What if the eBay buyer provides false tracking information?

[lorenzo]

I sold an iPhone on eBay and the buyer is returning it for a refund. eBay suggests i issue an early refund but what do I do if they provided false info or they didnt actually send the phone and it was something else?? Please help
I could wait but eBay is gonna pull the money from my account as soon as the tracking number shows delivery

[HoovR]

I would wait until you get it.

[Alan]

I have never had eBay ask me to issue a refund before receiving an item back - in fact, the total opposite. I have had returns where eBay strongly urged me to inspect the item first.

What you need to do is inspect the phone ASAP when it arrives. If there is a problem, such as a switched phone or a different item comes back - call eBay immediately.

I opted in to eBay managed returns, so when a buyer returns an item, eBay automatically refunds from PayPal.. but on the next business day. This is much like how your process is working, but I still have that short period to alert them to a problem.

[flower]

If you dont get the phone back, you dont issue the refund. If tracking number does not work, you respond to the open Ebay case and tell them that. Sometimes when you click on a tracking number and nothing happens it is because there has been no new movement.