eBay

just.eli · ‎04-16-2024

I'm a victim of the fake-tracking number scam as detailed/tracked here by ittybitnot.

I have been trying to get UPS to confirm, in writing, that the tracking number I was provided was for somebody else's package entirely. I managed to get both a local dispatcher and UPS support to confirm this to me verbally, and the former even specified who the actual sender was (Amazon) as well as the recipient's address (not me, someone a few blocks away). But they would not put this in writing or in an email. The dispatcher directed me to national UPS customer support, and national support first said that (a) eBay would have to contact them (which of course they do not appear to ever bother to do) before settling on (b) directing me to fill in a form alleging fraud via their website, here.

This I have done, but (a) this department, to my knowledge, doesn't actually deal with this kind of thing, but fraud related to UPS accounts (b) even in such cases, testimonials online appear to be that people can wait weeks or months for a response, if they even get one at all.

So, does anybody know how to get UPS to cooperate? As it happens the very same seller has pulled this scam on another buyer, with this very same product, except their fake tracking number came from FedEx, and they have gotten it resolved in their favor by getting an "Ftrack" document from them and submitting it to PayPal (not to eBay). I know this because they left the seller negative feedback today to this effect, which I'm assuming they wouldn't have done if things weren't already resolved in their favor. Based on that, I took a screenshot of their feedback page as it exists right now, and fired off as detailed a message as I could to the eBay for Business Facebook page. In my specific case, I at least have this plus the fact that the package wasn't just left on a doorstep, but was signed for by someone who is a total stranger to me.

That said, I suspect this won't be enough for them, even with the negative feedback. I only sent my message to them about an hour and a half ago, and if they are in fact US-based, that's too late in the day to expect to receive any response before tomorrow, so there's still hope, but that said, if anybody has any advice as to how to get somebody at UPS to issue a statement saying the package was not sent to my address, that would be incredibly helpful.

ise710 · ‎04-18-2024

@just.eli wrote:
Yeah as I said in my original post at the very top of the thread, I contacted the eBay for Business page, just like everybody said to. They didn’t reply to me until the next day, after your replies here. They’re the ones that began the INR, which they did without my knowledge or consent, I’m afraid—they only informed me after they had already opened it.

Yes even eBay on Facebook will start an INR for you without permission, as they are trying to help you.

@just.eli wrote:
Today will likely be difficult but I will try to get to UPS tomorrow. As it stands, the case has been open for about a day with no sign of action by either eBay or the seller. I wonder if they’re trying to run out the clock a little bit by not responding quickly, or what…

Hope you make progress tomorrow. The employees are not paid to write a letter for you, whether it's requested by phone, at a franchisee, or a company location. It's not your package, so they are not allowed to discuss that tracking with anyone else. Their automated customer service applies that policy.

What's the tracking number?

And what's the delivery address?

Sorry, that's not your package. {Click.}

After 3 business days, if the seller has not responded to the INR -- they don't need to, as eBay already adds the tracking number with no option to change that tracking number -- eBay will step in, see that that tracking number shows delivered, and close your INR without a refund. And automatically block/remove your feedback that could've warned other/future buyers about this seller.

Unfortunately, that's how it works and you'd

- proceed with an appeal (which eBay pays you themselves)

- file at PayPal with their new "Delivered to the wrong address" dispute option, or

- contact your card issuer with the same reason that it was a fake tracking scam to get your refund.

just.eli · ‎04-18-2024

Beginning the clock on a time-limited claims process that defaults against me without telling me they would do so and before I have collected as much exonerative information as I can doesn’t strike me as remotely helpful. I did not get nearly as detailed a response as you seem to have gotten here nor did they say anything positive about how the claims process would go.

If the seller doesn’t actually need to do anything to respond here, then on top of everything, their UI is *grossly* misleading. Thank you for pointing this out, honestly. This is some truly egregious stuff.

I have not filed any feedback until now precisely because I’m aware of the fact that their system and policies are stacked against me right now.

I’m sure that UPS employees are not paid to deal with this kind of thing. That said, I still resent the implication that I’m asking them for anybody’s information; all I am doing is asking them to confirm that the box was not addressed to me. (Which they’ve done verbally twice now.) They needn’t disclose who or where it was addressed to, or who or where the sender was, in order to do so. This doesn’t compromise anybody’s personal information, whatsoever, and if that’s still against policy, then it’s just as trash a policy as eBay’s policy of not making sure shipping labels are legitimate upon initial entry into their system.

I am sure cooperation is going to be like pulling teeth, precisely because of such shortsightedness on corporate’s part. But the entity in the wrong there is corporate and their policy, which enables scammers, not…me…for insisting they act responsibly.

I’m aware of the PayPal and CC options in case the eBay option fails.

As for the other alternative, which I suspect is closed to me now: it might get me my money back, but I don’t see how I’d be able to leave a negative feedback for them either. It strikes me as enabling the scammer if I go that route, even if they’re out the money.

just.eli · ‎04-18-2024

Somehow missed your reply earlier. I am not sure why, if the fraud department at UPS actually has people I can speak to directly, why the rep I spoke to didn’t just transfer me to them, and instead insisted that I submit an email to the fraud department via their webform. Maybe I got unlucky, maybe their policies changed, who knows. But I’ll bear this in mind when I contact them again, and will try to get them to transfer me to the fraud department when I speak to them tomorrow. Thank you for your testimony here.

mudshark61369 · ‎04-19-2024

@just.eli wrote:
Yeah as I said in my original post at the very top of the thread, I contacted the eBay for Business page, just like everybody said to. They didn’t reply to me until the next day, after your replies here. They’re the ones that began the INR, which they did without my knowledge or consent, I’m afraid—they only informed me after they had already opened it.
Today will likely be difficult but I will try to get to UPS tomorrow. As it stands, the case has been open for about a day with no sign of action by either eBay or the seller. I wonder if they’re trying to run out the clock a little bit by not responding quickly, or what…

@just.eli,

Answers from ebay's Facebook or Instagram reps are not alway's instantaneous. There are not that many of them tasked with dealing with the social media sites, so they probably deal with issues in the order they are received on both of their SM sites. Depending on the volume if issues they receive it has been known to take them several days to work on a specific member's issue. They are not trying to run the clock out on you.

"THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS FOOLPROOF, BECAUSE FOOLS ARE SO DARNED INGENIOUS!" (unknown)

dare-2046 · ‎04-24-2024

@just.eli wrote:
I contacted the eBay for Business page, just like everybody said to. They didn’t reply to me until the next day, after your replies here.

They’re the ones that began the INR, which they did without my knowledge or consent, I’m afraid—they only informed me after they had already opened it.

Today will likely be difficult but I will try to get to UPS tomorrow. As it stands, the case has been open for about a day with no sign of action by either eBay or the seller. I wonder if they’re trying to run out the clock a little bit by not responding quickly, or what…

Over 3 business days have passed in your INR case @just.eli. What's the situation now -- did you get the letter from UPS, or any progress with your refund?