eBay dispute for the following item, initiated:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/5pcs-ORIGINAL-BOURNS-3590S-2-102L-1K-OHM-Potentiometer-Brand-New-Message sent to user jk_parts on eBay as part of the dispute is as follows:
Hi JK,
Thank you for sending me fakes and committing trademark infringement which is illegal in the USA. You said you were selling original BOURNS parts as part of your listing. Instead, you sold Chinese fakes made in Shenzhen which differ in obvious ways from authentic Bourns parts. The items claim to have been made in Mexico, but I know they were both manufactured and sold in Shenzhen.
Now, I would like a refund since you broke eBay rules and sold illegal items in the United States.
Note: This is a partial post. More details will be added to help with counterfeit identification and as the dispute progresses through eBay.Step 1: Gathering the evidence:Claimed item location (i.e., he thought he could hide the truth by listing a province instead of a city):
Top view of packaging of fakes including false country of manufacture (i.e.,
Made In Mexico my ass! Notice improper capitalization of the preposition "in."):
Bottom view of fake:
Top view of fake:
Front view:
Pins, orthographic view:
Detailed view of fake lettering and stabilizer leg shape (top blue protrusions) for use in incrimination:
Step 2: Presenting the evidence:Actual shipment location (Shenzhen, as expected!):
Identifiers of an authentic part
1 that differentiate it from the fake presented:
Orthographic view including back of authentic part and its pins
2:
Orthographic view of top of authentic part
2:
Bottom of authentic part
2:
1. Credit to
http://www.onlinecomponents.com for images of the authentic part.
2. Credit to
MouserStep 3: The responseCould you help returning the potentiometer back to below address?
Jerry Chen
Seller address info omitted due to privacy concerns...
Please send it using USPS first class mail and we will pay shipping cost as well.
Full refund will be issued after receiving the returns.
By the way, could you share us how to identify what the ORIGINAL...
Our supplier told me it's original Bourns..
Apologized for the inconvenience caused.
Thank you.
Step 4: HardballIt is clear that the scammer's expectation is for the return to arrive after the 30 day time limit where I can request eBay to step in on my behalf (as a buyer who has been sold counterfeit goods). So he's trying to get his parts back, keep his money and have me pay for the return shipping. I will admit, I did not expect this - normally the seller refunds when confronted and that's where the story ends. I guess we'll have to play hardball:
Dear jk_parts,
I should also mention that before returning the parts to you, I will have to start a dispute action through eBay marking the goods that you sold me as counterfeit goods. I will of course supply them with all of the evidence necessary to prove this.
In addition I will put the parts through a conformance test that will subject them to the maximum electrical (both voltage and power) and mechanical (maximal torque and number of turns) stress indicated by the manufacturer in order to show non-compliance. This is almost guaranteed to result in the destruction of all of the parts, since they are after all counterfeit and will never meet the manufacturer's guidelines. You see, I work as an industrial product tester and have access to machinery used to test product compliance.
At that point the remains of the broken burned-out parts will of course be shipped to you, at your expense and with you pre-paying for packaging, shipping and insurance including tracking.
In addition to all of this, I will also contact both Bourns company as well as the Federal Trade Commission and provide them with all of the necessary evidence including your contact information for pursuit of Trademark Infringement charges and complete the eBay process for the reporting of counterfeit goods which will probably result in sanctions against you as a seller.
Please let me know if you would like for me to initiate the above.
Step 5: ConclusionNew message from: jk_parts
We were cheated by our supplier and will talk with him tomorrow immediately.
Anyway, we will issue full refund without returning.
We apologized for the inconvenience caused...
Regards,
He followed up with a refund shortly thereafter and canceled the eBay transaction to cover his ass. Note that I did not supply him with any information used to identify the parts as fakes.