Tracking Shows 'Delivered", but Item NOT RECEIVED, Label Altering Scam

[berthaley]

I recently bought an item from a seller who is based in Israel, but the item was shipped from San Francisco.  The tracking showed that the item was delivered, but it was nowhere to be found.  I waited for a couple of days and still nothing.  I went to the post office and explained what happened.  The manager did some investigation and detected the GPS location of the package at the time of scanning.  He said that the package had my tracking number, but the address on the shipping label was completely different - someone else's address with the same zip code, a couple of miles from where I live.  He said that this is happening all the time on selling platforms.  Some sellers digitally alter the shipping label before printing it out.  I wrote down the address just in case and drove back home.  I was actually driving by that same street on the address as I drive by there almost every day.  I thought why not just stop by and knock on the door.  The people who opened the door said that they received an empty cardboard box and they had no idea what that was for.  I contacted the seller but he was unhelpful.  It was the first time I faced a sales scam on Ebay.  The item that I bought was very inexpensive, only about $15 or 16, but now I know not to buy anything expensive on Ebay.  The seller relisted the item for $25.  His name was eliyah_62    It was just such a low and pathetic method of taking someone's $15.

[albertabrightalberta]

If the people who received the empty box gave you the box, take it home, go to the order and open a return request for NAD. Choose a reason that the item is different than advertised.

ETA: Do NOT open INR!

[berthaley]

The people didn't give me the box and I didn't think to ask for it.  At that moment I was simply disgusted by the amount of lowlife scum in this world.  My mind was busy with that.   Besides, if the item is not as described, you are obligated to ship it back.  What would I ship back?  The empty box?  How would that make me different from him?  

[mudshark61369]

@berthaley,

You have been the victim of a fake tracking scam, the seller's send something, an envelope or small box with tracking to a different address, and uses the Delivered scan to win an Item Not Received (INR) dispute.  eBay's automated INR system is not allowed access to anything but the scan information, due to shipping company's privacy policies.  When you file a dispute and lose in the message there should  be an appeal button.  You have 30 days from losing the dispute to appeal, but in order to win you have to do some leg work. If you can get the box from the people who received it, it can help, but it is not necessary.

You will have to go to your P.O. or  a local UPS-FedEx store.  You need to bring a copy of your order details page which shows your address and the tracking number with you. If you bought using a phone or tablet, you can bring that to show the clerk the order details.

  You want to ask the clerk to check the label address against yours, and also to check the Package type/size weight info to see if was is appropriate for what you should have received.  If the info does not match up, you ask the clerk to write a note on Company stationary saying in general that the shipping label's address was not yours, and if applicable that the package type/size/weight was not right for what you should have received. Do not ask for specific address or package info, they cannot give it out.  Have the clerk sign and date the note.

Once you have the note, you can appeal the original dispute ruling, there will be an Appeal link in the messaage from ebay.  You can skip the dispute option and  contact ebay through their Facebook or Twitter social media pages. (links below) You can write out what happened and what you found out, and add a CLEAR photo or a scan of the note to an appeal or social media message.  If you go the social media route which is recommended, because the reps know about the fake tracking scams you will need to have the seller's username and the ebay item number. At the end of your message give them your real and ebay username. 

https://www.facebook.com/eBayForBusiness

https://twitter.com/askebay

You must have checked the seller's feedback profile to see that they were located in Israel, but did you click on the numbers of negatives and neutrals they received, to read only those comments? There are a number of sellers located in Israel who actually drop ship using Amazon's FBA system which is ebay legal. Some may use other drop shipping services as well.  However, it does open the possibility for them to alter the address on orders when they send it to the fulfillment center. However, getting them to send an empty box isn't something Amazon will do. 

When I opened the listing you bought from it gives an item location in Cicero, Illinois so the fulfillment center for midwest buyers is probably there.

[berthaley]

Very useful information.  However, it would depend on who is available at the post office at the time and if they would be willing to do what you've described.  When I went to my local p.o., there was a nice manager or postmaster there who was more than willing to help and even allowed me to write down the wrong address where the package was sent.  If there are some mean clerks there next time, they might not want to write anything on the p.o. stationary at all.  Next, to post all the details publicly on Twitter/Facebook would mean that my address and my name would be out there exposed on social media which is not very safe.  But if someone is scammed out of a large sum of money, they would have to weigh the risks and benefits.  

The item I bought was shipped from San Franciso, based on online tracking.  He relisted it and it's now different.  I did read the negative feedback but most of it showed up after I purchased from him.  

[stuff4divas]

@berthaley  ah, u ship back exactly what was shipped to u, an empty box. hopefully u reported him at least.

[berthaley]

And here's what would happen next.  He'll contact Ebay and tell them the box I shipped back was empty.  Ebay will look at his profile where it says "one of eBay's most reputable sellers. Consistently delivers outstanding customer service" and the number of items sold (a few thousand).  Then they'll look at the number of items I sold and they'll most definitely side with him and will make me repay.  He is a lot more profitable to them.  

I called Ebay customer service as soon as this happened and described my situation.  The representative said I should open INR.  I did some research and found out that Ebay would always close the case in his favor because there is proof of delivery, there is no way around it, so I didn't bother.

[campanaelia]

Open the INAD return request, ship the empty box , once it shows delivered you will be refunded. You're overthinking this.

[berthaley]

Does this happen automatically?  I thought he would have to inspect the state of the returned item and confirm it's in acceptable shape and then I would get a refund.  That's how they do it on Mercari.  

[ittybitnot]

 Next, to post all the details publicly on Twitter/Facebook would mean that my address and my name would be out there exposed on social media which is not very safe.

@berthaley 

No, you don't post it publically.  On FBook you use the blue send MESSAGE button, not post it to the page. 

[ittybitnot]

The representative said I should open INR. 

@berthaley 

The rep was wrong.  Use the links provided to you in post #4.  The messages are answered by eBay employees that have the authority to help you unlike the outsourced foreign call center reps you get through call back or chat. 

Ebay will look at his profile where it says "one of eBay's most reputable sellers.

No, it doesn't work that way.  You want your money back, either you file the not as described claim or contact eBay on Social Media.  Without documentation of the scam you will lose a PayPal case or a credit card chargeback as well.  Due to the automation of the eBay program, the Money Back Guarantee is useless for these situations.    That designation of reputable is based based on selling alot, as opposed to good customer service.  Here is the profile  of one of eBay's most reputable sellers:  

[downunder-61]

@berthaley You seem to be overthinking any of the good advice given, so here is mine for what it's worth-

You have a cheating seller so forget eBay, forget Paypal and go directly to your credit card provider and initiate a chargeback - you will not have to return anything, the seller gets a nice $20 fine/charge on top of having to refund to your card - advise the CCP that this is the fake tracking scam, believe me they will have heard of it.

[berthaley]

It does look like you can message them on social sites privately.  I assumed the whole point of doing it on social sites is to post it publicly.  It’s strange that you can’t do the same through the Ebay platform. 

The rep I talked to was American with no accent, not from a foreign call center. 

I guess the only obstacle would be to get proper documentation from the post office as proof of scam.  If you are lucky to deal with nice clerks, this might work.  At my local p.o. there are lots of witches who sometimes yell at customers. 

[berthaley]

You said “advise the CCP that this is the fake tracking scam”.  Do I verbally “advise” them?  Could anyone “advise” and get what they want?  Chargebacks don't cover all scenarios.   There are also fake consumers who attempt to get a refund and keep their purchase.  Is it possible that you are “underthinking” it? 

I would need sufficient evidence and proof to initiate a chargeback.  

[ittybitnot]

You have a cheating seller so forget eBay, forget Paypal and go directly to your credit card provider..

@downunder-61 

The important thing to remember with this action is to convince (their rules may not be as strict as eBay's) that this is a FAKE TRACKING SCAM issue, not a regular INR claim.  If one does not do that, this is how it works: 

Card company submits the claim to eBay, eBay responds with the same phony tracking that shows "delivered",  and the buyer likely gets thrown under the proverbial bus once again. 

The buyer MUST make the tracking scam issue clear from the start. 

I tend to agree with going to the c.card.  The money back guarantee is a fail in this instance.  Perhaps if eBay gets hit with enough chargebacks they may do something about this issue except make it more difficult for the victims be they buyers or sellers.