Consumer complaint received 2022-01-30
Company: Paypal Holdings, Inc
State: PA
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Mobile or digital wallet
Issue: Fraud or scam

Complaint:
I am writing to you for assistance in getting a refund from PayPal. The PayPal XXXX # is XXXX. The case was closed in the favor of the seller. Here are the details on the transaction. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, I did a transaction through PayPal to purchase a XXXX XXXX camera via XXXX in the amount of {$800.00} ( PayPal transaction # XXXX ). The sellers name was XXXX and her email address is XXXX. A few days later I was notified by her that her XXXX account was shut down and that she preferred to do the transaction directly through PayPal. ( At that time PayPal did refund the money back to me because the XXXX transaction was cancelled ). 
As I stated, the seller reached and wanted to still do the transaction, but through PayPal ( Exhibit One ). I got suspicious, but she ensured me that the transaction would be safe because it was being done via PayPal and that she would send over an invoice for the camera. Based on what I read on the PayPal site, I felt protected because it stated I could file a claim if the item purchased was never delivered or what was described. Feeling better, on XX/XX/XXXX I asked the seller to submit an invoice via PayPal to buy the camera. ( Exhibit Two ). 
On XX/XX/XXXX I received the PayPal invoice from the seller, but I noticed it was in the name of another person - XXXX XXXX XXXX ( Exhibit XXXX ). Her email address is : XXXX. I told the seller I needed an explanation for the discrepancy. She replied that this person was her aunt and that everything would be ok ( Exhibit Four ). Once again, feeling that PayPal would protect me in this, I felt ok. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, the seller sent over some additional pictures of the camera and an email reassuring me that everything would be ok ( Exhibits Five and Six ). I then made the payment of {$800.00} for the camera via PayPal. 
I received the UPS tracking information via PayPal for the camera. The tracking number was XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX, per UPS, the package was delivered, but it was NOT to my house. I will refer you to Exhibit A, in which I ask a UPS representative through an online chat if my house was the intended destination. You can see based on the response from XXXX XXXX, neither my name or address were on the package. Based on the email I received from UPS, a person by the name of XXXX XXXX was the recipient. When I didn't get the package I immediately contacted UPS to open an investigation as to the whereabouts of it. From what I can see online, that investigation is still opened. 
I immediately contacted the seller and the person on the PayPal account where I sent the money. They replied back that they would look into it and get back in touch with me with an answer. On XX/XX/XXXX, I told them they had until XXXX PM EST to resolve the issue or I would file a claim with PayPal. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, I received notice through PayPal that another package was being shipped to my address with the UPS tracking number of XXXX with a delivery date of XX/XX/XXXX. Once again, when the package did not arrive, I contacted UPS online and was informed by XXXX XXXX ( Exhibit B ) that I was neither the recipient or that my address was the destination for the package. 
Since I had not received, nor was I the recipient of either package, I submitted a claim with PayPal on XX/XX/XXXX. During that time I submitted the same information that I am providing to you. 
As I close, a couple of things to consider. First of all, when you contact UPS, they will not provide who the recipient is or what address is on the package. What they will tell you is that you are not the recipient or the address is different then what you provide. As you can see in my two online chats with UPS, they confirmed my address was NOT on those two packages. I made the assumption that PayPal would contact UPS to validate the information that was told to me, but it appears they did not. Secondly, the camera I bought was a very expensive one. If you look it up online, it goes for anywhere between {$4000.00} - {$5000.00}. I highly doubt that if the first package was not received, that the seller would have a spare one around to send me. Remember, this is an individual, not a company that I was buying from. 
Looking back on the whole thing, I should have realized that it was probably too good to be true. However, I based my buying decision on the information from the PayPal website notating that I would be protected in the event that the package did not show up.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief