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Comment by imgabe | Hacker News Reader

It sounds like they still have their money and eBay is "demanding payment". Is there any reason to give into this demand? Obviously the Ukrainian scammer is not going to sue. It seems unlikely that eBay is going to sue over $465. So, keep the money and don't use eBay anymore (which it seems like was the case anyway).

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I imagine it could work its way to collections eventually, but I'm not sure.

Once the debt has been sold and resold a few times, I doubt collections companies have much incentive to actually sue for this amount of money, let alone an ability to actually win the case.

They don't need to sue, they can just list your debt with credit listing company and put a mark on your credit history. That can be annoying enough to settle a debt.

From personal experience neglecting debts I believed to be unjust, I've not gotten any dings on my credit rating inspired by collections companies who acquired the debt for the cable box that I never returned, after paying 3x its value in rental fees.

This didn't stop them from calling me and threatening my credit rating, but it seems their threats had no teeth. /anecdata

The Ukrainian scammer already got the money, the buyer is refunded automatically after the claim process ends, now eBay will try to force the money out of the seller.

It's very unlikely he is a scammer. Ukrainian police can ruin his life if it's true. Moreover, it's very unlikely for Ukrainian scammer to have $500 in the first place. IMHO, phone is replaced by a delivery guy or at customs. It happen to me too: I bought video glasses, but it remote was stolen at customs because it was like an mp3 player.

>* "Moreover, it's very unlikely for Ukrainian scammer to have $500 in the first place."*

He factually had at least $500 in the first place. That's how he paid for the item in PayPal to start with. Also, he did received the iPhone according to his own words in the eBay complaint he did. What he claimed was that the iPhone was not working correctly.

Yep, he also spend 2x on international delivery and 20% on VAT (450-150)*0.2=$60: about $700 in total. After refund, he we will get $500 back and be able to sell phone for 1/2 of price: about $250, so $700 is risked for $250 of profit at max.

In USA, will you put $70K at stake with high risk of catch to win $25K at max?

IMHO, postage was opened at custom (because it declared value was over $150) and phone was stolen by a guy, because their low wage forces that way: they can stole 10x of their yearly salary in just one month, until they caught. When they are caught, they will bribe police and leave. New guy will come and will work for next few months, repeat.

Why will he sell the phone for 50% of its price? That doesn't make any sense.

Also, if the phone was stolen at customs then WHY did the buyer claimed he actually received the iPhone? Again the complain was that the iPhone he received was not working correctly NOT that he didn't receive the iPhone.

Because Ukraine is at war with Russia, 15% of territory and few major cities are lost, so salaries are dropped by 2-3x. Market for iPhones is low. This is why he is buying phone in USA instead of local seller. As I can see, business of repairing of old phones is just overloaded, because most of people have no money to buy a new smartphone.

I have no idea why he claimed that. Maybe it's just Google translation made wrong.

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