BUYER BEWARE. If you shop on eBay/ have ever purchased a lot from eBay, there is a scam you need to know about. I was recently ripped off by pepsidude1530steve, also known as Steve Krakowski from Crete, IL.
I purchased a lot of two vintage doll outfits for over $10, but when the package arrived, there was only one outfit inside. I contacted the seller to ask him where was the other item, and if it had been shipped separately. I went ahead and filed a case with eBay while waiting for his response.
He wrote me back to say...Seller's message:
""The correct item was shipped talked with customer waiting for package to be delivered please close case after package arrives thanks""
Not only had he not contacted me, he did not answer my initial question in all that incoherent mess. So, I wrote him back. I asked him where is my outfit? Is it being sent in a separate shipment? He said he made a mistake on the listing, and that what I actually bought was one outfit.
Um, NO. I won a LOT. My auction listing shows I won a lot, and that's what I paid for. That is not what I received.
This is the reply I received.
Seller's message:
""sorry about the mix up I mistakenly answered the wrong case Unfortunately there is only one I was copying off other peoples auction and didn't check the quantity. If you will accept Ill refund $2.50 that's half off please contact me back ""
(((Notice this guy mentions has had more than one case against him - yet retains 100% feedback on his profile - interesting! This is a guy who knows how to rip people off and work the system.)))
So, he wants to give me $2.50 cents to sweep this bad deal under the rug. That is not half off what I paid, but he is allowed by ebay terms to offer it. What an insult. Mr. Krakowski had 6 days to contact me while the auction was active to let me know he had made a mistake on the listing and give me a chance to withdraw. He never did. He allowed the auction to go forward, but attempted to remove one of the pictures without notice. Ebay will allow you to do that now, but they keep a link on the auction page so people who have already bid can click on it to see the original listing. I managed to print the entire listing that shows the two outfits that were included in the lot. Because nothing had changed except his removal of the 2nd picture, I didn't notice it had been removed until the auction was over.
I could not contact ebay directly because they have turned their help section into a cycle of useless links, and I didn't want this case to linger on, so I left the man negative feedback, and closed the case.
My original feedback read as follows :: BUYER BEWARE. Sent half my lot. Made excuses. Offered $2.50 refund. Rip off.
I go back two days later, and this man has had my feedback removed. Why would ebay do that? Because he offered me a piddling $2.50 refund, that's why. $2.50 that would have been devoured by paypal fees.
So, this man once again has 100% positive feedback - but don't let that fool you. I am still scammed out of an item that I paid for, and I am not the only person who has had a case against him. This man is a pro who knows how to work the system to rip people off, and I am sure I'm not the only one he's managed to scam.
The lesson learned in this? BUYER BEWARE. If you purchase a lot on ebay, their buyer protection policy does NOT cover you. If the tracking number provided by the seller shows the package was delivered, ebay has to trust that ALL the items were delivered...even if the buyer decides to leave items out when he ships. And if you go to file a case against the seller, ebay gives the seller the right to offer you a partial refund - which is good for the seller who gets to keep half your auction and your money. Then, when you leave negative feedback, because they have offered you pennies for a refund, they can have your feedback removed.
S. Krukowski Reviews
BUYER BEWARE. If you shop on eBay/ have ever purchased a lot from eBay, there is a scam you need to know about. I was recently ripped off by pepsidude1530steve, also known as Steve Krakowski from Crete, IL.
I purchased a lot of two vintage doll outfits for over $10, but when the package arrived, there was only one outfit inside. I contacted the seller to ask him where was the other item, and if it had been shipped separately. I went ahead and filed a case with eBay while waiting for his response.
He wrote me back to say...Seller's message:
""The correct item was shipped talked with customer waiting for package to be delivered please close case after package arrives thanks""
Not only had he not contacted me, he did not answer my initial question in all that incoherent mess. So, I wrote him back. I asked him where is my outfit? Is it being sent in a separate shipment? He said he made a mistake on the listing, and that what I actually bought was one outfit.
Um, NO. I won a LOT. My auction listing shows I won a lot, and that's what I paid for. That is not what I received.
This is the reply I received.
Seller's message:
""sorry about the mix up I mistakenly answered the wrong case Unfortunately there is only one I was copying off other peoples auction and didn't check the quantity. If you will accept Ill refund $2.50 that's half off please contact me back ""
(((Notice this guy mentions has had more than one case against him - yet retains 100% feedback on his profile - interesting! This is a guy who knows how to rip people off and work the system.)))
So, he wants to give me $2.50 cents to sweep this bad deal under the rug. That is not half off what I paid, but he is allowed by ebay terms to offer it. What an insult. Mr. Krakowski had 6 days to contact me while the auction was active to let me know he had made a mistake on the listing and give me a chance to withdraw. He never did. He allowed the auction to go forward, but attempted to remove one of the pictures without notice. Ebay will allow you to do that now, but they keep a link on the auction page so people who have already bid can click on it to see the original listing. I managed to print the entire listing that shows the two outfits that were included in the lot. Because nothing had changed except his removal of the 2nd picture, I didn't notice it had been removed until the auction was over.
I could not contact ebay directly because they have turned their help section into a cycle of useless links, and I didn't want this case to linger on, so I left the man negative feedback, and closed the case.
My original feedback read as follows :: BUYER BEWARE. Sent half my lot. Made excuses. Offered $2.50 refund. Rip off.
I go back two days later, and this man has had my feedback removed. Why would ebay do that? Because he offered me a piddling $2.50 refund, that's why. $2.50 that would have been devoured by paypal fees.
So, this man once again has 100% positive feedback - but don't let that fool you. I am still scammed out of an item that I paid for, and I am not the only person who has had a case against him. This man is a pro who knows how to work the system to rip people off, and I am sure I'm not the only one he's managed to scam.
The lesson learned in this? BUYER BEWARE. If you purchase a lot on ebay, their buyer protection policy does NOT cover you. If the tracking number provided by the seller shows the package was delivered, ebay has to trust that ALL the items were delivered...even if the buyer decides to leave items out when he ships. And if you go to file a case against the seller, ebay gives the seller the right to offer you a partial refund - which is good for the seller who gets to keep half your auction and your money. Then, when you leave negative feedback, because they have offered you pennies for a refund, they can have your feedback removed.