Stung by UPS/Ebay

[pianoman9701]

Never use PayPal and never use your debit card online for anything, ever. Always use a credit card and if possible, a preferred credit card, like Chase Sapphire. Seller doesn't want to take care of you? Your charges get reversed immediately.

Also, never use a debit card online for anything, ever, period. If the company you use it with is shady or gets hacked and your account is cleaned out, it'll take weeks to get your own money back. Using a credit card keeps your bank accounts safe and when you call the institution to report your credit card stolen, it doesn't affect your cash, your checking account, or your savings. They just take the charges off of the credit card and issue you a new one.

[baker5150]

Never use PayPal and never use your debit card online for anything, ever. Always use a credit card and if possible, a preferred credit card, like Chase Sapphire. Seller doesn't want to take care of you? Your charges get reversed immediately.

Also, never use a debit card online for anything, ever, period. If the company you use it with is shady or gets hacked and your account is cleaned out, it'll take weeks to get your own money back. Using a credit card keeps your bank accounts safe and when you call the institution to report your credit card stolen, it doesn't affect your cash, your checking account, or your savings. They just take the charges off of the credit card and issue you a new one.

What's the issue with using PayPal?

[Buzz2401]

I use my credit card through Paypal well over 100 times a year for the last 20 years with never an issue.  Buy about 30 things off ebay a year for last 20 years and have had 2 issues that I ended up taking the loss.  Tell UPS that you want everything that comes to your house signed for with ID.

[carpsniperg2]

I have done hundreds and hundreds of transactions with ebay and PayPal. PayPal is easy even though they are very anti gun. Only time I have had problems with them is when firearm related items are paid for. They will close your account and keep your money.

Only time I have had problems on eBay in many years is just like you. These sellers listing items from amazon they don’t have in possession or don’t know. Then something shows up other then what was listed or gets lost then it big problems. If it’s anything over like 20.00 I send the seller a message asking if they physically have the item. No response or not in there hands I don’t buy. Haven’t had a problem since I learned just like what you had happen.

[Encore 280]

Maybe there's another address close to the same as yours and it went there. Punch your address into Maps or your GPS and see one close to yours comes up. I know when I'm putting an address into my GPS there's others that show up too. Just a thought. Good luck.

[pianoman9701]

Never use PayPal and never use your debit card online for anything, ever. Always use a credit card and if possible, a preferred credit card, like Chase Sapphire. Seller doesn't want to take care of you? Your charges get reversed immediately.

Also, never use a debit card online for anything, ever, period. If the company you use it with is shady or gets hacked and your account is cleaned out, it'll take weeks to get your own money back. Using a credit card keeps your bank accounts safe and when you call the institution to report your credit card stolen, it doesn't affect your cash, your checking account, or your savings. They just take the charges off of the credit card and issue you a new one.

What's the issue with using PayPal?

They defer to the seller's platform, Ebay in this case. It's all in Stein's story. If you pay directly, your credit card company is YOUR advocate in disputes. PayPal is not.

[pianoman9701]

I do occasionally use PayPal, but it's mostly for sending money to people I know or companies with which I've got a relationship. For regular internet commerce, it's like creating an extra step. In addition, if you pay it directly out of your bank account, you run the risk of them getting hacked and you losing all of your money. I know they've never had a problem before. There have been many firsts for many big companies in this regard.

[baker5150]

Never use PayPal and never use your debit card online for anything, ever. Always use a credit card and if possible, a preferred credit card, like Chase Sapphire. Seller doesn't want to take care of you? Your charges get reversed immediately.

Also, never use a debit card online for anything, ever, period. If the company you use it with is shady or gets hacked and your account is cleaned out, it'll take weeks to get your own money back. Using a credit card keeps your bank accounts safe and when you call the institution to report your credit card stolen, it doesn't affect your cash, your checking account, or your savings. They just take the charges off of the credit card and issue you a new one.

What's the issue with using PayPal?

They defer to the seller's platform, Ebay in this case. It's all in Stein's story. If you pay directly, your credit card company is YOUR advocate in disputes. PayPal is not.

Paypal will at least put a hold on the funds. 

[pianoman9701]

Not in this case, according to Stein. 

[Fl0und3rz]

Always use a credit card and if possible, a preferred credit card, like Chase Sapphire. Seller doesn't want to take care of you? Your charges get reversed immediately.

I would never recommend Chase.  With any credit card with the Visa or Mastercard processing network, used as a credit card at the POS, you should be able to avail yourself of the chargeback feature of credit accounts. 

The chargeback is not available on debit accounts.  It is not a feature of a particular bank.  BECU does it just the same as Chase.  Where they might differ is in their institutional willingness to help you through the process.  Perhaps with a preferred card at Chase, they won't give you the runaround.  I don't get a runaround with BECU.

https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/credit-cards/credit-card-chargebacks/

Also, never use a debit card online for anything, ever, period. If the company you use it with is shady or gets hacked and your account is cleaned out, it'll take weeks to get your own money back. Using a credit card keeps your bank accounts safe and when you call the institution to report your credit card stolen, it doesn't affect your cash, your checking account, or your savings. They just take the charges off of the credit card and issue you a new one.

Again, BECU shines here.  The wife has had to have numerous cards issued due to attempted fraudulent charges - most likely due to POS transactions in Seattle.  BECU has immediately identified fraudulent activity, often before we do, the process is quick and relatively painless, and never are any of our funds in jeopardy and are available at all times during the rectification.  Their fraud detection measures are pretty sophisticated, and their customer service is top notch.

[pianoman9701]

It doesn't matter which card you use, as long as it's a credit, not debit card. I'm glad your experience with BECU is a good one. 

[Fl0und3rz]

Yeah I am kind of vegan for BECU.  Sorry for the thread jack.

[Stein]

I would argue that it does matter what credit card company you use.  I have had several fraud/stolen identity/stolen numbers in the past, maybe 3-4 and they were with several banks.  The easiest was Skagit State Bank, I told them, they laughed at the charges (airline tickets out of strange countries), and they were removed.  No questions, no process for my part, just instantly removed and I never heard anything else.  Every time I have called them, I get a real person quickly and they know how to help and do so quickly.

With others, there has been much more involvement and some are hesitant to open a case.  This charge was with Chase and they were ok so far, I had one transfer to get to the right person, but they didn't seem overly knowledgeable about the process and weren't able to explain the computerized questions much so I had to guess at a few.  They at least sounded like they were in the US.  They did issue a temporary credit subject to review, but didn't have any info on what that review looks like, how long it takes, whether I can submit an explanatory statement, e-mails, etc or anything else.

There are federal guidelines and rules, but like any business, they can be easy or hard to deal with.  They can also choose to lean on one side or the other or even eat the loss themselves.  The rules are the minimum, my experience is they can do much more if they choose to.