Scammed by buyer - A to Z claim lost - how to proceed?
Hi everyone.
I'm an MFN seller. I had a buyer purchase a digital camera from me. Sent with Royal Mail, postage purchased through Amazon.
The buyer opened an A to Z, claiming to have received a broken smart watch rather than the camera. This doesn't sound likely to me. I package and post all orders myself so I know what I sent. I doubt any Royal Mail staff would bother to replace the item with a watch and then deliver it - doesn't really assist their theft in any way. So I'm going on the assumption that the buyer is a scammer.
Amazon allowed the buyer to return this broken watch to me. I photographed and video recorded my opening the parcel. Uploaded this evidence of receiving the wrong item in return to both the A to Z and in a message to the buyer.
Amazon closed the A to Z in favour of the buyer - full refund and defect on my account health.
I appealed the A to Z, summarizing events and providing evidence again. Amazon upheld their decision.
I thought that the next step was to file a SAFE-T claim, however, I receive this message when attempting to open one:
'This order is not eligible for SAFE-T claim. Only VAS orders, Easy Ship orders and MFN Prepaid orders are eligible for SAFE-T claims. Please refer to Amazon SAFE-T Claim Policy for more details.'
Should I be able to file a SAFE-T claim here?
Any suggestions on what I should do next would be appreciated.
I'm hestitant to send an LBA to AMZ due to possible account concequences.
Thanks all.
Seller_sNKeKyNyAszcJ
@Julia_Amazon@Julia_Amzn
Hi Julia.
I noticed in another thread you seem to be assisting a seller who received an unfair defect for an order sent with Amazon Buy Shipping.
Perhaps you could assist me with this too?
Thanks.
Seller_ZJhFeE3tNKzfh
Once an A-Z has been opened, you can no longer raise a Safe-T claim, as per this page.
You've already appealed, so the next steps would be evidence to managingdirector@amazon.co.uk email address (basically second tier seller support), tag the moderators (you've done), if all that fails, mediation, then it would be LBA - we've never done one, though others have, if the LBA is to amazon, others can advised though I don't think anyone has ever advised they've had account consequences over taking amazon to court.
Seller_udgfJbhh5XzPA
On the UK Gov website you can make a claim through a small claims court. I have been forced to do this as it is a weekly issue.
The results are successful as the buyer has to respond to the claim otherwise you can request for a CCJ from the court which is the last thing a buyer wants. They know if they have a CCJ against them, it will make life difficult to take a loan from a bank or even get a mobile phone contract. Most will call back and apologize for the so called "Mix Up".
You are in your legal right to do this if you feel somebody has scammed you. This is a common issue on the amazon marketplace and unfortunately the A-Z team never side with the seller the Majority of the time even if you have submitted all of your evidence. There is a £35 payment you have to make but it will be the buyers responsibility if they accept responsibility or the ruling is in your favor from the courts.
Seller_sNKeKyNyAszcJ
I am still in need of help with this.
@Sakura_Amazon_
Does anyone know the list of mods that I can tag?
Seller_Rvj1153dOprkQ
Re-assuring to hear that Amazon granted an A-Z Claim even though they state buying shipping via them prevents this. Great company, aren't they!
Regretfully though, I very much there is anything you can because you can't prove that you sent the camera...that sounds crazy I know but with Amazon especially, they are so customer-focused instead of siding with us sellers that put hundreds of millions pounds in there pockets every year.
The only way to protect yourself is take photos of every order prior to packaging it up (painful I know) but at least you've got evidence of the item.
Seller_zkETYNYu5AkMT
Make a fraud police complaint against buyer and also include amazon for helping fraud.
Seller_IQo80d99W2DzP
You cannot do a Safe-T Claim, but you can take Amazon to court of course.
However, email the MD (exec team) first, as you may appeal, and you ca add PDF attachments as proof of the return, etc. Raise a separate case as well, with the photos.
If you sent Tracked, you should have a photo of the delivery parcel, and I assume a camera parcel will not be the size of a watch parcel, to also show delivered, not tampered with, etc. (or if damaged, opened, then a claim to the courier).
@Julia_Amzn @Winston_Amazon
Amazon Mods, PLEASE can you also nag the powers that be to allow attachments to A-Z Claim appeals, it is purposely on the side of the Buyer otherwise, whereas, for example, on our A-Z Claim case 9886192032 (203-0020406-4313149) - we can prove with photos, the same as this Seller on this Forum header that the Buyer did NOT return the item supplied (attachments would make it far easier to win an A-Z Claim). We had already proved it in emails to the Buyer in any case, but still lost the A-Z Claim.
Seller_tcjTAYWS9J4EP
I would send them a notification of intent to take them to the small claims court and your return address and 30 days to return the camera
Seller_soBD2wwhsVOww
Report the buyer to Action Fraud,likely will not do anything but you would have a crime number.
Send Amazon a Letter Before Action (templates online) as it is they who have wrongly refunded the buyer.
Amazon Legal Department
Amazon . co . uk
1 Principal Place
London EC2A 2FA
Seller_sNKeKyNyAszcJ
Thanks for your advice everyone.
Does anyone know how to get the mods attention on here?
I have tagged a few but I haven't heard from any yet.
I would like for them to help out with the fact that I have received an unwarranted A to Z defect for this (unwarranted given that I purchased the shipping through Amazon).
