To get money back from eBay gift card scammer, you must file a complaint with eBay, associated bank, Internet Crime Complaint Center, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Federal Trade Commission, and state attorney general.
Have you lost your eBay gift card to a scam?
Are you trying to get money back from eBay gift card scam?
Are you confused and have no idea what should be done?
Well, we are here to help and make things better for you. Check out this post for a step guide on getting money back from eBay gift card scammer, along with other essential details.
Are you ready? Let’s begin!
Table of Contents
How to get money back from eBay gift card scammer
We are assuming that you have realized that you have been scammed by someone, and you can no longer redeem your gift card.
Well, gift card are also considered the same entity as cash. And once the card has been redeemed, there is no way to undo it. eBay, like any other gift card provider, do not allows user to get a refund for their gift card.
You might feel helpless after getting into a gift card scam, but there are a few steps that you can take in order to get your hard-earned money back.
Before you start, we want to give you a little heads up. While all the methods provided here might increase your possibility of getting money back from eBay gift card scammer, still, we cannot give a 100% surety of the same.
But, as they say, you will miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. So, you have got to try. To get the best results, implement all of the steps discussed below.
1. Report to eBay & your bank
The best way to get your money back from a scam is by reporting it to eBay and your bank. It would be the easiest way to get the job done. But, you need to do it right after you realize that you have been the victim of a scam.
Contact the eBay support team on their website, and you can email them and describe your situation. And be ready with the details like card number, code, method of payment, and the payment receipt as well.
Before you can proceed with filing the complaint, you will be asked to prove your identity; the payment receipt and other details will come in handy at that time.
If you used a bank-associated debit card to eBay card, you must file a complaint to your bank support team as well. The contact details for the support can be found on the bank’s official website.
2. File a complaint to Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
Reporting the scam to eBay and the bank might have helped in recovering the money back from the scammer. But, nothing has helped, the government enforcement action will definitely get the job done, or at least the involvement will increase the probability of success.
You can file a complaint at FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, also known as IC3. And you do not have to be physically present somewhere to file a complaint. Simply visit the official IC3 website and select the ‘File a Complaint’ button on the homepage of the website.
A number of details will be asked before you can finally file your complaint. Make sure each detail you submit is correct, whether it’s your name, your SSN, or other information. After IC3 registers your complaint, you will need to follow the instructions.
3. Report fraud at Federal Trade Commission
Reporting the scam to Internet Crime Complaint Center is a great decision, and if you have already filed a complaint, there are few other government agencies where you can report and file your complaint.
Federal Trade Commission, aka FTC, is another government authority that sends the information provided by the victim to appropriate law enforcement authorities, which also includes 3000+ law enforcers.
Any type of scam can be reported here, so you need to find a gift card payment method and provide the required details on their official website – ReportFraud.ftc.gov. FTC not only files complaints on your end but guides the user about the further necessary steps to be taken.
4. File a complaint with Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
After you report to FTC, we recommend filing the complaint to Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, CFPB. As you might have guessed, CFPB is another government agency that can help you in getting your money back from the eBay gift card scam.
Visit the official CFPB website and submit the details you have been asked for. And submit the document carefully to avoid any delay in the procedure.
5. File a complaint with state attorney general
If you have been a victim and need an assured refund, you must take every possible step. If you have already reported your issue to eBay and your bank and filed the report to all of the agencies, we mentioned in the list above. In that case, you can additionally file a complaint with the state attorney general as well.
Implementation of all the steps mentioned above will only increase the possibility of getting back a refund.
How to avoid gift card scams
To avoid gift card scams, it is advised that you never share the details like your gift card redemption code with anyone else. The gift card code, once redeemed, cannot be used again. If the seller is asking you to pay through a gift card only, then it is definitely a scam. So, never use your eBay gift card as a payment method to pay for goods outside the eBay.com platform.
If you find a seller asking for a gift card as a payment method, and you are sure it is a scam, you are advised to report the seller to the police.
This helps other consumers and government authorities be aware and identify potential scammers in a particular market.
If you meet the seller through any online platform like – Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, or Instagram, it is also suggested to report the account. If you are asked for additional details, provide them and make the platform safe from potential scammers.
Conclusion
Ladies and gentlemen, let us wrap this post right here.
Here, we have tried to include every possible method to get money back from an eBay gift card scammer. Along with the steps required, we have mentioned other required details as well.