Well, I am joining an obviously growing number of Half.com sellers whom are being defrauded out of their money. While Half.com may eventually pay the sellers their money, that does not make up for the hours of headaches the sellers are going through to recover the money, nor does it make up for the loses the sellers are enduring in late fees and other financial hardships created by the pilfering of the sellers money by Half.com.
My store starts as many of the others, I have been selling on Half.com for several years now, without an issue. Receiving my payments within their alloted time via direct deposit. The difference this year is, I have finished my graduate classes and had a lot more books to sell then usual. So, within the 15 day selling period (August 01 to August 15) I sold about $1500 worth of books. Which those proceeds were sorely needed to pay bills after being in school for so long.
Well, 2 days before the end of the selling period, and I only had a few worthless books still listed, Half.com/eBay suspends my account. The reason: They claim my account was linked to another account that had been suspended. It turns out that account they were saying my account was linked to, was owned my the relative I lived with throughout my college education. His account had been suspended because he forgot to pay LESS THEN $4 (yeah that's right 4 dollars) in sellers fees.
So, Half.com said they would not pay me my money because the relative I lived with forgot to pay less then $4. But, he paid the money the same day the suspension happened and had his account reactivated within minutes of paying. No such luck with mine. So after many, many emails to Half.com and eBay, and having to fax in documents showing I was who I say I was, they unlinked my account with my relatives account.
Things looked better, Half.com said they were going to pay. The "payment history" on my account showed they paid on August 31. I have the direct deposit thing set up and I had verified that the routing and account numbers were right, not to mention that they had no problem depositing my money just back in March. Well, I'm sure you can guess the outcome... Still no money as of September 13.
Now, I had emailed them when I did not see the money shortly ofter August 31 and they replied back stating in would show up in my account no later then September 12. I called my bank over and over again and there is no sign of any company trying to deposit any funds into my account.
Well, one September 12 afternoon sometime, they put my account back on suspension for connection with my relatives account again. Now as I said before, I had already taken care of that issue! Then I get an email from [email protected] stating they cannot pay me my money because my account is on suspension! I flipped out! I emailed back and said that the money was to have been paid to my on August 31... The "new" suspension was on September 12... The money was already supposed to have been paid! And of course, my account should not have been suspended again (or in the first place) because I proved who I am to them already!
This is ridiculous that this company can be allowed to operate like this. This is fraud. I have a theory as to why they are doing this: Think of the amount of interest they make off all the "suspended" money! And what do they care... They pretty much have a monopoly with Half.com and eBay for these kinds of sales!
So as of September 13 I am out $1587.04 between book sales and the shipping reimbursements because Half.com scammed me! I am going down the list of places and people to contact that was listed on another Half.com complaint. I am also looking into legal action... But unfortunately, because this money was so desperately needed to pay my bills, I do not have the money to go out to California to go to court!
Please US and state governments, do you job and protect your citizens from business like Half.com/eBay!
Jennifer
Duluth, Minnesota
U.S.A.
0 comments