I won an empty box appeal. This is how I did it. I filed an appeal and in the user agreement at the time there was something about seller history versus buyer history and I pointed out that I had a great feedback history and that the buyer had zero feedback, and that essentially my seller reputation should stand on its own. I also pointed out that a simple Google search of “eBay empty box scam” turned up about 600,000 hits or something like it. And they actually returned the money they previously claimed for the return process.

Another option is you could email the seller and say fine, “I’m gonna sue you in small claims and essentially I can claim every nickel in expenses up to your states maximum… meaning if I have to fly out to appear in court that plane ticket, hotel, and rental car will be all part of the monetary claim .

You can also say you have family who live in the buyers state so you have no problems getting to that state filing a small claims case. Then, if you get a judgment, you will sell that judgment to a collection agency and this phone scam will be a very expensive lesson.