Should I flag a suspicious buyer to ebay?

[jimsinsd]

I just had a buyer who wanted me to ship the purchased item to an address different from the confirmed eBay and PayPal addresses (which were identical). I refused, and we went back and forth in eBay by Messages, but in the end I refused to send, canceled the sale and refunded the money. But, do I now tell eBay that this buyer is suspicious? I'm wondering whether or not she's abusing the account and will eventually get money from someone else. 

[comics-scifi-collectibles · Accepted solution]

@jimsinsd   You do not know for a fact that the buyer was trying to scam you so there is nothing to report.  They may have just made a mistake at checkout and entered the wrong address OR didn't know that they can't change the address after the purchase is made.

Also, you don't need to worry about the paypal address, you just ship to the address that is provided by the buyer when they pay. 

I am glad that you know that you lose your seller protection for delivery confirmation if you change the address.   

You can add the buyer to your blocked list.

https://www.ebay.com/bmgt/BuyerBlock?

[iart]

First, ebay would never act on this. There are way more important things for them to deal with.

And I'm not sure why this is suspicious. There are many reasons for an address change. Sending it as a gift, for example. Or wanting it delivered to where a buyer is vacationing. Or, as a seller, I occasionally can't find an item I sold (the hazard of storing 20,000 books in your bedrooms), I'll try to buy it on ebay and have them ship direct to the buyer (we do admit this to the buyer and offer compensation if the product isn't as described).

So, drop it and move on.

[globexk]

If the buyer does not buy from you again with the new address then there is no doubt they are a scammer. For example I had a buyer from Jamaica buy from me. Then they sent a message requesting I send it to a different address. I declined, cancelled sale and refunded their money. The buyer did not buy again from me.

[reed-sales]

As soon as I receive a message requesting a different ship to address, I send a nice message that says, "I am sorry, but eBay only allows me to ship to the address provided at checkout.  I have cancelled your order so you can repurchase it with the correct address.  The item is relisted here:  (URL LINK).  Cheers and enjoy the ride, -Mike"

[animal-house-8]

Your wasting your time just block buyer and be done with it. Shipping to another address removes all your protection of fraud. 

[iart]

Ebay allows us to change the ship to address. We assume it allows everyone to do so. Maybe it's because we are sellers?

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@reed-sales wrote:

eBay only allows me to ship to the address provided at checkout.

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[reed-sales]

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@iart wrote:

Ebay allows us to change the ship to address. We assume it allows everyone to do so. Maybe it's because we are sellers?

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@reed-sales wrote:

eBay only allows me to ship to the address provided at checkout.

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eBay does not allow you to change the address and still be protected.  There is no reason to get into a debate with a buyer.  By the time I send my message, their order has been cancelled using the "something is wrong with their address".   So it is a moot point that I technically can change the address.

[southern*sweet*tea]

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@iart wrote:

Ebay allows us to change the ship to address. We assume it allows everyone to do so. Maybe it's because we are sellers?

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You can change the address to whatever the buyer wants, BUT if that buyer comes back and says they didn't get the item, and that tracking gives a different zip code than the one on the purchase, YOU LOSE, every time.

I've done it before for regular, long term buyers on lower cost items, never has been a problem...but it's never a problem until it IS, right? If a random somebody I've never done business with wants me to change the address, I would cancel with the buyer address problem and have them repurchase. I might have been born at night, but I wasn't born last night...

If the tracking does not match the ship to address given in the order details, there is no protection from Ebay nor Paypal, even if that tracking states delivered.

[jimsinsd]

Thanks, everyone. Very helpful. I actually had an exchange with "her" and she had an elaborate story about the address being her grandson's address and she being in Florida while he's in New Jersey, etc., etc. Next time I can avoid that. 

[ittybitnot]

 and she had an elaborate story about the address...

Scammers are really good at "elaborate stories".  Most of us here know them by heart in that they are not really creative LOL... A seller that sells an expensive (or not) item is going to get inundated with "ship to another address" scammers through the ebay message system,  EVEN THOUGH THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT YOUR BUYER.  

Same scam, different day. 

[ogaugeminiaturefigures]

Be careful and make sure the message is actually coming from the buyer. I bought an item once ($600 lens) and someone message the seller wanting MY item sent to a address they had messaged the seller, they were trying to get the seller to ship my item to them. seller did not notice the scammer and refused and messaged me he cancelled my sale because of "something is wrong with address" ........It wasn't until I responded back to the seller that he became aware the person trying to "intercept" my item in the message wasn't me......He didn't check the eBay account user I.D.  and assumed the request for the said item was a message from me........

[sg51]

I actually had an exchange with "her" and she had an elaborate story about the address being her grandson's address and she being in Florida while he's in New Jersey, etc., etc. Next time I can avoid that. 

You don't have to evaluate the story at all. Rather, explain that ebay expects you to ship to the address chosen by buyer, and explain, if you choose, how buyer can get complete the transaction as desired by re-buying and selecting the different address at payment time.

That covers you from all the nonsense, and lets you be a good guy in the common times where buyer was confused as to how to get what they wanted.

[di2360]

If someone want to ship to a different address they should change there shipping. I do this all the time to send to my daughter and then I change the address right back. I would never change the address for someone else. So, no never change the address for the buyer after they purchase. If they are Buying on Ebay these people need to read the rules. 

[mousecj]

I live in Eastern Europe and if I buy anything with shipping, it costs me very much. So, it's easier for me to tell my family in west Europe to get the package for me. If the man paid the product, why should you question if his address is fake or not?