is important to let us know who this member was just incase a situation like this happens in the future.

[mantra]

yes, please do let us know who this member was. There is no excuse for not paying, especially if the job was done accordingly. You should always ask for some payment upfront, if this is a completely new person you are dealing with.

[Aussie Bob]

Originally Posted by FreshFroot

. . . Finally today he told me, if I don't buy him a hosting package and domain name, he will not call Paypal to verify the transaction...

Name and shame this scumbag.

[lemondude]

this kind of thing on the internet has to be done with a middle man to hold the money.

Well, you live you learn

[Ricky Smith]

Paypal is a "useless" pice of #$#% service and is horrible with charge backs most of the time they're too lazy to dispute the case and run you in circles.

[Schmarvin]

I've had no problems getting my funds from people like that. Usually if Paypal doesn't allow you to get your money back, you can always sue the person that scammed you.

[HostByte]

yea i think that you shouldn't be afraid of his blackmailing.... maybe you should whitemail him back like threaten him if he doesn't solve the matter for you then you'd bring him to court lol

[IH-Rameen]

When you say your account is under review, what reason did PayPal give? Is the entire account under review or just that transaction? If it is just that transaction then what was the reason the buyer provided for disputing the transaction?

The reason I am asking is, you provided a digital service. PayPal usually favours in those that do, simply because it does not want to get in the middle of a legal battle of who delivered what and when. It simply cannot easily prove it, nor does it want to spend time doing so. Hence its TOS does state that virtual goods are not covered by any sort of guarantee..

So maybe you still have some hope..

[IH-Rameen]

Originally Posted by HostByte

yea i think that you shouldn't be afraid of his blackmailing.... maybe you should whitemail him back like threaten him if he doesn't solve the matter for you then you'd bring him to court lol

A very childish thing to do..

People raise the legal flag so many times, it is becoming as common as breathing.

[Biju]

Originally Posted by IH-Rameen

A very childish thing to do..

People raise the legal flag so many times, it is becoming as common as breathing.

It is practically difficult, i would say is put his name down and website or anyother info. from that we can help if there are any chances for it.

[chrisranjana]

. So finally the day comes, he sends me the funds and I send him all the graphic files.

So you mean to say he sent you payment and paypal blocked your account for that reason ?

[Biju]

Originally Posted by chrisranjana

So you mean to say he sent you payment and paypal blocked your account for that reason ?

Actually the sender might be a scam or some issue has been occured which have totally resulted in blocking his A/c.

[Saulie]

I feel for you mate, been in the same position three times before, and didn't get anywhere with paypal. They simply dont want to know, mostly it's underage children who get what they want and then tell paypal on purpose there underage which gets them there moneyback.

And yes, please do let us know who it is..

[JRSEOMarketing]

I've never heard of paypal putting the entire account under review from accepting payment. I've had "payments" under review, then eventually reversed due to fraud. But the entire account?

That seems a bit odd to me...