How do you deal with a scammer?

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A buyer purchased a product from me recently. I used eBay's USPS label purchase and printing service and mailed the product. After it was delivered, the buyer opened a claim saying they did not receive the package. I tried to contact her multiple times to no avail and got confirmation that it was handed to a resident at the delivery address from USPS.

They were using the address:

After looking online, I found multiple references to this being a freight forwarder commonly used by scammers. eBay refunded them anyway. The account used had no feedback.

What should I do?

This is obviously a scam after a short website and eBay is refunding them anyway. At my expense. Even though the package was delivered.

kylbeyk0

65 View listings

Posted 3 years ago · Edited 3 years ago·Last reply 3 years ago

12 comments

kylbeyk0

OP3 years ago

65 View listings

@kh_belma

The address I provided is a freight forwarding address being used to scam sellers. Removing it puts the entire community at risk. That this address is being used by scammers is present in other parts of eBay as well as other eCommerce sites.

kylbeyk0

OP3 years ago

65 View listings

This is the address the buyer was using. It is what eBay printed on the shipping label I purchased from them. Upon looking it up, it is a business called Rapid Ship. Many sources say it is a freight forwarder commonly used by scammers. I knew it looked fishy.

Is the moral of this story to refuse to ship to fishy-looking addresses? I thought I was protected as long as I provided tracking data, which is done automatically when you purchase through eBay, and had confirmation of the delivery from the carrier. Is that now how it works exactly?

rfmtm

Mentor3 years ago

622 View listings

Did you respond to the ebay claim with the tracking number that confirmed delivery to the address ebay gave you? If so, there should be no refund from you. Otherwise, you need to contact ebay.

kylbeyk0

OP3 years ago

65 View listings

I did. eBay subsequently issued a refund.

mr_lincoln

Mentor3 years ago

5086 View listings

@kylbeyk0 wrote:
I did. eBay subsequently issued a refund.

@kylbeyk0

This makes no sense and is not how the Item not received claim works if the tracking was uploaded (as I and @rfmtm asked about) to the claim within the time you were allotted!?!

@devon@ebay , @elizabeth@ebay Hi gang, is there some kind of a claim flow "abnormality" with INR claims where a Seller uploads tracking for the original address on file yet the Buyer files and INR claim and gets refunded? Something about this makes no sense as is "sounds" like the Seller did everything right but the claim went to the Buyer ...

devon@ebay

Admin3 years ago

Community Advisor0 View listings

@mr_lincoln wrote:

@kylbeyk0 wrote:

I did. eBay subsequently issued a refund.

@kylbeyk0

This makes no sense and is not how the Item not received claim works if the tracking was uploaded (as I and @rfmtm asked about) to the claim within the time you were allotted!?!

@devon@ebay , @elizabeth@ebay Hi gang, is there some kind of a claim flow "abnormality" with INR claims where a Seller uploads tracking for the original address on file yet the Buyer files and INR claim and gets refunded? Something about this makes no sense as is "sounds" like the Seller did everything right but the claim went to the Buyer ...

Hey @mr_lincoln! With the information that @kylbeyk0 provided it sounds like the decision that was made against was done so in error. I would recommend to reach out to customer support to have the case appealed.

mr_lincoln

Mentor3 years ago

5086 View listings

@devon@ebay wrote:
@mr_lincoln wrote:
@kylbeyk0 wrote:
I did. eBay subsequently issued a refund.
@kylbeyk0
This makes no sense and is not how the Item not received claim works if the tracking was uploaded (as I and @rfmtm asked about) to the claim within the time you were allotted!?!

@devon@ebay , @elizabeth@ebay Hi gang, is there some kind of a claim flow "abnormality" with INR claims where a Seller uploads tracking for the original address on file yet the Buyer files and INR claim and gets refunded? Something about this makes no sense as is "sounds" like the Seller did everything right but the claim went to the Buyer ...
Hey @mr_lincoln! With the information that @kylbeyk0 provided it sounds like the decision that was made against was done so in error. I would recommend to reach out to customer support to have the case appealed.

@devon@ebay My sincere thanks for the quick reply Devon. @kylbeyk0 Follow the advice given in the post above. Request a call back from eBay and discuss the potential error they made in refunding the Buyer.

mr_lincoln

Mentor3 years ago

5086 View listings

@kylbeyk0

If the Buyer filed an Item not received claim AND you uploaded tracking to that claim it would have been closed in your favor and the Buyer would not have been refunded through that claim ...

If the Buyer did NOT file a claim and was refunded then you need to request a call back from eBay and ask them why they refunded the Buyer without an official eBay claim???

Can you shed any more light on the claim process used and how you responded???

kylbeyk0

OP3 years ago

65 View listings

The buyer reported the item was not received after it was delivered via USPS. I was then asked to respond since my funds were now on hold.

I uploaded up-to-date tracking information from USPS showing the package was delivered.

Over several days I tried to contact the buyer through eBay's messaging system through the issue resolution prompt. I tried to help them get in contact with USPS to see what had happened. Their package was handed to a resident at the delivery address. They never responded despite three attempts over three days.

Two days later they filed a claim through eBay for a refund. eBay immediately found the claim in their favor and refunded them. I got the two emails at the same time.

I filed an appeal showing the tracking and delivery information, started an investigation through USPS, and reported that the buyer is using a known address used in scamming on eBay and other e-commerce platforms to eBay.

I am now waiting on the results of the appeal. I followed every procedure I know. Their refund was still processed.

mr_lincoln

Mentor3 years ago

5086 View listings

@kylbeyk0 wrote:
The buyer reported the item was not received after it was delivered via USPS. I was then asked to respond since my funds were now on hold.
I uploaded up-to-date tracking information from USPS showing the package was delivered.
Over several days I tried to contact the buyer through eBay's messaging system through the issue resolution prompt. I tried to help them get in contact with USPS to see what had happened. Their package was handed to a resident at the delivery address. They never responded despite three attempts over three days.
Two days later they filed a claim through eBay for a refund. eBay immediately found the claim in their favor and refunded them. I got the two emails at the same time.
I filed an appeal showing the tracking and delivery information, started an investigation through USPS, and reported that the buyer is using a known address used in scamming on eBay and other e-commerce platforms to eBay.

I am now waiting on the results of the appeal. I followed every procedure I know. Their refund was still processed.

@kylbeyk0 If the INR claim was awarded in your favor (because you uploaded tracking to the claim correctly) then the Buyer had no other claim through eBay that would have simply triggered eBay to refund them from your account ...

The other information about any particular address is not important to the eBay claim process so that is where I am confused on why eBay would do what they are reported to have done?!?

kylbeyk0

OP3 years ago

65 View listings

kylbeyk0

OP3 years ago

65 View listings

This was the information I provided. I purchased the label and printed it through eBay, affixed it to the package, handed it to the worker at the counter, and got a receipt.