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eBay Seller Using Fake Tracking to Deny My Refund
Summary: intiensify described an issue with a seller using fraudulent tracking information to deny a refund for a canceled order that never arrived. They noted that the tracking showed a delivery to their city but not their specific address. eburtonlab suggested options including obtaining proof of incorrect delivery from the shipping service and pursuing a 'not as described' return on eBay. They advised printing and returning the tracking info if necessary since fraudsters often avoid paying for return shipping. intiensify later mentioned contacting FedEx, who confirmed a mismatch in recipient details and shipment weight, and proceeded with the recommended return method.
A seller is using fraudulent tracking information to prevent me from receiving a refund.
I requested cancellation the same day I placed the order and also messaged the seller about the cancellation, but they never responded. The seller rejected/ignored my cancellation request and the order remained active.
The tracking information has now suddenly been updated to show “delivered,” but the tracking does not show delivery to my address but states my city. I did not receive the package.
How do I get a full refund because I never received the item and attempted to cancel the order before this alleged delivery occurred?
eburtonlab
Mentor2 weeks ago@intiensify
Buyers cannot cancel without the cooperation of the seller, so if the seller is a scammer, asking for a cancellation is pointless. The scammer will not cooperate.
If you have contacted the shipping service directly to determine that the tracking number does not correspond to a delivery to your address you are likely looking at a case of "false tracking".
If you can, I would suggest obtaining documentation that shows that the package was not addressed to you, then contacting eBay via social media direct message using Instagram and mentioning that you have a case of "false tracking" to be given an opportunity to share your documentation:
https://www.instagram.com/ebay/
If you cannot get documentation, or if that does not work:
Since false tracking allows a scam seller to win an "item not received" case, the next step would be to file a "not as described" return on eBay and be prepared to return exactly what you received if the seller provides for return shipping, or ask eBay to step in after three business days if the seller does not refund you or provide return shipping.
You may have recourse through your payment method if you are unable to get satisfaction through eBay, though once you involve a payment method, eBay can no longer help with that transaction. Be sure you mention "false tracking" specifically, otherwise your provider may assume a simple missing or stolen package and defer to eBay's ruling based on the tracking showing delivery.
In the future, stick to experienced sellers with a long and demonstrated history and avoid new or unproven sellers, or sellers that show warning signs of being drop-shippers or potential scammers: drastic changes in selling behavior or offering deals that are "too good to be true", or shipping heavy items that are unlikely to be profitably shipped via retail shipping.
intiensify
OP2 weeks agoHi, I have a question about the recommended “not as described” return option for false tracking.
I never received the order at all, so I have nothing to return to the seller. The tracking says delivered in my city, but I did not receive the package and it does not establish that it was delivered to my address.
How would filing a “not as described” return work in this situation if I have no item to return? Would eBay still allow me to open that type of case?
I want to make sure I use the correct process so that the seller cannot use the tracking status to deny my refund.
eburtonlab
Mentor2 weeks agoA false tracking situation leaves the buyer with two effective avenues of dispute through eBay.
One way is to prove that the tracking does not correspond to a delivery to the buyer's shipping address. If the shipping service cooperates and provides documentation, this works. Or if the tracking weight is wildly different from the item, or if the tracking begins before the order was placed.
The other way is for the buyer to accept that the tracking shows that something was delivered somewhere, and then file a "not as described" return. This is similar to receiving an empty box; while it may seem make sense to file an "item not received" case, the seller would win an INR by providing tracking that shows something was delivered. Instead, if the buyer files a "not as described" return and returns exactly what was received (an empty box), the seller must refund. In the case of false tracking there is no empty box, the buyer received only the "false tracking". So print out a copy of the tracking info and return that to the seller if the seller actually pays for return shipping. As long as the buyer can honestly say that the buyer is returning everything the buyer received from the seller, eBay seems to be satisfied with that. Oddly, the sellers that provide false tracking are often unwilling to pay out of pocket for return shipping of something they know was never shipped, and the buyer can then ask eBay to step in and force a refund without having to return anything.
If neither of those avenues work, the buyer can try to pursue a case through the payment provider.
intiensify
OP2 weeks agoI contacted FedEx regarding the tracking number provided by the seller. FedEx told me that the recipient name associated with the shipment does not match my name, so they could not provide me with additional shipment information.
I also have access to the FedEx Proof of Delivery, which shows a shipment weight of 41 lbs. This appears inconsistent with the item I purchased.
I just proceeded with the "not as described" return. Thank you!
eburtonlab
Mentor2 weeks agoYou are welcome -- good luck!