PayPal helped a thief steal money from my account

[WK19]

Someone stole from me and PayPal will not give my money back. They told me to go through my bank and bank is telling me to go through PayPal. PayPal basically told me “oh well, not our problem.”

[kernowlass]

@WK19 

ok, can't advise anything as you have given 0 information on what has happened.

[WK19]

I attempted to purchase an iPhone and the “seller” advised to set up payment through PayPal because I wanted buyer protection. The only thing I’ve ever used PayPal for is payments for streaming services or sending my family money, but thought you all offered the protection. Paid $348.98 for the iPhone and never received it. I have screenshots of all the messages from the “seller”, stating the phone was never shipped, nor did he plan on sending a phone. The night I bought the iPhone he immediately tried to go back on the shipping costs he was charging, saying it would cost him first $100, then $50 to ship the phone from Texas. I advised we had already agreed on the shipping costs with the price of the phone and he started asking how much more money could I send. I know there’s no way it would cost $100 or $50 to send a phone from Texas and knew I was never going to see any kind of phone from this man. I set up a dispute the same night I sent the money because it wasn’t letting me cancel the sale/payment out. I spoke with PayPal through chat, who advised me the guy already pulled the money out and that I would need to set up a chargeback through my bank and PayPal would make sure I’d get my money back. I proceeded to be bounced around from PayPal and my bank, both stating it was the other company’s job to dispute the cost. The bank refused until I showed them the chat conversation I had with the PayPal rep. The bank put 348.98 back into my account and I thought it was done. The bank then removed the 348.98 back out of my account around a week ago, stating PayPal was not working with them. That money that was taken back out was part of my rent money this month. So now, on top of this mess, I have a **bleep** off landlord and possible eviction coming if I don’t get the landlord paid this week. This has been a huge pain, spending so much time and effort trying to get my money back from a scammer. I thought PayPal was better than this and protected it’s customers. Instead you’re protecting someone who outright admits they’re stealing from you. I’ve been with PayPal for years, as well as family members and friends. Very disappointing.

[kernowlass]

@WK19 

Which dispute type did you open?

Did you escalate to a claim.

[WK19]

Chargeback, item not received. No one has said anything about that and I’ve spoken with PayPal quite a few times. I was told a few times it’s out of PayPal’s hands because I had bank do a chargeback, but you all told me to do it in the first place. The chat convo still shows that.

[kernowlass]

@WK19 

If you did a chargeback via your bank then everything is dealt with by that bank, paypal do is pass on any information on your behalf to the bank or card issuer. The bank or card issuer make any decisions.

Why didn't you just open a paypal dispute for non receipt of item > put in what has happened and escalate to a claim? You should have gotten a refund if you had.

That is unless you sent the funds using the friends/family option instead of goods/services???

Always best to come and check on here first before rushing in with chargebacks really if you are not sure.