Firstly can I just say that I have not included real personal details of this buyer for obvious reasons, my only aim is to prevent people from being put in the situation I was.

In December 2013 I sold a designer bag to this buyer. It was still in original dust bag, original tags, authenticity certificate all included. Basically brand new as the day it left the factory.

After a few days I received 4 messages claiming the bag was damaged (apparently a few of the metal connecter parts had come off) from the buyer 'received today very cross' etc all within 10 MINUTES. Of course I could not reply to them because I was at work. Straight after 10 minutes they opened a case against me!!!
This is of course a breach of eBay's policy that you have to allow a seller to get back to you within 2 days.

The messages began to get very aggressive and accusation able that 'How could you not see this?!?' Knowing the bag was perfect before sending I suggested the idea that it may have happened in the mail. The buyer replied 'THERE IS NO WAY THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IN MAIL' Really? How would you know that?

I asked the buyer to send me pictures of the damaged item so I could confirm that it was the same bag. I received multiple pictures of a bag most were not complete photos, which started my suspicion going. I eventually asked for the complete bag to be shown and the photo I received looked nothing like the one I had sent. It had the qualities of an old used bag, with wrinkles, completely different colour and dirt marks on it.

After tiring of all the same emails (which were poorly written and appeared to be wrote by a child may I add) I agreed to refund the buyer if they send me the bag back and I could review the alleged damage.

Within a few days of them 'dispatching' the bag back to me they escalated the case to customer services at 00:48 and eBay of course found the case in the buyers favour and took the money out of my account!

A month on and I am yet to have receive the bag back. I appealed eBay's decision but since they rarely/ never find a case in a seller's favour I was declined.

eBay recommended that I talk to the post office about not receiving the bag, so I did and they confirmed that the tracking number the buyer had provided eBay with WAS NOT A REAL TRACKING NUMBER. I am now led to believe that this buyer is a scammer and urge people not to buy from her.

I am now left out of pocket, no bag and a tarnished reputation. I am very disappointed that eBay fails to protect it's honest and reputable members and instead sides with the people that are out there to rip you off. With 100% positive feedback in 11 years I really thought eBay would have used it's common sense.