How easy is it for someone to request a refund from Paypal?

[Mursilis]

So I sold something on ebay (which I haven't done in 5 years), and someone uses "Buy it now" right away to get it. Buyer appears to be very young, and immediately sends me the money via paypal and wants me to call him on his cell phone when I ship it - seems really desperate to get the item (just a computer game). Paranoid that I am, how easy would it be for him to get the item and then claim he never got it and ask Paypal for a refund? Do they do that automatically, or do they investigate the matter? What sort of safeguards exist for sellers? Thanks in advance.

 

[GeneValgene]

Originally posted by: Mursilis
So I sold something on ebay (which I haven't done in 5 years), and someone uses "Buy it now" right away to get it. Buyer appears to be very young, and immediately sends me the money via paypal and wants me to call him on his cell phone when I ship it - seems really desperate to get the item (just a computer game). Paranoid that I am, how easy would it be for him to get the item and then claim he never got it and ask Paypal for a refund? Do they do that automatically, or do they investigate the matter? What sort of safeguards exist for sellers? Thanks in advance.

paypal protects the buyer more than the seller

 

[Kelemvor]

as long as he has a confirmed address in paypal, and you ship it and can prove it gets there (put delivery confirmation or something similar if using USPS), you should be OK. But just to be safe, transfer the funds out of your account right away. THen paypal would have to debit your bank account if they wanted something and you can have your bank block that.

 

[SaturnX]

1. Ship ONLY to a confirmed address
2. Purchase DC and hold on to receipt with tracking number
...
3. Profit!

That should be it, but as for transferring your money out of your Paypal account to your bank. I believe if you do that and Paypal wants the money back can't they send it to a collections agency, thus effectively damaging your credit?

 

[Mursilis]

Thanks all. I did request delivery confirmation, and even checked to see who owned the house to which he requested it be shipped (isn't the internet wonderful?!?). Looks like his parents. Anyway, I may still try to move the money out (although they charge now to send you a check). Hopefully, I'm just being paranoid about all this.

 

[mrchan]

Originally posted by: Mursilis
Thanks all. I did request delivery confirmation, and even checked to see who owned the house to which he requested it be shipped (isn't the internet wonderful?!?). Looks like his parents. Anyway, I may still try to move the money out (although they charge now to send you a check). Hopefully, I'm just being paranoid about all this.

Withdraw to your bank account. Only takes 3-4 days and no charge.

 

[rudder]

If he paid with CC he can dispute with the CC company and you are screwed. If I sell anything big on ebay I immediately move the money out of my paypal account.