# Ebay warning: Beware of Moneybooker!



## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

I'm in the middle of a bad experience buying from Ebay: thought I'd share the details to help others avoid the same. Short version is I won a bid on Ebay, and the tiny print where you see things like "Pay with Paypal, Mastercard, Visa.." said "Moneybooker", something I'd never heard of. I attempted to pay with my credit card through Moneybooker: the sale was refused, each time. Contacting the seller revealed Moneybooker "required" the billing and shipping addresses be the same, or no sale. Since I don't want my stuff on the porch (had one stolen), I told the seller I'd send him a check and he agreed.
The next day, I found Moneybroker had placed a "Sale Pending" of the full amount against my credit card for each attempt to buy through them, freezing over $100 of my credit. A call to the seller evoked the explanation he used it because Paypal didn't protect international sales; his call to Moneybroker got the answer it would come off my card overnight---except it didn't.
My bank tells me the pending remains for 8 days, or until Moneybroker cancels it. I've contacted seller, requesting this be done and am waiting to see if it happens. Either way, I'll never buy from this seller or anyone using Moneybroker, again.:thumbsdown::thumbsdown::thumbsdown:


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## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

Reckers,
I've been buying on eBay since 1999, with over 700 transactions, but have never heard of "moneybroker". 
I use PayPal with immediate payment out of my checking account and so far, so good, with no glitches.
Thanks a ton for the heads up. I'll make sure to avoid that trap.
Bob


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## xrunner (Jul 29, 2011)

Reckers said:


> My bank tells me the pending remains for 8 days,


Yea I've had the same thing happen to me before (not moneybooker), a cancelled purchase sits there for what seems an eternity, but it does go away in some number of days. In these days on instant communications I've never understood this strange pending thing for credit cards. Seems weird.


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## Gansett (Apr 8, 2011)

Contact your credit card company ASAP! Explain the situation, my wife was double billed once and while the company was reluctant to give a promt refund the card company did with no hassle.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I don't deal with any of those "brand-X" credit companies, you have no idea who you're dealing with.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

I never heard of them either.

Thanks I will steer clear of them.

I pay with pay pal but change it so they bill it to our American Express, I feel that I am double protected then. 
Plus I don't want them taking money out of our bank account.

I just had a $1198.00 refund through pay pal. 
Duh......seller selling generators that were out of stock 2 days prior to him listing them! Duh!:thumbsdown:


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## pookybear (Feb 3, 2011)

Breaking the general buying rules of Ebay eh? Not the published ones on 
the Ebay site, but more of the wow this can burn in the butt rules!

Never use any payment besides Paypal!! Most credit cards will no longer allow
you to back charge anything out of state let along overseas anymore. Paypal
by this becomes default as your only protection in these matters, as warm
and Fuzzy as that makes everyone feel. 

And this is a common practice with merchants of placing a hold on your 
credit. Just go and rent a car or something, there will be a hold of some kind
on your card until you return the car. This is done everyday in many 
transactions, you just do not notice it as in most cases it is removed quickly.

As always you have to do your homework on Ebay these are all contracts 
everyone is signing with the confirmation of a bid!! Read all fine print and
becareful of who you give information too.

Pookybear


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Reck,

Sorry to hear of your woes. I've never heard of moneybooker, either. I hope things work out OK, but I think the advice given about makes a lot of sense ... call your credit card company ASAP, explain the situation, and have them make sure that you don't get double or triple dipped for any sale-pending charges. 

As I'm sure you would agree, we all have to be very, very cautious about passing along our credit card info to people/companies that we don't directly know. Despite its fees, that is the beauty of PayPal, in that it really is a pretty secure/safe way to do business.

Good luck,

TJ


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## Massey (Apr 16, 2011)

I have heard of Moneybooker but I did not get a warm fuzzy about them when I researched how they do buisiness. They are not very widely accepted, I could not easily find an address and there was nothing listed about them on BBB sites.

Massey


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## jzrouterman (Nov 27, 2010)

Moneybooker. Hmmm..... Never heard of them before. Got to admit though that the name even sounds like a FLIM FLAM type outfit. Reckers, sorry for what happened to you, but thanks for the 'heads up.' 

Routerman


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

Thanks for the kind words, guys. I talked to the credit card company; they say I'm in a sort of box because I gave the company my info and that is giving them permission to do the "sale pending" to hold the funds for up to 8 days. They can't stop a sale that hasn't taken place: if an effort is made by Moneybooker to complete the sale, I can then put a stop on it. I filed a complaint with Ebay this morning to try to get the seller to deal with Moenybookers; thus far, his response has been pretty much "That's terrible, I'm really sorry, now go deal with it yourself." I won't lose any money over it and the funds will be released eventually, but I wanted to make you guys aware of the pitfalls of dealing with a seller using Moneybookers. I took the time to look them up before giving them my card info and they are legit----but apparently have some borderline practices.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

pookybear said:


> Most credit cards will no longer allow you to back charge anything out of state let along overseas anymore.


That's news to me and the credit card companies. I don't know about overseas, but I've had several transactions in the past year where I had to contact the credit card company because of problems with a delivery or return. I never had any issue getting them to reverse the charge after their short investigation. I've done this with Discover and American Express, no problem at all.


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## xrunner (Jul 29, 2011)

If any of you use Bank of America I'd suggest using Shop Safe. I never buy anything over the internet using my real card number, I only use secondary generated card numbers which are limited in the max amount and have a cut off date you can select.

If you are buying say $100 worth of merchandise, then you can generate a unique card number for that merchant - say one that has a limit of $125. Then even if the number gets stolen it's impossible to charge more than an additional $25 on it.

http://www.bankofamerica.com/privacy/index.cfm?template=learn_about_shopsafe


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

Well, it was still unresolved this morning. I filed a complaint with Ebay. Seller 4343martino of Orlando, FL immediately attempted to cancel the sale. I declined; I had already sent a personal check at his suggestion. In addition, agreeing to sale cancellation would have prevented me from leaving feedback about my experience. I guess he figured that out: "i will make sure that ebay is aware of the situation and will dispute any and all feedback that you attempt to leave me, i have also added you to my blocked bidders list."
Mark


So...use your own judgement about dealing with this guy.


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## Gansett (Apr 8, 2011)

What I've recently done is opened a second savings account/debit card at my credit union. I keep $25 in it, if I make a ebay purchase I transfer funds from my checking into that account. So far, so good. I'm really not happy about having my credit card numbers floating around on the internet no matter how secure the merchant says their site is. I really hate paying the interest on the card when I have the cash availible too. 

My mortgage is with Bank of America. In keeping with TJ's request to keep this forum family friendly I can't tell you how I feel about them.


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

*LOL* nicely handled, Jack! I'm not worried about the money at this point; he's already emailed me that he's sending my check back uncashed, doesn't want my business, etc. The credit card company will put a stop on it if Moneybags tries to work the sale, but it was Moneygrubbers who refused it because their policy is the shipping and billing addresses have to match. Mine don't. Oddly, from the beginning, both the seller and the Money grubbers refused to say, "OH, okay---we'll just ship it there, then." They demanded I change my shipping stuff to suit them.


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## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

Reckers,
I certainly feel your pain! 
Another seller "tactic" that royally urinates me off is when they charge your credit card IMMEDIATELY but don't ship the friggin' item for six weeks 'cause it's on "back order" from the supplier. 
They have my money to use while I wait for the product. Stinks bad!! 
Bob


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

From his varied listings, I'd say he's a buy that goes round to garage sales and just sells the stuff on eBay.


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

Bob, I have encountered that problem before---the best thing to do is return the favor and make sure any other potential buyer understands their practices. That always makes me feel better! Oh...and there is that little feedback rating system on Ebay---such a pleasure to fill out. This guy tried to dodge the bad feedback by cancelling the sale, but the buyer has to agree to the cancellation or the feedback shows up.


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> From his varied listings, I'd say he's a buy that goes round to garage sales and just sells the stuff on eBay.


 You're probably right. The site identifies the business as Cynthia's Curios and Collectables; I suspect you identified where he collected them. I gave him two days of patient "Will you please get this fixed" without any success before going to Ebay. Once I did that, he threw a tantrum, pounded his heels on the floor and held his breath. I suspect he has some resentment about not being allowed to wear the pants in the family.


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## pookybear (Feb 3, 2011)

gunrunner,

"That's news to me and the credit card companies. I don't know about overseas, but I've had several transactions in the past year where I had to contact the credit card company because of problems with a delivery or return. I never had any issue getting them to reverse the charge after their short investigation. I've done this with Discover and American Express, no problem at all."

You may want to read those mailers they have been sending you. I got my
notice about 4 months ago stating that they will no longer cover out of
state charge claims anymore. They were having to many internet related
claims being made from out of state transactions. If you live in CA though
you are good to go as that is where Paypal bills are charged.

reckers,

"Well, it was still unresolved this morning. I filed a complaint with Ebay. Seller 4343martino of Orlando, FL immediately attempted to cancel the sale. I declined; "

This is always the proper thing to do here. And everyone do the same.
The seller in most cases has caused the problem and just wants you to
go away. Never let your right to leave feedback to warn other buyers 
slip from your fingertips. It is just a fast way for sellers to con you out
of one of your few rights on Ebay as a buyer.

Pookybear


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

pookybear said:


> You may want to read those mailers they have been sending you. I got my
> notice about 4 months ago stating that they will no longer cover out of
> state charge claims anymore. They were having to many internet related
> claims being made from out of state transactions. If you live in CA though
> you are good to go as that is where Paypal bills are charged.


What they put in their terms and what they'll do are two different things many times. The first time a credit card company doesn't resolve a valid issue I have, they'll lose a customer. I've actually had them bend over backwards to resolve issues. My issues have mostly been out of state, since it's seldom that you'll have a problem at a local store.


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