eBay

rotaryguy8 · ‎01-30-2022

I had a buyer buy a $900 item from me.

First mistake I made was shipping to the person. Their ship to address looked to be an international reshipping company. They also had 0 feedback. I'm a top rated seller with over 350 positive feedback.

Anyway, they get the item and a few days later filed an INAD saying item broken.

I basically contacted them and asked for more info. Then I waited too long to accept the return and eBay stepped in. My 2nd big mistake. Needless to say, eBay refunded the buyer. I'm out the item and $900.

After some back and forth with eBay, they said the buyer returned the item and gave me a USPS tracking number that shows it was delivered to somewhere with my zip code. I contacted USPS and they told me the address for that tracking number did not get sent to my address. So it was a bogus tracking number. I got scammed.

I've been calling eBay on the phone multiple times now and they always give me some sort of run-around, even after uploading the USPS proof. They don't have the facts straight and even flat out lie.

One CS rep said the buyer is one of their most trusted people in the eBay community. How is that? They had 0 feedback and their account just barely got created...

eBay customer service is a joke for sellers.

I'm so tired fighting this now but wanted to see if I have any other options I can do other than calling them daily...I feel so cheated and eBay won't help me.

Not sure what I can do as I'm sure this person lives overseas and used a reshipper.

Thanks everyone.

swordg · ‎02-26-2022

I have dealt with this scam, 6 times in the past month (11 times in 5 months). I sell about 75 items a day. There are several ways to identify this scam (before the item arrives, and many times, even before the scammer actually ships it back). You are welcome to reach out to me by email if you wish, and I can give you a list of identifiers (I will not give them on here, or it may smarten up the scamming lowlifes) . All 6 I have had this month were identified and caught, and ebay found in my favor on all (and 10 of the 11. The first one I had no idea what the scam was, now I know exactly what to look for). There is no real way of identifying before shipping the item to the buyers (although there are indicators here as well) but there are easy identifiable characteristics once the scam return is filed.

jschimmi1765 · ‎03-15-2022

Contact your credit card company. You should have buyers protection.

soh.maryl · ‎03-16-2022

The OP is the SELLER, not the buyer.

soh.maryl · ‎03-16-2022

If, in fact, as you state, the shipping address was a freight forwarder in the US, you were only responsible for the item until it arrives at the FF.

ittybitnot · ‎03-16-2022

If, in fact, as you state, the shipping address was a freight forwarder in the US, you were only responsible for the item until it arrives at the FF.

@soh.maryl

The problem remains that the eBay automated system does not recognize a freight forwarder was used. First tier outsourced customer service likewise is of no use or help. The same non-help is provided when the "cheap trinket/fake tracking scam" is used by the 'buyer' to provide proof of a return. Regular appeals are summarily denied as well.

Though I think eBay is sort of "over" their previous denial of all claims for the "buyer may simply work at the forwarder facility", regular channels are still USELESS. Seller victims should use the BIG BLUE SEND MESSAGE BUTTON on this page:

https://www.facebook.com/eBayForBusiness

soh.maryl · ‎03-16-2022

There's no need for eBay to recognize that a freight forwarder was used.

Tracking shows delivery to an address. Doesn't matter if it's my address, your address or the freight forwarder's address.

ldnq7239 · ‎07-13-2022

I literally had the same thing happened to me. Buyer claimed that she just doesn't like the item...etc which is fine but she lied to ebay saying she did not use the item even though she admitted it in our message exchange. Ebay doesn't care, they always sides with buyers. Really screw over small business like ours. This buyer you can see the only one who left me a negative feedback and threatened to murder my family in messages. Every time I contacted ebay they also gave me the run-around **bleep** and we got nowhere.