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Ebay - Gift Card Scam

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run ita charlie

Junior Member
What is the name of your state? CA

Just a week ago I had bought an $500 Walmart Gift Card from Ebay. Just recently I had received it and when i went to check the balance of the card, it turns out it had none. When i went to contact the buyer (he also lived in California), he told me that i got what i paid for and said that he had mentioned in the description that the card USED to have $500, but currently has no value. It turns out that he is correct, but i am still angry over this and want my money back. Is what this guy is doing illegal? Will i be able to get my money back and possibly get this guy into legal trouble?
 


PJ Weber

Member
Dare I ask how much you paid for this card?

How did you pay? If by credit card call the company and open a dispute

Did the eBay ad state that the CURRENT value of the card was $500, or did it state that you were buying a $500 WM Gift Card. Semantics I know, but I'm curious

Can you post a link to the eBay site on which you bought the card, or just post the item number?
 

run ita charlie

Junior Member
I paid $420 for the card and i paid with a credit card. I would post the item number of the auction, but i'm pretty new to ebay and not too familiar with it, but i'll try to find it again.

As for the card, its topic was "Walmart Card" and inside the description was that I was buying a WM card that HAD $500 and that it currently has no value. But I missed that when i was bidding on the card and only caught onto that when the seller showed it to me afterwards. Can you tell me if what this guy is doing is illegal and can he be reported to the police?
 
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FlyingRon

Senior Member
If you paid through paypal, submit a SNAD dispute with them. Once they turn you down (if they do), then file a protest with the credit card company.

Reversing a charge through paypal without giving them a chance with their dispute process first may lead to your account being disabled.
 

ecmst12

Senior Member
Sure, you can complain to Ebay and your credit card company. And sure, you might get your money back. But ultimately, this is YOUR fault for not paying attention and READING what you were bidding on. So I don't have a lot of pity.
 

PJ Weber

Member
The Credit Card avenue is your best bet, BUT you really have little defense

You bid and won a WM Gift Card that previously had $500 on it, you received what you bought.

eBay's motto is caveat emptor which is Latin for 'let the buyer beware

I was hoping you paid less than $50 for it . . . :eek::confused::D
 

las365

Senior Member
Yeah, one of the reasons that scams succeed is that the scammers prey on the greed and foolishness of the scammees. Sometimes extreme foolishness.
 

run ita charlie

Junior Member
Well, yeah i know this is my fault and i should have been more careful

What i am wondering about is that can i get this guy into trouble with the authorities? or will they just not do anything about it?
 
A few comments

I just wanted to comment on this.. you won't probably won't be able to recieve a refund on this because the buyer did state the card had $500 on it but was empty now. I hope this was lesson for you, although an expensive one, eBay is a great site but there are many scammers. From now on, be careful and read the page very close. You may be able to speak with eBay and have this person removed from eBay if they truely are a scammer.

Also, I have some advice for this site. Although, you receive great advice on this forum.. you may have received more advice on the Online Purchases and Sales forum under Consumer and General Practice Law because a used Wal-Mart card doesn't exactly fit in the dangerous or defective product category.. Good Luck and Happy Bidding.
 

run ita charlie

Junior Member
Thanks for the advice, and yes i did learn a very expensive lesson. I'm going to be a lot more careful when i'm bidding on ebay next time.
 

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