Author Topic: I think my seller died before I received my item! (Read 9041 times)

Hermit · « **on:** March 10, 2010, 01:31:00 AM »

How often does this happen? Just my luck, and the poor seller's too I suppose.

The seller had many items listed (coins notes and stamps), going by the negs rolling in no one has received their items or had any contact with the seller. The value of the items I added up to well over $5000. Possibly double that as I didn't save his earlier listings.

So anyway I have opened and closed a dispute, tried live help, got the sellers details, rang the phone number. Nothing. To me he didn't look like a scammer. 600+ sales at 100% feedback.

So I did some obituary searches for his region on the net with the sellers name and location, and to my dismay got some positive hits for a funeral notice.

So where to from here? I paid by direct deposit so can't do a paypal refund. How can I find the estate agent or confirm the identity of the seller? There's not much detail in the funeral notices that I found apart from the funeral directors phone number. Are they worth a try? What other options do I have?

This is the most bizarre thing I've had happen to me on ebay yet.

tellomon · « **Reply #1 on:** March 10, 2010, 02:00:43 AM »

What other options do I have?

Attend the funeral? *snipe*

*Brum6y* · « **Reply #2 on:** March 10, 2010, 02:23:37 AM »

You have nothing to lose by calling the funeral director. If privacy issues prevent him from confirming or otherwise, he may be able to direct you to an appropriate party.

You might also try sending a registered letter via snail mail to the seller, giving full details of your suspicions and claim in a courteous way. If he hasn't passed away, he'll likely get back to you with an apology - if he has, then whoever is handling the estate will get it and should contact you.

Since this might also have the appearance of fraud, it might be worth contacting the Police with the information you have been gleaned and see what they might suggest. Perhaps contacting the seller's local Police station. I'm sure they'd rather advise of someone's passing than go chasing a fraud complaint.

If the poor seller has, indeed, passed away and his estate needs to go through probate, there will be a notice published giving sufficient details of the deceased for you to say 'That looks like him'. The notice will be inviting anyone with outstanding business with the deceased to contact the executor of the estate with details of the claim. I would send two letters - the first to confirm the identity - and if the reply says 'yes' then forward a second letter with all the details, documentation etc. of the claim with a request for your preferred resolution... ie - supply of the goods purchased or return of funds paid.

If your claim is validated, be prepared to accept whatever solution is offered.

Obviously there are other buyers out there with the same problem, so you might also try going through eBay, but since you didn't use Paypal and this would actually require them to do some work, don't expect any joy there. A PayPal refund is all too easy and anything else is all too hard.

Hope there is an answer in this for you..

mandurahmum · « **Reply #3 on:** March 10, 2010, 02:45:10 AM »

I have always wondered what happens in cases like that. And with paypal too - how do you prove it to them?

tellomon · « **Reply #4 on:** March 10, 2010, 02:56:16 AM »

Proove it? Izzint there confirmation email in the transaction? PayPoo & Bank activity records?

And stuff?

Hermit · « **Reply #5 on:** March 10, 2010, 03:41:24 AM »

Quote from: mandurahmum on March 10, 2010, 02:45:10 AM

I have always wondered what happens in cases like that. And with paypal too - how do you prove it to them?

In the negative feedbacks left, many of the buyers have successfully received paypal refunds. Perhaps like me they opened an item not received dispute in which the seller has to respond within 10 days. If the seller does not respond in 10 days I think that's all the proof paypal need once the case is escalated. The feedback also mentions zero contact from the seller. Understandable if one is living it up in the Bahamas or dead I guess.

In retrospect I wish I had paid by paypal, but that method of payment without having a credit/debit card is tedious. In the long run though it looks like it's going to be an advantage.

mandurahmum · « **Reply #6 on:** March 10, 2010, 04:13:48 AM »

Hermit - it was one of the best things I ever did - transfer my savings account to a debit card.

Hermit · « **Reply #7 on:** March 10, 2010, 05:26:31 AM »

Groan, I just realised the ebay seller doesn't even have a full address eg street address, just a city and telephone number. There's a person with the same name in the same city in the directory with a street address but the telephone number is one number different. The ebay number is a fax, the other rings, neither answer. I can't be sure it's the same person, let alone the one that died so I don't even know for sure where to send the letter. What a muddle.

tellomon · « **Reply #8 on:** March 10, 2010, 05:31:36 AM »

The plot thickens.

low-enghooi · « **Reply #9 on:** March 10, 2010, 01:09:16 PM »

My local banknotes dealer was murdered few years ago. I paid some deposit for a pair of banknotes. He was murdered a day before I plan to go to meet him to pay him the balance and collect the notes.

Since then I stopped collecting banknotes from my country. Not long after that I consigned my banknotes collection to an auction house. No longer a good hobby after he was murdered.

tellomon · « **Reply #10 on:** March 10, 2010, 03:08:54 PM »

See? Just like me & mine was sayin': The coinerz are a ruff crowd!!!

lol?

*Yibida* · « **Reply #11 on:** March 10, 2010, 03:26:07 PM »

Did Low say he died before or after his visit ?....

*Brum6y* · « **Reply #12 on:** March 10, 2010, 03:39:41 PM »

BEFORE.

Naughty Yibster!

*Yibida* · « **Reply #13 on:** March 10, 2010, 04:01:00 PM »

Quote from: *Brum6y* on March 10, 2010, 03:39:41 PM

BEFORE.

Naughty Yibster!

hehehe....

da_ewok · « **Reply #14 on:** March 10, 2010, 05:05:32 PM »

bad taste boys and girls - the buyer who says it's a fax number - try sending a fax from the local post office if you don't have a fax at home

are the initials MC or MSC and does the town start with M?

I doubt connecgted - but it is a small small world

Hermit · « **Reply #15 on:** March 10, 2010, 07:17:09 PM »

Different initials and town.

da_ewok · « **Reply #16 on:** March 13, 2010, 11:15:49 AM »

worth a try

How has everything panned out? - it's almost been a week - heard anything?

tellomon · « **Reply #17 on:** March 13, 2010, 11:38:56 AM »

Right.

This Dead Seller thing ain't over yet.
Not by a longshot.

Hermit · « **Reply #18 on:** March 17, 2010, 05:17:36 AM »

I've been ill. Haven't felt like perusing matters. Have more pressing things on my mind atm.

da_ewok · « **Reply #19 on:** March 18, 2010, 07:07:42 AM »

Hermit - from what I gather you are/were the seller - if that is the case - you are allowed to hibinate - I've been doing it for 12 months.

Sometimes everything just gets too hard - and you HAVE to hide to save your sanity.

Take care and I hope whatever monkey was on your shoulder has climbed the nearest tree

Centuries · « **Reply #20 on:** March 18, 2010, 03:59:21 PM »

Hi da_ewok

I feel hermit's OP indicates hermit is the buyer.

I hope you are not seriously ill, hermit. All the best.

Quote from: Hermit on March 10, 2010, 01:31:00 AM

How often does this happen? Just my luck, and the poor seller's too I suppose.

The seller had many items listed (coins notes and stamps), going by the negs rolling in no one has received their items or had any contact with the seller. The value of the items I added up to well over $5000. Possibly double that as I didn't save his earlier listings.

So anyway I have opened and closed a dispute, tried live help, got the sellers details, rang the phone number. Nothing. To me he didn't look like a scammer. 600+ sales at 100% feedback.

So I did some obituary searches for his region on the net with the sellers name and location, and to my dismay got some positive hits for a funeral notice.

So where to from here? I paid by direct deposit so can't do a paypal refund. How can I find the estate agent or confirm the identity of the seller? There's not much detail in the funeral notices that I found apart from the funeral directors phone number. Are they worth a try? What other options do I have?

This is the most bizarre thing I've had happen to me on ebay yet.

golden · « **Reply #21 on:** March 18, 2010, 04:08:15 PM »

Yes fully agree Cent. Cannot understand how it could be construed arse about!

*CountessA* · « **Reply #22 on:** March 18, 2010, 04:26:51 PM »

Ewok, you're hanging from the ceiling again!

(Ewok is a tireless worker and I know there have been many, many late nights... Quite possible she's hanging upside down right now as she delves into an insane amount of work, and got the Hermit-Seller thing turned upside down.)
:bat:

Centuries · « **Reply #23 on:** March 18, 2010, 04:55:14 PM »

Yes, da-ewok is a person whom I admire just from seeing how she worked to get cookbooks etc. to communities who had lost so much in those devastating fires.

Hermit · « **Reply #24 on:** March 18, 2010, 10:45:52 PM »

Um... yeah I'm the buyer not the seller.

My illness is chronic long term that goes through periods of relapse and remission. Felt a bit better today so did the cyclone preparations. Something else to worry about lol.

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Author Topic: I think my seller died before I received my item! (Read 9041 times)