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Item not received, seller falsely accuses me of fraud, review removed — need help
Hello. I’d like to explain my situation in detail and ask for advice.
I placed an order on eBay and paid $160 using my credit card. The seller shipped the item via USPS, tracking number 9400 1502 0621 7058 3022 36. According to tracking, the package was delivered on May 27 at 12:12 PM, but in fact I never received it. The item was sent to a freight forwarder address (BXB), which I have been using regularly for a long time without any problems.
USPS refuses to investigate, stating that only the sender (seller) can open a missing mail claim in this case. I contacted the seller four times, asking him to file the claim — but the only reply I received was: “Tracking shows delivered.â€
Then, on July 18, the seller responded again and accused me of fraud, saying my shipping address is “suspicious†and that he intends to report me to eBay. This is completely false and offensive — I’ve been using this address for many purchases without any issues. Instead of helping me, the seller is now blaming me unfairly.
I opened a case with eBay, but it was closed in favor of the seller. I submitted an appeal, but it was also denied, even though I explained the full situation. Now I’m left with no item, no refund, and no support.
I also tried to leave a review for the seller — a polite one, with no threats or abuse, simply stating that the item was not received, the seller is not cooperating, and USPS requires a claim from the seller. But the review was not published. I tried to find out why, but the virtual assistant only links to general policy pages and doesn’t explain the actual reason. I’m confident I didn’t violate any rules.
I need help with the following:
How can I dispute the seller’s false accusation of fraud?
Why was my review removed, and is there any way to appeal or request clarification?
What else can I do if eBay refuses to help, USPS won’t investigate, and the seller ignores my messages?
I can provide all relevant evidence, messages, tracking screenshots, and the USPS response.
Any support or guidance would be greatly appreciated.
Best regards,
Gennadii Khramov
an-57470
·1 year ago@gennkhr0
eBay requires a seller to deliver to the address provided at checkout, in this case your freight forwarder. Delivery scans show they did this. You have no recourse against the seller.
USPS successfully delivered the item to your freight forwarder. There is nothing for USPS to investigate. You have no recourse against USPS.
Your issue is with your freight forwarded. Seek recourse there.
gennkhr0
OP1 year agoHello. Thank you for your reply, but the situation is not as straightforward as it might seem.
Yes, the USPS tracking shows “Delivered,†and technically the seller shipped the item to the freight forwarder’s address. However, the package never arrived at the warehouse — this has been confirmed by their receiving service. I paid for the item in full, but I did not receive the product.
I contacted USPS, but they refused to investigate, saying only the sender can file a claim. I asked the seller several times to do so, but he refused to assist. The only response I received was an accusation that my address is "fraudulent," which is completely false — I use this address regularly and have never had such problems before.
As a result, I’m stuck in a loop: eBay points to the delivery status, USPS won't help the recipient, and the seller ignores my requests. The core issue is that I paid, but never received the item, and no one — not eBay, not the seller, not USPS — is taking responsibility.
Please don’t dismiss this as simply a problem with the forwarder. If the package had truly been delivered, it would have shown up in their system. It didn’t.
an-57470
·1 year ago@gennkhr0
Isn’t it possible that your freight forwarder is the party that has misplaced/lost the parcel? I understand they are saying they don’t have it, but the USPS delivery scan would indicate otherwise.
There is little the seller can do for you. They have the same info available to them that you do. Missing/lost mail searches are not possible for parcels scanned as “delivered,†nor is it possible to file an insurance claim for a parcel with such status.
Perhaps try USPS again, this time asking to confirm that the GPS data, which is recorded at the time of delivery, matches your freight forwarder’s address.
If the delivery GPS coordinates match your freight forwarder, then you know the error does lie with them.
gennkhr0
OP1 year agoThank you for your follow-up. I understand your position, and I agree that the freight forwarder could be at fault in some cases.
However, in my experience, I’ve been using this same freight forwarder for a long time and have never encountered a single issue like this before. Still, I took the matter seriously: I contacted them twice and demanded an official written confirmation. They responded with a certified document clearly stating that they never received the parcel with this tracking number — it never entered their system.
As for USPS: I cannot submit a claim as the recipient. When I tried filing an inquiry on their website, it asks for the tracking number, and as soon as I enter it, the system responds that the parcel was delivered to a freight forwarder, and only the sender can initiate an investigation or insurance claim.
Finally, I want to stress that a “Delivered†status is not an absolute guarantee of successful delivery. I’ve personally encountered cases in the past where a courier service marked a parcel as delivered but made a delivery error (wrong address). In those cases, the courier later admitted the mistake and corrected the issue — and I eventually received my package.
That’s why in this case, I suspect a similar delivery error may have occurred. I’m not claiming fraud or blaming the wrong party. I just want the seller — the only party who can act — to help initiate a USPS inquiry or claim. I'm fully willing to cooperate in any way.
an-57470
·1 year ago@gennkhr0
Are you able to communicate at all (email?) with USPS to verify the GPS location at the time of delivery?
Ordinarily, a seller is responsible for successful delivery to the buyer. The only exception is when the buyer requests delivery to a third party or freight forwarder. eBay cannot compel the seller to act further at this point because, by policy, the seller has fulfilled their obligation according to policy.
If you cannot get that GPS data to be absolutely sure, and if the seller will not help, then I think your last and only option is to file a payment dispute with your funding source.
Also, If you have had no contact with your seller since reporting your issue, they have likely added you to their Blocked Bidders List. There is also an option to block communication. If they have done this, then they are not receiving your messages.
gennkhr0
OP1 year agohelp please