David Hurst

I cancelled my direct debit to eBay for my sellers fees last month, because I had money in my Paypal account and figured I would settle the bill manually using Paypal from now on. So, I cancelled the DD with the bank, as is my legal right under the Direct Debit Guarantee.

Next thing I know, I’m receiving my monthly sellers invoice, and eBay have added an extra fiver for an “unpaid direct debit”. I obviously queried this, and got the usual stock reply that didn’t address any of my queries, from an eBay employee with less than half a brain cell. I further queried and was told that I have to cancel my DD with eBay not the bank. Erm…..no, actually I don’t. Under the Direct Debit Guarantee I can cancel a DD with bank and I am not obliged to inform the originator at all.

eBay next told me that my bank, Lloyds TSB had returned the item unpaid and charged eBay £5 for the privilege. What?! If Lloyds return an item unpaid, they charge me NOT the originator, and fee is £35. I naturally phoned Lloyds TSB, who informed me categorically that they never make a charges such as this and that eBay were lieing.

To further add insult to injury, the eBay assistant made a very sarcastic comment about eBay not being responsible for fines if I have insufficient funds in my account. Again, what?! My account is plenty healthy thanks very much, and even if it wasn’t, by virtue of my business relationship my bank manager would have paid the DD anyway and would certainly not have charged me. Of course this didn’t happen and could never have happened given that I cancelled the DD 3 weeks earlier. Liars liars liars.

I am disgusted at this response. eBay are blatantly stealing money from people and when you catch them at it, they don’t stick their hands up and say “it’s a fair cop”, no they lie about it and then insult their customers. Should I have expected anything less? eBay do of course have a global policy of unaccountability - ‘hey you can use our site, and we’ll charge you for the privilege, but we’re not responsible for anything that happens to you whilst you do’.

eBay - you are a bunch of lieing, thieving charlatans. You are a puss filled boil on the anus of humanity. And you won’t get a penny from me.

Oh, and if anyone else has an eBay tale of woe to relate, sling it on over to my email address, as I am thinking about launching a website where those trampled on by corporate thieves (e.g. eBay) can vent their spleen.