My next step has been to contact PayPal's fraud department to point out the blatant and ongoing violation of their terms of service for pre-order sales.
Of course, my complaints would certainly carry more weight if other BFL victims would follow suit.
Would you (or anyone else who knows of this) please elaborate on the highlighted statement?
From PayPal's FAQ:
Does PayPal permit transactions for pre-sale items?
A pre-sale item is advertised for sale before the seller actually has the item. Often, these items are sold before they are available to the general public.
A seller might use the money from the pre-sale of an item to purchase the item.
PayPal permits pre-sales on a limited basis as long as the seller:
Guarantees shipment within 20 days from the date of purchase.
Clearly identifies the item as a pre-sale.
Provides proof, if needed, that they can successfully deliver the product (supplier information, purchase invoices, shipping information, or delivery confirmation).
The PayPal rep I spoke with agreed with my assessment that BFL is violating the TOS.