How much trouble could I be in with one international sale?

[cordeduroi]

Hello. I'm in Pennsylvania and the buyer is in New Zea/land.

This is what happened: I sold a notebook computer through eBay to a guy in NZ, paid for through Paypal. The sale price was around $1,600. I'm not a business or anything, I’m just a guy (college student) that wanted to sell one notebook through eBay and be rid of it.

So about 3 weeks after I shipped the item, the buyer started trying to muscle me through eBay messages and email, saying that he didn't receive the notebook, etc, etc. So I did a little research on my protection and realized that I was totally unprotected by PayPal if this guy decides to file a claim against me. That's when I really started to get nervous that I was going to loose my notebook *and* my money. So I responded to his messages and stood firm on the fact that I shipped the notebook, “if you haven't received it yet, you will soon”, etc, etc. Just trying to keep him happy and keep him from filing a complaint against me, etc.

Finally the messages stopped and there was no communication between us at all, so I assumed he received the notebook and all was well. (Although he did give me negative feedback on eBay.) Then I breathed a HUGE sigh of relief after his window for filing a PayPal complaint against me passed. I thought the matter was over.

Well, about five months went by since our transaction and I receive an email from a po lice offi cer in the NZ fra ud department, telling me that the buyer has complained to the NZ government about me. He said I need to work something out with the buyer (i.e. send him back his money) or I will be reported to Inter pol and “who knows” what would happen after that.

My question is this--How much trouble could I potentially be in here? Could I be sued? Could I be charged with something (criminal)? Does he have the legal authority to force me to return his money? Would Inter pol or the US government bother with such a small, one-time transaction ($1,600)?

All of the money went through PayPal and I shipped US air mail. This form of shipping does not allow for delivery confirmation (I already asked) and it does take about 3 weeks to ship. But there was no shady business with the deal at all. Everything was straightforward.

I don't know if this is something serious or just another attempt to muscle money out of me. I don't want to take the chance of getting into serious trouble either criminally or legally over it. But at the same time, I don’t want to return money to someone who found a way to get a notebook from me and his money back too. ($1,600 is A LOT of money to me—more than I have, to be honest.)

Someone knowledgeable please help me out! How much trouble could I be facing? And what should I do?

Thanks.

 

[HomeGuru]

Hello. I'm in Pennsylvania and the buyer is in New Zea/land.

This is what happened: I sold a notebook computer through eBay to a guy in NZ, paid for through Paypal. The sale price was around $1,600. I'm not a business or anything, I’m just a guy (college student) that wanted to sell one notebook through eBay and be rid of it.

So about 3 weeks after I shipped the item, the buyer started trying to muscle me through eBay messages and email, saying that he didn't receive the notebook, etc, etc. So I did a little research on my protection and realized that I was totally unprotected by PayPal if this guy decides to file a claim against me. That's when I really started to get nervous that I was going to loose my notebook *and* my money. So I responded to his messages and stood firm on the fact that I shipped the notebook, “if you haven't received it yet, you will soon”, etc, etc. Just trying to keep him happy and keep him from filing a complaint against me, etc.

Finally the messages stopped and there was no communication between us at all, so I assumed he received the notebook and all was well. (Although he did give me negative feedback on eBay.) Then I breathed a HUGE sigh of relief after his window for filing a PayPal complaint against me passed. I thought the matter was over.

Well, about five months went by since our transaction and I receive an email from a po lice offi cer in the NZ fra ud department, telling me that the buyer has complained to the NZ government about me. He said I need to work something out with the buyer (i.e. send him back his money) or I will be reported to Inter pol and “who knows” what would happen after that.

My question is this--How much trouble could I potentially be in here? Could I be sued? Could I be charged with something (criminal)? Does he have the legal authority to force me to return his money? Would Inter pol or the US government bother with such a small, one-time transaction ($1,600)?

All of the money went through PayPal and I shipped US air mail. This form of shipping does not allow for delivery confirmation (I already asked) and it does take about 3 weeks to ship. But there was no shady business with the deal at all. Everything was straightforward.

I don't know if this is something serious or just another attempt to muscle money out of me. I don't want to take the chance of getting into serious trouble either criminally or legally over it. But at the same time, I don’t want to return money to someone who found a way to get a notebook from me and his money back too. ($1,600 is A LOT of money to me—more than I have, to be honest.)

Someone knowledgeable please help me out! How much trouble could I be facing? And what should I do?

Thanks.

**A: for an item of that value, why did you not get insurance and confirmation of delivery?

 

[cordeduroi]

**A: for an item of that value, why did you not get insurance and confirmation of delivery?

HomeGuru, well I DID get insurance and I was told that confirmation of delivery was not possible to NZ. I would have preferred to ship FedEx but it was astronomical in cost. And, at the time, I did not realize that PayPal would not stand behind me if something happened.

But I know I shipped it and I know he received it. Because if he didn't, why would he not have filed a complaint against me through PayPal when he had the opportunity? Especially since it would have been no contest. Why wait 5 months and then get the NZ government involved?

 

[divgradcurl]

HomeGuru, well I DID get insurance and I was told that confirmation of delivery was not possible to NZ. I would have preferred to ship FedEx but it was astronomical in cost. And, at the time, I did not realize that PayPal would not stand behind me if something happened.

But I know I shipped it and I know he received it. Because if he didn't, why would he not have filed a complaint against me through PayPal when he had the opportunity? Especially since it would have been no contest. Why wait 5 months and then get the NZ government involved?

Do you honestly believe that Interpol is going to come after you for the sale of a single laptop to a private individual?

 

[cordeduroi]

Do you honestly believe that Interpol is going to come after you for the sale of a single laptop to a private individual?

I didn't think so, but I just wanted to make sure. I'll assume you're indirectly telling me I have nothing to worry about, and I appreciate your help. I don't know anything about law, etc, so I needed to ask. Thanks.

 

[Zigner]

This smells like a scam from a mile away.
An email? "Who knows" what would happen?
IF you even think about sending money back to this guy - please also check out several of our Nigerian friends who have been forced out of there government positions and need to put money in to your account etc etc etc

Ignore these emails - you have records that you did ship the item

 

[cordeduroi]

This smells like a scam from a mile away.
An email? "Who knows" what would happen?
IF you even think about sending money back to this guy - please also check out several of our Nigerian friends who have been forced out of there government positions and need to put money in to your account etc etc etc
Ignore these emails - you have records that you did ship the item

Ok, thanks Zigner. I will ignore (it's easy enough to do). I could not see Inter pol or the F BI or any other large agency like that even giving 30 seconds of their time to a case like this--one guy in the states who sells one notebook for less than $2,000. I just wanted to be totally sure that it couldn't snowball into some big case in which I would need a lawyer, etc. That would be a huge mess that's best avoided. But thanks to everyone for your advice!

 

[johnguerin]

if the buyer paid 5 months ago with PayPal and PayPal had not reversed the charges against your account, I wouldn't worry about it now.

ignore the emails as already advised.

 

[acmb05]

if the buyer paid 5 months ago with PayPal and PayPal had not reversed the charges against your account, I wouldn't worry about it now.

ignore the emails as already advised.

Unless he paid thru paypal with a credit card. I had someone do a reverse on me for an 800 dollar dell laptop almost 6 months after They bought it.

I would not worry about this one though. It sounds like he is scamming you. Interpol would not send you an email.