Debt Collection Dispute — eBay siding with buyer on false claim

Has anyone dealt with something like this? I'm not sure what my options are.

eBay siding with buyer on false claim. I've been dealing with this for about 13 months now and the situation isn't improving.

The amount being held/disputed is approximately $32,240. I have tried contacting their legal department 10 times with no resolution.

Do I have a strong case? What should my next steps be?

This happened to me too. Have you tried filing a complaint with the relevant agency? In my case they investigated and it got resolved without needing a lawyer.

Sold a vintage watch for $1,200 on eBay. Buyer claimed INAD (Item Not As Described). eBay sided with the buyer and forced a return. What I got back was a different, cheaper watch — the buyer swapped it. eBay says they can't verify the swap and the case is closed in the buyer's favor.

I have serial number photos from before shipping. The watch returned has a different serial number. eBay still won't help.

The buyer committed mail fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1341) — using the mail system to execute a scheme to defraud. Your serial number documentation is strong evidence. Steps:

1. File a police report in the buyer's jurisdiction. Mail fraud is a federal crime, but local police create a paper trail.
2. IC3 complaint (Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov). FBI tracks patterns — this buyer may have done this before.
3. eBay executive escalation: Email eBay's executive customer relations team (not regular support). Attach serial number photos showing the swap. Executive teams have override authority that regular agents don't.
4. Small claims court: You can sue the buyer directly for conversion and fraud. eBay's resolution doesn't bar you from court. At $1,200, small claims is the right venue.
5. Chargeback: If you were paid via PayPal/eBay managed payments, dispute the forced refund through your payment provider.

Going forward: for high-value items, always photograph serial numbers with a timestamped video showing the item being packaged and handed to the shipping carrier.