eBay

thecharmingbard · ‎05-28-2022

This just happened to me again

1st time:

Ordered a $1,600 video card for my pc on ebay. Seller shipped, was marked as delivered to my front door and signed for. I was at work though and I live alone I quickly leave work and rush home which is only about 8 mintues from my work and there is nothing there. I call fedex right then and tell them it says my package is delivered and signed for but I was at work so there is no way I signed for it and there is not package at my door. I'll summarize what happened which was months of calls and claims. Package was never recovered, Fedex refused to work with me or let me file a claim because I wasn't the shipper. The Shipper refused to work with me because ebay says he doesn't have to because misdelivered packages aren't the shipper responsiblity according to ebay. I file a claim with ebay and they sided with the shipper. Out $1,600 happened about 6 months ago. I don't know if they brought it to the wrong place and someone signed for a package that wasn't their package or if the driver stole it but I never got my money back or the package.

I've ordered and sold things on ebay since early 2000's and was shocked when this happened and was like well I guess that's a rare issue since I've been shopping on ebay for like 20 years.

Today it happens again:

I ordered a extremely rare collectible worth about $800. I won the bid at about $400 and was excited. Ebay doesn't require signature on items below a certain amount so seller shipped it USPS no signature. It says delievered to apt postal box. My apt's have large boxes they put large packages in and then toss the key in your mailbox so you can recover. There are about 30 of these parcel boxes and about 800 mailboxes.. it's was yesterday and I immediately went and checked my mailbox to get the item. No key in my mailbox.... I immedately contact the seller saying it says delivered but I don't have the item I'm going to try and get more information but if you can help me in the process that would be great. Seller says delivered you should work with USPS it's not my responiblity... great so I file a package trace on USPS saying I didn't receive it. I check with the apt front office and make them aware of the situation. they check the returned and misplaced package area at the office it's not there. They are going to talk with the postal worker when he comes back today for the Saturday deliveries to see if he can check the boxes and hopefully noone took it out last night and kept it.

If I am unable to locate this package what do I do? I was unsecussful in any good outcome last time I went through. What more can I do if the package is not located?

titipeo · ‎05-28-2022

Here are some thoughts, you have had 2 packages misplaced, perhaps think about getting a PO Box if you order regularly, or, use your work address if this is allowed. As for the current situation, best to go with USPS and verify with them. The seller part is done since it shows delivered, and he is not required to assist you.

The other thing you can do is verify the weight of this package and see if it corelates with what it should be, in case the shipper is trying to scam you. If everything match, accept the fact that someone is stealing packages at your apt. & sadly take the loss.

stephenmorgan · ‎05-28-2022

Did you file a Police Report and a report with the USPS?

woodland_gnome · ‎05-28-2022

eBay will believe the carrier rather than the buyer (or seller). If the online tracking report for the tracking number shows delivery to the same zipcode (5 digit) as what the buyer gave for the shipping address, it will presume it is to that shipping address. That presumption is rebuttable by documentation from the carrier that it was not delivered to that address (the document does not have to give the actual address but merely state it was delivered elsewhere than [your shipping address] since there might be privacy issues). This covers errors by the carrier in mis-delivery (the carrier can tell this by matching the GPS coordinates of the delivery scan with the facts on the ground) and a scamming seller who sends a low value package to another address in your zipcode. See here about appealing the decision if the carrier can document such a problem: https://www.ebay.com/help/buying/returns-refunds/appeal-ebays-decision-return-missing-item-buyers?id...

On the other hand, neither eBay nor the seller is responsible for the theft or other disappearance of the package from your porch, doorstep, or other place at your address. You can try your homeowners or renters insurance agent to see if that would be covered at what deductible.

papa486516 · ‎05-28-2022

@thecharmingbard wrote:
Ordered a $1,600 video card for my pc on ebay.

Fedex refused to work with me or let me file a claim because I wasn't the shipper.

Solve the mystery @thecharmingbard even if it's so long ago: What is the weight of the signed-for package?

If your tracking number at the FedEx website says 54 pounds and 4 feet long, then it's not your video card.

And if has been less than 180 days and you paid through PayPal, file a dispute here, then CALL PAYPAL (don't allow the robot to decide your case) to point out that discrepancy, to get your $1600 back. The PayPal limit is 180 days from payment.

@thecharmingbard wrote:
Today it happens again:
I ordered a extremely rare collectible

Seller says delivered you should work with USPS it's not my responiblity... great so I file a package trace on USPS saying I didn't receive it.

Once again CHECK THE WEIGHT but this time in-person at the post office, to see if it's even your collectible.

ittybitnot · ‎05-28-2022

@thecharmingbard

For your present case, you first need to determine if the parcel was misdelivered, or not intended for you in the first place (fake tracking scam). For a USPS package, it is likely going to involve a trip to your Post Office with a copy of your order details showing the tracking number is related to something that was SUPPOSED to come to your address. It can be determined then what is actually going on.

If it was NOT intended for you, have them supply you with a written note explaining same that you can use to appeal. In the past, the postal workers were reluctant to provide much information, but over the past few months reports have indicated that the Post Office employees have been much more helpful.

For your previous issue regarding the Fed Ex issue, it is often helpful to enter the tracking number here:

https://www.ship24.com/

I don't know how long they keep the information available, but on this site you can see the date, origin, size, weight, etc. of the parcel. By expanding the information at the bottom of the page, you often can be shown the actual delivery street address. If any of the information does not correspond with the parcel you were expecting it is grounds for a reversal. Entirely too much time has passed for eBay to be of assistance. As suggested you can file with PayPal if there is still time, or your credit card company directly. Please inform them this is not simply a "not received" claim, but one that involves the fake tracking scam.

The problem with eBay is that the claim process is automated. They only check that something shows delivered somewhere. If the tracking number was issued before you even paid for an item, nobody is going to look, and your case and all appeals will be denied. Same goes for a parcel listed at 12 lbs., when yours should have been 4 ounces. You should make this very clear no matter where you file your claim after eBay throws you under the bus.

atomicgirl2022 · ‎05-28-2022

Having been through similar situations, unfortunately, there is absolutely nothing much you can do other than follow what someone above said, and that's to file a police report.

The reason is that with tracking saying that the items had been signed for and delivered, you were a victim of petty and grand larceny. It doesn't matter if the theft was done by an employee of the shipping company or not. It's a police matter, not one of financial liability where you get to argue, negotiate and plead with eBay, the seller and the carrier/shipper about getting your money back because they did something wrong. They didn't. A criminal took your items so this has to be treated as if this were no different than getting your wallet lifted at the mall or someone breaking into your car and stealing some DJ equipment you had in the trunk.

I'm having a hard time trying to think up an analogy, but I'll try my best. I have a relative who orders in all the time locally. Every so often, she wouldn't get her delivery. When she'd call the restaurant up, she'd fume, "Where's my order," and someone would go, "We delivered it Someone picked it up an hour ago." As it turned out, there was a sneak with a clear view of the street from her apartment who got this "cute" idea: if she saw a delivery guy pull up in front of the apt complex, she immediately went to the front door and go, "Yeah, I'm the one who called. Thanks."

Now, in a case like that, my relative wound up losing a lot of money. Who "owed" her this money? Not the restaurant, not the delivery guy, not the CC company that she used to charge her food. The restaurant made the food. The delivery guy delivered the food. The CC company charged her as it should. They didn't do anything wrong or negligent. A thief in her building stole her food, so to retrieve her money what she would've needed to do to get the money back was to sue for civil damages, not keep going around in circles trying to get money from the restaurant or CC company.

In your case, it's the same thing except rather than sue for damages, you'd have to make a criminal complaint and hope that the police are able to track down where these packages went and who is taking them. But I wouldn't expect to get your money or items back because unfortunately, thats what happens in case of theft. If someone steals your brand new $1,000 phone and it turns out that the thief fenced it or blew it up his nose, the money and phone is gone. All you can do is get him or her criminally prosecuted.

ittybitnot · ‎05-28-2022

@atomicgirl2022

Your post makes good sense for items that are "stolen once delivery has been made".

The OP in this instance(s) needs to determine if the parcel was either misdelivered by the carrier, OR a cheap item was sent to another random person/business in with the same zipcode as the buyer to satisfy "proof of delivery".

An example might be, the buyer purchases a $1600 graphics card from an eBay seller. Instead of shipping the product to the buyer, the seller sends a 4 ounce package of rubber bands to the local KFC restaurant. If the seller is overseas, they may purchase a cheap trinket from Amazon or an Etsy seller for this purpose. As far as eBay is concerned the product has been DELIVERED. Likely somebody also Signed for such package as well. FedEx or UPS did their job. The buyer did their job, eBay is not doing their job regarding the Money Back Guarantee. The buyer got nothing, and is afforded no protection for this sort of "fake tracking scam". Making a "police report" is basically busy work. If the seller is from another country, filing with the Postal Inspectors will not be affective either.

That is just one way. This same 'fake tracking' nonsense is used by buyers who have to show proof of a return. At least if the buyer is a victim, eBay now is more informed about the scam and help can be found. Typically it NOT from the customer service reps that use the chat or call back feature.

atomicgirl2022 · ‎05-28-2022

@ittybitnot : I understand what you're saying. The problem is that this entire situation is a textbook example of Occam's Razor. I don't doubt that there is a fake transfer scam going on. But 99.999% of the time, when packages are tracked as "delivered" and never show up, it's just theft and in some cases, not even that, just lazy employees dumping packages.

I have experienced this issue of stolen/dumped packages firsthand. In my area code, we literally go through waves where for a year everything is fine and then for several months there are nothing but packages tracked as "delivered" but never arrived. It doesn't matter who and where you bought the packages from or what you bought. Guitar strings and CDs from eBay, books from Amazon, even a pound of imported chocolate--all will go missing during this wave.

This is exactly what the situation with the OP sounds like. His area is getting hit by a wave. What are the odds he'd be hit by this super elaborate scam by two different sellers and with two different items? Also, I'm assuming that the people he bought such expensive items from had decent scores; he's not complaning about the buyers having poor feedback, so it's highly unlikely they are engaged in this scam.