Hello,

The situation ended with me retracting my feedback on Ebay and the seller "withdrawing" the collection claim. I never heard from Spartis since the incident and that's how it ended. I jam going to do everything I can from now on to avoid sellers like this. This sure was a different experience.

As hard as it is/was for you to deal with, I would have still called their bluff -- but maybe it's just because I'm in the industry.

Is there any follow up on this?

Does anyone else find it interesting that the phone number 866-965-3225 goes through the Northern BC Tourism Association as well as some Diving company in Tahiti? http://tutavake.org/contactus.html

For $15 dollars that was paid and refunded TWICE, I seriously doubt the US collection agency would take the time and effort to ensure they were licenced in Canada to go through the entire lengthy process (mediation included) only to likely have the mediator/judge call them morons.

So my honest opinion is that it was nothing more than a poker bluff that won the hand.

Believe me I agree with you, they even felt dumb when I mentioned that the reason my address was unconfirmed was because I use gift certificates on paypal to make my payments. I mean he wrongfully accused me of fraud and said I was using a third party address, which was untrue and he was in the wrong but because of the connections he has with this guy at his company and at Spartis they are using a scare tactic that worked because if it turned out to be true my husband and I don't have the time or funds to go to court to fight this, not only am I in university, I work and have an 11 month old to take of.

This seller is a total manipulative jackass. I suspect their collection threat was empty and bogus, since they were using a US agency that I seriously doubt had the right to take ANY kind of action in Canada.

Why?

Because you hurt their over sensitive and self important little feelings by utilizing your e-Bay user rights.

So the person responded and said if Ebay removes the negative feedback they will drop the collection charges, so now I anxiously await Ebays reponse who seem to be ignoring me because they responded to me immediately the first time and once I gave them details of the problem being a bit more complicated they were silent.

Unless the US Collection Agency is licenced to operate in Canada (and probably in your Province as well), there is absolutely NOTHING they can do, period, as far as I gather from the advice and statements of knowledgable individuals here. That and it's 15 bucks, refunded back to you twice now by the seller who is apparently all desperate to get his precious money.

I strongly suspect still that this seller is not playing with a full deck. That and that he/she is trying to pull a fast one on you, given the connection between them and this agency provided by you in a prior post. I mean, this all started when you rightly left a negative comment based on your experience.

I would personally provide e-Bay with all documentation between yourself, the seller and this agency and advise e-Bay with what this seller is trying to do.

Frankly if you ask me, you're the one in the right, not the seller.

So I am so stressed that I cannot even concentrate on my studies, I am in university and have a finance exam this saturday, so I guess with all the pressure placed on me, with ebay not responding to me, with me feeling like I have no help on my end I contacted the seller and said if we could possibly resolve this matter without it going to collections, I asked if I contact ebay to remove the negative feedback (which I stand by) will he drop the issue.

I agree it sure sounds fishy. Why would the seller return the money once he has it and why would someone go to a collection agency for this amount of money.The seller wouldnt be out anything as even if it was a nonpaying buyer he wouldnt be charged by ebay for their fee once the look into it. Something is not right with this.

So the person refunded my money once again and said that I have to pay the US collection agency that my account has been turned over to and the collection agency rep said that all legal information will be provided in the letter that will be coming in the mail.