How can I protect myself when selling a smartphone on ebay?

[doublechocolateyum]

I sold an iPhone on ebay. The buyer claimed it was a fake and asked for a refund. I got the phone directly from at&t so I know for sure it's not a fake. The buyer was trying to scam money.

I called ebay. They told me they would close the case in my favor but only because the buyer didn't submit the claim within 45 days.

Had the buyer submitted the claim in time, they would have won the case in their favor cause there was no way for ebay to know for sure whether I was telling the truth (that the phone was real) or if the buyer was (so when in doubt they rule in favor of the buyer).

I would have been forced to issue the buyer a refund. Although they would have to send me back the phone, a scammer like them could easily send me back a fake instead and then I would be stuck with a fake phone while they get to keep my real one.

Is there any way from preventing this from happening? I prefer selling on ebay cause I feel safer not having to meet in person with a buyer. But if I run the risk of being screwed like this, I'm never selling on ebay again.

Thanks.

[Kittysue]

Whenever you buy anything eletronic ALWAYS keep a copy of the receipt in a safe place. You would need that anyway if you needed to get it repaired to prove you had a warranty
That receipt from the AT&T store would have been proof the phone was real

Meeting in person is always safer. I've never had anyone try to scam me in person but have had loads of scammers on Ebay. If you meet in person, you meet in the public location of YOUR choice and accept CASH ONLY. I always meet at a local Starbucks and try to get a table as far inside as I can. Nobody is going to try to do a Grab and Run if they have to squeeze by 10 other tables full of people (witnesses) on their way towards the door)