Etsy Automatically refunding fraudulent Digital purchases

[Storminormin]

I am wondering how common this problem is:

A very blank account purchases a digital sewing pattern of mine

Very soon after buying and downloading (which is weird for a time consuming sewing project), they post a weirdly worded bad review. The customer is unresponsive to queries if I can help them with anything

The next day, even though Etsy policy states that they do not accept returns for digital items, Etsy tells me that they have automatically refunded the purchase because of an unauthorised payment. 

BUT HERE'S THE KICKER- the customer has already downloaded the product before payment was approved. They essentially got it for free.

So the customer flipped me off, stole my pattern, and I have no money and a bad review from the ordeal.

What I want to know is how common is this?

I know there isn't anything Etsy can do for this particular instance (can't unsteal something), but what is preventing this from happening again?

If it is that easy for someone to steal my digital content, why on earth should I keep selling on Etsy? This feels like a serious breach of seller protection policies for people to exploit.

[nineteen27]

this is what i would do.

if etsy is saying the purchase was unauthorized.

i would report the review and ask for it to be removed.

if the purchase was unauthorized...

then the review was given by someone other than the account holder.

i would also ask for a refund { if etsy paid the refund with your funds }

sellers cannot authorize payments.

so etsy needs to take 100% responsibility for allowing the unauthorized payment to go through.

[Storminormin]

I tried reporting the review. Even though the purchase wasn't legit they won't remove the review.

Etsy did reimburse me for the costs (tax and stuff) but not for the actual item (this is somewhat understandable)

I'm mostly just mad and I want to make sure it doesn't happen again. Letting customers download the digital content before  payment is authorized seems like a security breach

[TBQSC]

Not sure Etsy will actually refund you for the fraudulant digital purchase considering what you are selling  ... Star Wars Loth Cat Plush PDF patterns.  You do know those are IP infringing items, right?   It's possible the actual owner (Lucas Films? Disney? Other?) may file an IP report against your shop, or worse, file a lawsuit.  

[Storminormin]

That falls under transformative fanworks (not mass produced) and there are 100's of others doing the same thing. I am more asking what policies Etsy has in place for when a customer pays for digital content using fraudulent means. If a buyer doesn't even have to confirm payment to download a digital purchase, what is preventing theft?

[nineteen27]

grrr.

i did not check the shop dammit.

@Storminormin 

you can make as much fanart as you want.

you just cannot legally sell it.

if you do not have a license or permission from the ip holder...

then you are counterfeiting.

and if 100's of others are doing the same thing.

then they are counterfeiting too.

[Storminormin]

I believe you two are correct, but I haven't been sent a cease and desist, and like most fanart sellers, I'm not going big with this, and Disney doesn't care about small fry. I guess no one knows how to deal with potential fraudulent buyers?

[Storminormin]

I believe you two are correct, but I haven't been sent a cease and desist, and like most fanart sellers, I'm not going big with this, and Disney doesn't care about small fry. So no answers to my original question?

[nineteen27]

disney recently sued an etsy seller.

they do care.

and sellers are not going to help you since you are doing something illegal.

and it is against the forum rules to help sellers break the law and violate etsys policies.

[Storminormin]

Thank you for telling me, I'll take note of this going forward

[TheatricksFineGarb]

@Storminormin     I wouldn’t worry about it too much.  According to page 18 of your download,  Christ died so that you can violate Intellectual Property laws.  So you should be just fine.

[nineteen27]

@TheatricksFineGarb 

i was thinking that when i read the review.

but then my kitty started doing something weird.

so i forgot about christ.

it happens.

[TBQSC]

A famous man once said, "Oooh Myyy" ... I think that totally applies here!!