multiple alarms repeated here
1. Probstein's zero response. Including two days of direct requests thru eBay's protocol (not mine or any one person on N 54) and 7 days of eBay's protocol.
2. The fact that you cannot contact him, or any company rep, via phone. You cannot even leave a voice message. During the pandemic this has become the protocol for a lot of businesses and it is wrong on so many levels. They are quick to grab your $$$$, but hide behind a pandemic to ill serve their clients.
3. eBay. Wrong protocol and decisions on so many levels. I followed their exact protocol 100% without deviation. Did specifically what Concierge in their Sports Card division said to do. I have been told here on a few fronts that I did it incorrectly. I shoulda done this or that. Next time I should not contact eBay Concierge Sports Cards, but N 54..........
4. eBay. Specifically a Team Leader (one of just a few I am told in Sports Cards) named Heather who made the ultimate decision NOT to allow a refund or any other means of pursuit. She shut it down specifically because there is full tracking on their site and USPS shows delivery with signature. NOTHING ELSE MATTERED FOR CERTAIN to her in her decision making process. She told me this, as did others.
So I repeat, eBay has a loophole. They know it. They do not care.
Probstein is not a seller who can be trusted. Yes, I had problems with him over the past 20 years. Yes, as suggested, probably should not utilize him.
That said, if one is competing on the PSA Set Registry with 50 sets, he is one of the few tools for finding obscure higher grade commons in a lot of POST WWII sets, that is for certain.
Also, I know PWCC is back with their own 40,000+ card auction, so that is again an option for Registry collectors like me, thank goodness. I am not a fan of Brent either, but that said, I have only experienced one issue with Brent over 20 years, as opposed to 4 or 5 with Probstein.
I thank most of you for some seemingly worthy advice, including asking AMEX to step in, as I paid via Paypal with AMEX. I have asked Paypal once before to assist with a card issue and they did not. I think AMEX will have my back, but not certain.
I did reach out to USPS which does have Special Agents and like an Internal Affairs section. They move slowwwwwly, I can already tell. Doubtful they can help, but nonetheless, they should know what happened.
Lastly, it seems certain that anybody who wants to scam eBay buyers can by short packing signature required tracked packages. I even explained this to Team Leader Heather who was deaf by choice to my disclosure. She could care less.
Bottom line is I am out $1,100 for doing nothing wrong except trying to add an important multi point Reggie card to improve one of my sets. It just ain't right.
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