Ebay is a bit of a minefield - it can be a great source for bargains or items that are hard to get in this country, but as you've discovered, it can also be a zone in which rip-off merchants thrive. You may need to keep at it with your dispute with eBay - I've heard of a few people who have said that it takes a few attempts to get beyond an automated reply and actually deal with a human. This
thread on eBay's discussion boards might be helpful. There is also a phone number for eBay listed
here, although I do not know if it's accurate.