Advice on money being owed?

[laughsatthunder.livejournal.com]

Hello all,

Recently I was paying off a pre-owned fursuit when I decided to opt out shortly after I had sent the first payment. The whole ordeal seemed kinda suspicious to me, the owner wouldn't send me new photos of the suit's current state and they wouldn't reply to me right away as they would with other clients. I wasn't the first person to back out from this suit, 3 other people before me had done the same thing.

It's over a month since I had requested a refund and I have only received $100 out of $450. I was promised $200 on the 1st but had gotten $100 a week later instead.

I had asked and the owner won't be giving me back the full $450 because 1) I had opted out a day or two after I put down the payment and 2) they just purchased a house so my money was spent right away. 2 weeks ago I was told that I would be sent the rest of the money this week and haven't gotten anything. I just sent them an e-mail asking what was up.

I'm extremely wary because they just sold a few more pre-owned fursuits and haven't decided to pay me back, let alone get in touch with me...

What should I do in a case like this? I'm trying to just get my money back at this point. I don't think I'm the only one; I had asked the people who backed out before me and they said that it took them a long time to get all of their payment back. The person apparently spends the money right away.

Thanks.

Comments

[gatekat.livejournal.com]

If you paid with PayPal, open a dispute. I don't think it's too late yet.

[laughsatthunder.livejournal.com]

I don't know if "threatened" is the right term but I can't think of a safer word at the moment; I told the owner I would do that and they said "you don't need to".

Would it be okay to?

[oceandezignz.livejournal.com]

Wait... you will not receive the full $450 at all? Or not in one lump sum?

Because you were buying a pre-made thing; its not like they have material fees and the like to go by for your situation; everything should have been -done-.

They get -one- deadline email telling them to pay you in full, or else you're going to dispute the charge. Don't budge from it, don't let them give you excuses.

[laughsatthunder.livejournal.com]

Apparently, because I backed out a day later, I won't be receiving the full $450. How much is being taken out, I don't know. They wouldn't tell me and avoided the question when asked.

I'll send them an e-mail right now then. I'm afraid they'll post about me (see previous post on here) and tell people not to commission me or something lame.

[doggiy.livejournal.com]

Seconding what Gatekat said. File a dispute immediately.

[wolf-goat.livejournal.com]

You must file a dispute immediately while you still have time - otherwise you could be out a lot of money. That they messed up and spent your cash is their problem.

[lackoflollies.livejournal.com]

Open the dispute, do not let them pressure you or deny you a rightfully owed refund.

Do it, do it, do it! D:

[sapphistscot.livejournal.com]

Open the dispute with Paypal right away. If you're within the 45-day window and haven't received the goods then it should be resolved pretty quickly. It's extremely suspicious that the seller wouldn't send you current photos, and also that you weren't the first person to back out of purchasing it. You haven't received the goods, and it's not like the seller has had to purchase materials to make it since it's preowned, so you're entitled to a full refund. It's not your fault or problem that the seller has bought a house with money they don't have.

[laughsatthunder.livejournal.com]

Posting this as a separate comment because I can't reply to multiple people with the same thing;

PayPal cannot find my old transaction and I'm freaking out. It'll go as far back as March 28th.

[catwithpen.livejournal.com]

By default it only shows the past 30 days, but there should be a thing where you can pick the date range you want to see.

[bigblued.livejournal.com]

For some reason, Paypal defaults to only letting you see recent transactions. To see all your transactions you need to find the link that says "View all of my transactions" It's on the same line as "My recent activity/Payments Received/Payments Sent" but way over on the right. Click on that and you should have access to all of your transactions going back to forever.

[oceandezignz.livejournal.com]

Paypal has -all- your transactions. Its just a matter or finding them.

You need to make your way to the "History" area of your Paypal and then use "Find a transaction". Which then you can search by date, amount, etc.

EDIT: Of course I only get your comment email... and after I send a reply, I get the rest of them flooding in. XD

[duster.livejournal.com]

Echo chamber comment: Dispute. You are not a bank, you don't make loans so that someone else can do something unrelated to your product.

If they don't have the money because they spent it before you got what you were owed, that's their issue, not yours. Until you get your suit, it's not their money. Don't let them guilt trip you.

[laughsatthunder.livejournal.com]

Excuse me, is your icon Gordon Ramsey as a pony?

[takesu.livejournal.com]

I second calling paypal. Talking to a live person is better than waiting on emails.

[laughsatthunder.livejournal.com]

As an update to this post, I've been e-mailed back. Apparently they have no money in their PayPal (even though they just bought supplies?). They're angry about me wanting a full refund and said they had to charge me because they had to make a listing on FurBuy.

Apparently she's linking her "bank card" to her PayPal.

I still haven't received my refund.

[celestinaketzia.livejournal.com]

Was this after you filed the dispute? Don't let them get you to cancel it. Once you do you can't reopen it. Stick your ground. She never shipped anything, and she has no right to keep anything from you. Paypal will return your money whether or not she has it, and its not your problem she spent it.

[oceandezignz.livejournal.com]

Cosigning w/ Celestina. Not your responsibility, not your fault and the hell? I was under the impression FurBuy was free up to a point... If they are one of the few they charge, that's them. Its not you. They shouldn't be feeing you because you got nothing from them!

[anuvia.livejournal.com]

There is absolutely no defense on their end; they owe you the full amount you paid.

As a few have mentioned above, there is no "down payment" process on a premade item; You didn't custom order it and the material cost would have already been paid for on their end to produce the product they are selling. That would be the equivalent of going to walmart, buying a blender that was broken and then having walmart try to charge you for the cost to manufacture the blender. Unless they told you before hand that you would lose a deposit should you back out, then they have -nothing- to go against and they owe you the full $450.

Also, they are guilt tripping you; Whatever their life circumstances may be, it's not your problem nor is it your obligation to excuse their poor business behavior. They had no business spending the money you made as a deposit considering you didn't even pay the full amount for the suit; If it was still in their possession, then they shouldn't have used the money. Period.

Honestly, I wouldn't hesitate. File a dispute ASAP because it's very clear these people have no intention of refunding you, especially since I just read they are trying to post a counter entry about you here. They failed to be responsible and reliable individuals to conduct business with and I wouldn't give them a second chance, to be honest. $450 is a considerable chunk of money that I'm sure you worked hard for.

Sorry if I sound harsh, it's definitely not directed at you; I'm just frustrated for you on this situation because I feel like these people are trying to take advantage of you for being understanding and kind.

[laughsatthunder.livejournal.com]

No no, you don't sound harsh at all and I agree with you 100%! I really hope the person in mind sees this and questions their behavior.

[spiffystuff.livejournal.com]

Nthing that unless they told you up front there was a non-refundable fee, they owe you the full amount pronto

[laughsatthunder.livejournal.com]

Still haven't gotten my money back. Geez.

[celestinaketzia.livejournal.com]

You have to escalate your dispute to a claim before you can get your money back. Call Paypal to escalate it, otherwise the dispute will be dropped in 20 calendar days.

Don't escalate it online as the seller can weasel out of having to pay it if you set up the claim wrong. A representative will better assist you setting it up correctly.

eta: Explain to them that she hasn't shipped the item, and that you've canceled it, but she's refusing to refund your money.

[laughsatthunder.livejournal.com]

Here's another update, they sent me an e-mail. They still believe they don't owe me the full amount and have +uped the amount to $100 being taken out instead of $20.

http://www.ezimba.com/work/140504C/ezimba19434068437500.png

I don't know if PayPal is available on the weekends, but I'm giving them a phone call if she doesn't give me back all of my money soon.

[oceandezignz.livejournal.com]

They are available pretty much 24/7, I'd call them, explain the whole situation and ask if you could forward this email somewhere so they could see it as well.

They have z e r o right to keep a penny extra from you; and trying to up the amount withheld too? No.

EDIT: At this point, I'd be entertaining the idea of creating an actual beware on them, if you're up to the task.

[laughsatthunder.livejournal.com]

UPDATE: Called PayPal. 30 minutes later and 4 transfers later I found out that they're going to override my claim and write a new one. Basically, they're going to ask her for a tracking number. If she can't provide it then I'll be receiving the $350 I'm owed (since I already got $100 back).

They didn't specify how they're giving me the $350, but I'm going to assume they're going to take it from her since she refuses to give me any money.

[oceandezignz.livejournal.com]

This is good to hear (sorry to hear it took four transfer though! Eep.), if she doesn't give a tracking number (which she can't because she had nothing to ship you), Paypal will force the refund even if she has a zero balance on her account; and she'll have to pay that back and possibly a fee too.

She will not be able to easily use her account til the debt's paid.

[laughsatthunder.livejournal.com]

http://www.ezimba.com/work/140504C/ezimba19434084873300.png

Okay. Where do I begin? What I explain?

Just to clarify the whole entire age thing; Yes, I am 15. The PayPal account is a student account. It's tied with my mother's account. The money I got for the fursuit was money I got from making and selling my own fursuits and also some birthday money. I backed out because she would not take photos of what would be my new fursuit and decided that it made me severely uncomfortable second guessing the state of the suit.

It occurs to me now that I really shouldn't commission people because they instantly see my age and say things like this. This is the second time I've commissioned somebody who, when did not give me a final product, instantly put me down for being under 18.

[celestinaketzia.livejournal.com]

That is because you are not legally able to enter into a binding contract. People are not supposed to be doing business with you.

I really suggest you cease contact with the maker and let the Paypal claim do its job. You'll get your money back at this point.

[tentacleluvgdss.livejournal.com]

Were you able to get a refund from Paypal?

[laughsatthunder.livejournal.com]

Good question! No, I have not received my refund just yet.

"The seller has been asked to respond by May 13, 2014. Once we receive the information, we'll continue our review of this case."