Scam / Chargeback Warning – High-Value Merchandise Sale | PastPens

Paypal Chargeback Warning
High-Value Merchandise Sale (Valuable Fountain Pen)

Important: This page describes my real experience shared to help other sellers. All personal identifying details of the buyer have been removed.

What Happened

I actively sell Pilot Custom Urushi on a Reddit community r/Pen_Swap. In Jul 2026, a member contacted me at Reddit, regarding the available of the Pilot Custom Urushi red vermillion fountain pen. The agreed price is USD950, and the buyer paid on 8 Jul 2026. Payment was made via PayPal Goods & Services, as required by the group rules.

After I posted the pen, I provided the tracking to the buyer. I also warned him that the parcel is arriving a day in advance of the delivery date.

This was a beautiful pen, huge, bold and handsome pen. I am sure any pen collectors would like it very much. After I noticed delivery confirmed by the shipper gofo on 30 Jul 2026, I asked the buyer to confirm trade on reddit.

I did not receive any reply from the buyer. Yet all I received was a bad news, an email from Paypal on 1 Aug 2026, the buyer filed a case on Paypal ‘The buyer stated that the item was defective or not as described.‘. The buyer told me that it was empty inside the box, no pen. I provided all my proof of posting, tracking etc to Paypal. On 10 Aug 2026, the buyer further filed the case as chargeback with his card issuer for the reason that he had never received the item. On 31 Aug 2026, I received email from Paypal, that Paypal was working with the buyer’s financial institution to resolve the dispute for the transaction. The chargeback was decided in the buyer’s favour as they met the credit card issuer’s requirements. Paypal cannot dispute the transaction any further.

Indeed I provided extensive documentations, I thought these evidences were very strong and solid:

• Invoice / proof of acquisition of the pen
• Shipping records and tracking number
• Photograph of the pen together with the postage label before dispatch
• Carrier delivery confirmation and photos showing the parcel left at the delivery address

Despite this evidence, the buyer claimed the box arrived empty and filed a chargeback through their credit-card issuer (a Costco Anywhere Visa card). After review, PayPal advised that the chargeback had been decided in the buyer’s favour by the card issuer and that no further dispute was possible on their side.

I, the seller, lost both the pen and the payment.

Key Lessons for Sellers

• Bank-level chargebacks (especially “item not received” or empty-box claims) are decided by the card issuer, not PayPal. Strong delivery proof does not always overturn the decision.
• PayPal Seller Protection has limited coverage for certain card-funded “item not received” chargebacks.
• For high-value merchandise, consider extra safeguards: signature confirmation, video of packing and sealing, reputable escrow services, or payment methods with lower reversal risk (e.g., certain bank transfers or multi-currency accounts).
• Always keep complete records for at least 6–12 months.

What You Can Do If This Happens to You

• Submit all evidence promptly through PayPal’s Resolution Center.
• Contact the card issuer if you have the relevant details and request a re-review (success is not guaranteed).
• Report the incident to the relevant Reddit moderators so the community can be aware.
• Consider small-claims options if the amount and logistics make it practical.
• Report internet fraud through official channels such as the FBI’s IC3 (ic3.gov) if appropriate.

This account is shared anonymously for educational purposes within the fountain-pen collecting community. No individual buyer is identified. PastPens is not responsible for any actions taken based on this information.

Last updated: September 2026