HomePatrol Parts Question

[Dewey]

Greetings all. This may be a question that only Upman can answer, but in honoring his desire/request not to be contacted directly, I'm posting it here. (Paul, feel free to PM me if you want to handle it offline).

In preparation for the SDS100, I put a HomePatrol II up on eBay. Once I shipped the HP to the auction winner, he emailed me back a day after receiving it saying that it would not turn on, and that he wanted a refund. Despite the proof that I presented that the HP was working when shipped, he never answered me again and opened a case on eBay reporting that I would not work things out with him. Based on eBay's Buyer Protection, they decided in his favor, told him to return the HP to me, and for me to refund him.

When I opened the returned HP package, it was very clearly apparent that the buyer removed the very used front face plate along with his internally broken LCD display and switched it with the like new working face place/LCD display on my HP. I immediately appealed the case, and based on my statement and the pictures and video that I had showing the difference between my shipped HP and the HP that the buyer returned (which still had my serial number since he only switched the face plate), eBay decided in my favor. Since the case was decided in my favor, I was not required to issue a refund to the buyer, but eBay did provide a "one-time refund" to the buyer.

Since I was not required to issue the refund, I was "made whole" again by eBay so I am no longer a victim, but I would still l love to show eBay that this guy is a scammer. I feel that the first part of proving it has already been demonstrated by my before and after pictures and video. However, based on things that the HP does when it is turned on, I feel I can show beyond a reasonable doubt that the buyer turned my HP on within an hour or two of receiving it (again, his claim was that it would not turn on) to include recovered police audio from the buyer's own county in Florida with my serial number where he tested my HP before switching the face plates.

Therefore and if you are still with me, my question... I have found some internet pictures of the inside of a HP face plate. Those pictures show a number on the back of the LCD screen. Does anyone know if the number on the back of the HP LCD screen is part of, or can be resolved to the HP's serial number, or if any other components in the face plate can be tied back to the HP's serial number???

 

[UPMan]

No. Serial number is only recorded on the unit as a whole.

 

[Voyager]

That is most likely a part number. I doubt anything could be traced to a specific serial number.

The recordings are interesting, but not necessarily proof since the same card could have been put in another unit. Still, you are most likely 100% correct in your description of events.

 

[Dewey]

Thanks Paul and Joe. Without giving out information that could be used by future scammers, I'll just say that I can show by my HP's serial number that it was powered up in Florida within an hour or two of being delivered. While I am not at a loss, it really bugs me that eBay made it so easy for crime to pay for the scammer.

 

[jonwienke]

Forward your proof to eBay. They may go after the scammer.

 

[ScannerSK]

What is the name of the e-Bay user? I would like to block them from purchasing anything from me.

 

[Dewey]

What is the name of the e-Bay user? I would like to block them from purchasing anything from me.

While I appreciate the support, I'm not sure it would be appropriate to publicly give the name since I am no longer the victim. I certainly would have absolutely no problem in working with eBay, to include providing sworn testimony in a court of law to stop an internet scammer in their tracks! (That was actually my livelihood as a sworn computer crime detective before retiring in 2010).

 

[scosgt]

Now all ebay users are the victims.
This is an old, ongoing problem with all electronics.
Some take to marking hidden spots with invisible ink, which can establish that they did not get back what they sent.

 

[Ubbe]

You have proven that the guy is a scammer and he got away with it, so make us all a favor by revealing his name. We do not want to buy or sell anything to this guy!

These kind of "repairs" must be punished hard as it might happen more often if Ebay is allowing it as they did in this case.

/Ubbe

 

[ur20v]

You got lucky, Dewey. I once sold an airbag to someone on eBay and 2 and a half months later he claimed it did not fit his car (which I knew was a lie) so eBay forced me to refund his money and pay for return shipping. What I received back in the box, however, was a brick patio paver. I was livid, and raised hell with eBay. Their response? "Oh, that's too bad, file a police report. We can't do anything for you." I took a long break from selling on eBay after that, but even now my butt puckers a little whenever one of my big ticket items sells.

 

[Voyager]

I can "one up" that. I had a guy order a specific Motorola part (by part number), and when he got it he said it wasn't the right one. I was forced to refund his payment AND he got to keep the part.

 

[Dewey]

You're not helping me any guys. /whine /whine /whine.

Seriously, ur20v, since I knew and documented my working HP when I put it up for auction nd shipped it, I did some cramming research on eBay buyer scams when the buyer said it didn't turn on and he wanted a refund. I read many stories about the scammer buyers who return empty boxes and/or rocks. So I prepped myself, and as soon as the return arrived, I videoed the entire event showing the package identification and how it was taped up to the point where I opened the package and pulled out the HP that contained the swapped face plate with the internally broken LCD (the LCD itself wasn't cracked, but it was easy to see how the liquid portion of the internal display was damaged with a large splotch in the upper right portion of the screen). I truly believe that this uninterrupted video compared to what I had when sending off my HP made the case decision easy.

Thanks again all...

 

[I_am_Alpha1]

Yes what the scammer did was a crime...one could argue a federal offense since it crossed state lines. E-Bay, however, doesn't care since they are making sooooo much money. I always list my auctions as-is with no returns and that I have video/photo proof of the working condition--part swapping is getting bad. I've been lucky. Since you have the "broken" scanner and the money you made from the auction, consider repairing it and selling it as refurbished--a little more money for your troubles.

 

[escortz28]

I've been a long time eBay seller (18 years) and eBay has drastically changed in terms of customer service over the years, i.e. service to their customers, the sellers. I'll save the rants - just Google and one can find all of the seller horror stories.

The caution to all as sellers - does NOT matter if you mark as "as-is", "no-return", "restocking fee", "etc", . If the buyer states either the item is not as described or it doesn't work, makes no difference how you labeled the auction or the actual condition of the item including new, factory sealed. eBay's Money Back Guarantee trumps all. In these cases, there is no defense as a seller.

I am a Top Rated Power Seller with 100% feedback since day one. To maintain this rating and feedback, I've had to accept numerous eBay returns. eBay Customer Service leaves quite a bit to be desired from a seller's perspective, even a seller with a mid-tier eBay store.

I can honestly state in the first 14 years, only had one buyer issue with a buyer claiming item not received. In the last four years, I've had a couple of dozen issues with buyers claiming one of the above. From my experiences I believe unsavory buyers now know how eBay operates and how the buyer has 100% rights in virtually all cases.

To protect yourself as much as possible - be absolutely clear and concise in the description of your item; use all 12 photographs; if your item has a s/n include in listing/photographs; use eBay filters to filter out bidders who have n non-paying auction wins, etc. Always use eBay messages - absolutely do not use direct emails or other methods of communications. If you do not have a good feel with a potential buyer prior to a bid - block them from bidding (another eBay filter); or if they already bid, cancel it. On a winning bid, a buyer or seller can get direct contact information on the other from eBay. If one party requests, eBay will notify the other party and provide the information. If one is so inclined, one could reach out directly and contact the other party. I did this on one occasion, did resolve the issue (the buyer moved, gave their old property to a daughter, didn't update their ebay or PayPal address of record, daughter wrote on package return to sender X doesn't reside at this address - even with photographs of the actual package/label eBay was going to settle w/buyer - hence I called buyer to resolve. And even then the buyer denied that the daughter had returned the package).

Overall from my experiences, the far vast amount of eBay buyers I interact with are good and decent. The others, an unfortunate cost of business.

 

[Voyager]

Since you have the "broken" scanner and the money you made from the auction, consider repairing it and selling it as refurbished--a little more money for your troubles.

Or just sell it as "for parts".