Confirmed fraud by USPS and eBay still won’t help?
I purchased item, after a couple days of seller saying it was shipped usps, I still had no tracking number and asked for it.(as a seller, I know it should be instantly sent to buyer) They assured me it would be there that week. A tracking number was put on a couple days after it supposedly shipped. Then, after realizing it said delivered, but I didn’t receive, I check usps and see no picture with my informed delivery?
I also have a ring doorbell that showed nothing, checked with neighbors, etc and no luck. It says delivered in mailbox, these 2 boxes would never fit in our small condo box.
I contacted seller and received 0 response, then opened item not received, eBay quickly closed in sellers favor.
I thought buyers protection would help, eBay said no, it shows delivered, no refund. I then filed a proof of delivery with usps and before the end of the day received their response and a phone call. The usps representative said he saw the label for this tracking number, but it goes to a completely different street than mine.
They didn’t switch labels by mistake as I never received anything mistakenly, the usps rep said it looks like fraud. They are supposed to ship a larger item, but pick a random address in the same zip code, send small padded envelope and eBay doesn’t know the difference, they can only see it was delivered to city and zip code, not the actual street address since label was purchased outside of eBay.
I’m absolutely disgusted by this, why wouldn’t eBay require a label to be uploaded on their site if they’re going to claim something was delivered and offer 0 buyer protection?
I have had my account for almost 15 years and probably sold a couple million dollars worth of items on their site, but am ready to move on. I already closed the credit card they have on file buying as I can not trust them to protect if something goes awry.
Perhaps the worst part was after usps telling me what exactly happened, I left feedback so no one else falls into the trap…then eBay removes the negative feedback on the person doing the fraud…beyond frustrated.
gir8693
·1 year agoSo you know your scammed, when a seller on all your ebay orders in one day, the first to send out a package with a tracking number. You check your tracking and first day usps is waiting on ithem, then second day same thing, then third day same thing. Then you text him and say Monday was three days ago. So he says I shipped it 3 days ago on Monday but the tracking says usps is still waitng on package. The man is a liar so now your dealing with garbage. The mail is never wrong. So your in PA the thief is in Wisconsin so afther 5 days on usps still waitng package and the delivery date was today, you wait to the end of day. The seller wont ever make a two day time frame thats his last day hes got. So dispute it with your credit card. So let ebay bring it on because im a huge buyer to ebay they can go sit on it. Im not waitng forever for my money. So the mail is never wrong it can go in the wrong bin and your in PA and say wow my package was in PA it went out west but it will come back that did happen. So fedex you order from china on ebay and the shipper your into it for 10 weeks from china nothing on tracking. So you start a dispute he changes the tracking number and puts a new one. You call fedex my package was in china and it just came to my door afther fighting with a Chinese vendor from ebay. The shipping company changed the address and name so fedex shows it. This is all mail fraud its totally legal in the us they get away with it. So they tell you the shipper changed the name and address. So you make a fraud complaint they do nothing. The seller tells you the ithem is still coming lift the dispute on your credit card. Im honest so you committed fraud so if the package comes you will get your money. Im so sick of ebay and never buy from china. They trick you by not putting down a location. So you text them and say is this going to be a 2 month delivery. So they say I got U.S. companies that you will receive ithem in 8 days but it can take longer block the seller. The sellers can change any bad feedback. So a buyers feedback dont mean anything im tired of hearing that a buyer has all the rights the sellers that need to be in jail are still selling selling on ebay. I been on ebay 15 years and my 100% feed back counted. The deal from the fraud seller thats printing shipping labels and nothing to ship. I want him behind bars. I contacted the ebay investigation team called spooked. they wont do anything and usps fraud department about shipping labels created and nothing to be sent. They will let it go. So afther the corona virus i stay off ebay pure garbage. So you can find good sellers on Amazon that have deal with the main companies 2 day prime your good. The 3rd party sellers are mostly garbage. The merchandise is probably all refurbished. So a lot of companies you can order from direct pay more and do it. Because online shopping became a joke.
mudshark61369
·1 year ago@gir8693 ,
"You check your tracking and first day usps is waiting on ithem, then second day same thing, then third day same thing..."
One of two things is the likely reason for the USPS awaiting receipt of the package.
1) Despite the seller's given item location, the item is coming from China, which means the seller shipped using an international shipping partner of the USPS, whose tracking will not update until the package arrives in the U.S. clears customs and is handed off to the USPS.
2) The seller is a new one, or has not sold anything in a long time, and does not know that ebay will place a 21-30 hold on their first few payments. They print out a label but do not ship the item because on their account the payment status says Pending, so they do not think the funds are there.
If you post the ebay item number we can tell you if either is the case.
"The seller wont ever make a two day time frame thats his last day hes got. So dispute it with your credit card".
By filing a claim with your card provider, you voided ebay's Money Back Guarantee (MBG) protections. Had you read the terms and time frames of the MBG, you would know how to get a refund. There is a link to the policy and its time frames on every listing page below the icons for the accepted payments. Click on the Learn more button there.
Basically it boils down to, On the day after the last estimated delivery date if you have not received your item, you go to your purchase history and click on the more actions button. If a menu drops down, you select I haven't received it. If Return item shows up, you click on that and the menu will appear, then you select I haven't received it.
Follow through to file the dispute which will appear just above the item title in your purchase history. The seller will have 3 days to respond by proving delivery, or issuing a refund. If they do not respond or make excuses, on day 4 you click on the dispute, and then click on the Ask eBay to Step In button. A refund will be issued from the seller's account.
" So a buyers feedback dont mean anything im tired of hearing that a buyer has all the rights the sellers that need to be in jail are still selling selling on ebay. I been on ebay 15 years and my 100% feed back counted".
Because buyers can only receive positive feedback, all who buy only on an account will have a 100% rating, even the non-payers and scammers. Buyers do have all the rights if they use the MBG correctly.
In order for a seller to be jailed, You would have to file a law suit, and it would it would have to be in Small Claims court, in the seller's city. You cannot recover travel or time off work costs in small claims court.
If the seller is not actually located in the U.S., Not even a federal court has jurisdiction over them.
christworks
·1 year agoMost of your post is not true, but these two lines stood out as being especially not true.
I am sorry you've had bad experiences. If this is something that happens frequently, my advice is to closely evaluate sellers before you buy from them. Look at their feedback. Look for patterns, like late or slow shipment, items arriving damaged, item not received, or return issues. Having negative feedback isn't necessarily a problem, but if the feedback shows patterns that should serve as a red flag. Likewise, look at positive feedback and see what a seller is doing right. I think that even if a seller did everything expected of them, you would still find something wrong to pick at.
soh.maryl
·1 year agoIs there on line viewable tracking that shows delivery -- yes or no?
If you received anything like the small padded envelope that you describe, why not open an ITEM NOT AS DESCRIBED case?
uneverknow92626
OP1 year agoThey are not sending it to the correct address. I have informed delivery through usps, so I can see every item before it arrives, I also have a ring doorbell for FedEx/ups items.
The scam is, instead of sending my bigger boxes to my address, they ship a small item to a different address. If the label isn’t purchased through eBay, eBay can only see that zip code and city, they have no idea what street address the item was delivered.
ittybitnot
·1 year agoIf you received anything like the small padded envelope that you describe, why not open an ITEM NOT AS DESCRIBED case?
@soh.maryl
The OP has evidence from USPS that the "small envelope" with the eBay tracking number was not intended for, nor delivered to him/her. He/she supplied the documentation in the appeal and LOST due to the usual "tracking shows delivery" bot response.
You are correct, though that an "item not as described" case will work for the OP anyway, even though they got nothing. Beats the crook and the eBay denial bots at their own game. If a return label is not forthcoming with a NAD dispute, the OP needs only to return to the case and escalate (ask eBay to step in) for a refund.
If by chance they DO get a pre-paid label, it really doesn't matter what they send back. It could be a picture of what they were supposed to get, or a box of "air". eBay has not cared what is returned to a seller for many many many years. In this instance, the OP's seller is NOT a seller, but a scammer.
uneverknow92626
OP1 year agoI received nothing, eBay told me to contact seller and then open item not received, that’s what I did, and then they instant closed against me and still refused buyer protection after I sent usps letter with picture .
This was not an honest seller that accidentally sent 2 packages to wrong location, this was sending intentional small item to a different name and address.
ittybitnot
·1 year agoI received nothing, eBay told me to contact seller and then open item not received, that’s what I did, and then they instant closed against me and still refused buyer protection after I sent usps letter with picture .
@uneverknow92626
This is eBay's main answer to this scam, deny and deny again (typically by bot action, and call center reps). Please review the link provided to you in message #6 for a "list" of options you may have when you are a victim. Come back here if you have more questions or want to discuss any of them further.
It is unfortunate, but often demonstrated, that following the advice given by the eBay customer service agents you get in a call back or chat is not recommended. They are known for giving out wrong information, and if you choose to follow it, and your problem gets worse it is 'on you'. Filing "item not received" for a transaction that shows "delivered" even though the delivery was not to you IS THE WRONG ADVICE.
To be sure, nobody is faulting YOU. This is how it has been handled by eBay going on 15 years now.
soh.maryl
·1 year agoHow does this equate to fraud by the USPS?
And have you considered doing a chargeback on your credit card?
buyselljack2016
·1 year agoI suspect the OP means fraud "via" USPS 🙂
stainlessenginecovers
·1 year agops. to all the other 'good advice' posts;
From the beginning of your post, know that you are wrong in stating that 'sellers need to give tracking number' etc.
Sellers are NOT required to 'use or give' a tracking number. They CAN ship things without one, as long as they mark it 'shipped'.
soh.maryl
·1 year agoBut if they do ship without tracking, and the package doesn't arrive, at least the buyer can easily open an INR case. We should probably mention that.
uneverknow92626
OP1 year agoNo, initially without tracking, they later added a usps tracking number, but they sent a much smaller item to a different street address, eBay can only see city and zip code if label isn’t purchased through their system.
ittybitnot
·1 year agoeBay can only see city and zip code if label isn’t purchased through their system
@uneverknow92626
Understand as well that it is a small matter to change the 'ship to' address on any label and retain the original tracking number. It commonly happens when a 'buyer' uses the label for a return when trying to satisfy the eBay bot that a return has been made. Yes, this fake tracking scam issue goes both ways. At least a buyer victim has other options.
I would assume you are using the "appeal" feature on eBay? Since you did not get a rejection notice in the usual ten or fifteen minutes, it may be an indication that someone is actually looking at your situation. If it doesn't pan out, do come back for your other options if you have not read about them already.
uneverknow92626
OP1 year agoThey denied the appeal, have even denied when I used their document loader showing a picture of package with same tracking number, with different name and address on letterhead from the post office, beyond disgusted.
Literally jumped through the hoops to get letter from post office stating it wasn’t sent to my address, providing picture of package showing the scam, and eBay still does nothing.
ittybitnot
·1 year agoThey denied the appeal, have even denied when I used their document loader showing a picture of package with same tracking number, with different name and address on letterhead from the post office, beyond disgusted.
@uneverknow92626
That is quite "normal" for eBay. eBay protects eBay, and their first go to scenario is DENIAL in hopes you will go away. Your next few choices would be:
a) File a return request for "not as described". Typically, missing parts or pieces should suffice. Though you got nothing, it doesn't matter much. The seller has three days to supply you with a return label at their cost, or if outside the US, money in advance (usually through PayPal) for recorded delivery back to them. If neither of those things happen, return to the case on day 4 and escalate (ask eBay to step in and help) for your refund. This is like beating the crook and the eBay denial bots at their own game. If you happen to get a pre-paid label, send back some "air" or a picture of what you were supposed to get for a full refund.
OR
b) You can go the eBay social media route for customer service. These are US based ebay employees that are quite familiar with this scam. You again can upload your USPS documents, and they are not bot driven by the cheap AI eBay uses elsewhere. They have known to be helpful. Since this scam is usually not a "one off", go check to see if your seller is still a registered user. Then:
https://www.facebook.com/eBay/ (use the blue message button)
OR direct message through one of these:
https://www.instagram.com/ebayforsellers/
https://x.com/askebay
c) Go to your credit card for redress. Be sure NOT to claim "Item not Received" (INR) but rather FRAUD/Fake tracking scam. You can be assured they know what you are talking about. Otherwise, they simply send the claim to eBay who responds with the same phony tracking information and you stand a good chance of losing again and perhaps for good.
If you paid with PayPal, there was (at least for a while) a claim choice that read "shipped to wrong address" that was reported to be quite useful for your dilemma and to assist victims of this fraud. It is unclear from more recent posts if it is still a provided choice. Of course INR was first (instant lose if you picked that) but farther on down the list was the wrong address option. eBay provides only INR, which you found is basically useless and makes their "Money Back Guarantee" a giant fail.
Good luck, do come back to let us know what options you chose and how it worked out for you.
ittybitnot
·1 year agothen opened item not received, eBay quickly closed in sellers favor.
@uneverknow92626
Not that eBay has any sort of selection related to the "fake tracking/wrong address" scam when you go to file. ebay's first (second, and often third) response is DENIAL since there is a 'delivery' scan even if it is fake. It is if they hope you will give up and go away. This has been going on here for over a decade. Actually, you are the third person today that has provided a similar scenario. Remember, no matter where you file now, if you insist on "item not received" (INR) you are going to lose again and likely for good. Should you go to your credit card, the correct claim would be FRAUD/fake tracking wrong address scam
You do have other options available to you, and you can read about them in this thread in the "best answer" post (a - d). Do come back if you need additional information. Do not try all your options at once.
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Seller-is-a-Liar-and-Cheat/m-p/35108131#M522799
The ways to get your money back have changed over the years, but one thing is for certain. eBay knows about this scam, PayPal knows, and the credit card industry is well aware. Now you know, too.
tobaccocardyahoo
·1 year agoThe easiest and most effective way to get your refund is to open a dispute with your credit card issuer. That assumes you were prudent enough to pay using a credit card.
PayPal is unlikely to be useful, they normally defer to the Ebay decision.
This is a thorny problem which takes advantage of privacy protections for the scammers.
Credit cards are far safer than any other payment method when you buy online. Many credit cards will even allow you to use a one-time number which will protect you from worries about Ebay or your Ebay account being hacked.
tinsoldierunderground
·1 year ago@uneverknow92626
This fake tracking scam has been going on for a long time, we hear about it daily on these forums.
Ebay sees the same tracking info as everyone else does, they can't see anything other that it was delivered in your zip code. The crooked seller ships a ball point pen or a bag of peanuts to a convenience store or gas station in your zip, instead of the expensive item you bought. The current 'unofficial' remedy, is to open an INAD (item not as described, doesn't match description) case. In this way, seller has to send you a return shipping label. Then, you return some bit of nonsense in an envelope and get refunded... If the seller fails to respond to your case, you ask ebay to step in on the 4th business day, they force the refund from sellers account. Many make the mistake of opening an item not received case, and automatically lose because tracking showed delivery.
uneverknow92626
OP1 year agoThat’s why the label should have to be uploaded on eBay, so they can see exact address where something is shipped, not just zip code and city. Guess I was just oblivious to this happening, been scammed enough on the sell side, now adding the buy side also is too much.
stainlessenginecovers
·1 year agoThat will NEVER happen as there are 1000's of 'big sellers' that ship 100's of items a day and use their OWN UPS/Fedex accounts to get super low pricing on shipping (see 'large bubble wrap' sellers' or 'box' sellers where they sell a 40lb package that is well over 2 cubic feet, for FREE shipping; as examples).
Many of these sellers can ship an item that would cost you $40 to ship, for about $5.
uneverknow92626
OP1 year agoI never said the label had to be purchased through eBay, but it should be uploaded to eBay so they can see street address. Instead, they are protecting the scammers both with refund policy and also removing feedback left to try and protect others.
stainlessenginecovers
·1 year agoAlthough this is now an 'old' thread, I just saw your response
THIS is what you said (word for word, copied from your opening post):
I still had no tracking number and asked for it (as a seller, I know it should be instantly sent to buyer)
So, what I said was "Sellers are NOT required to 'use' or 'give' you a tracking number as sellers CAN ship things not using tracking. I NEVER said ANYTHING about using 'ebay' shipping labels.
christworks
·1 year agoThis is the fake tracking scam. You order, but seller ships to a different address near you. Just do a search for "USPS tracking scam" and you'll see the dozens of other threads about it.
From what others have posted on here, I've seen it recommended that you obtain a letter from your local USPS office on their letterhead stating that the address associated with the tracking number was not your address. Once you have that, reach back out to eBay through one of their social media channels and provide them with a copy of that letter. I think some people have had success getting refunded that way.
Without something official from USPS, eBay has no way to know your package didn't get stolen off your porch (which would be your fault) or someone else in your home didn't pick it up.
The paddle swings both ways. Many sellers think it is unfair they are responsible if USPS loses a package. There is a very clear line where responsibility shifts from seller to buyer, and that line is the delivery scan. Unfortunately, scammers will always find a way to scam and exploit vulnerabilities to their advantage. I would not let this be the one thing to run you off the platform. It sounds like you've had a lot of positive experiences as a seller and buyer, so why let one thing ruin it? Scammers are everywhere, so unless you are going to stop buying online altogether, this is something that will always be a risk.
mtgraves7984
·1 year agoFrom what others have posted on here, I've seen it recommended that you obtain a letter from your local USPS office on their letterhead stating that the address associated with the tracking number was not your address. Once you have that, reach back out to eBay through one of their social media channels and provide them with a copy of that letter. I think some people have had success getting refunded that way.
Without something official from USPS, eBay has no way to know your package didn't get stolen off your porch (which would be your fault) or someone else in your home didn't pick it up.
@christworks... good advice! ^^^
@uneverknow92626... Oh, yeah... you have buyer protection.
Here's another way to approach it. Get the official USPS info and open a Return request, citing 'Not as described'. (After all, you didn't order an empty mailer.) When you get a return shipping label through the case... slip a copy of the USPS info into a mailer, use the provided shipping label and send it back to this scrub seller. When it shows delivered, you'll be refunded.
You lost the Item Not Received claim when your scrub seller got a delivered scan... play by scrub rules. ^^^
As an added thought, if the seller hasn't provided a return shipping label after 3 days, go back to the Return case (on Day 4) and escalate it to eBay. You'll be refunded.
uneverknow92626
OP1 year agoStill waiting, I actually got letterhead from usps, including picture of item, showing tracking number, with different name and address. As suspected, tiny envelope instead of the 2 larger boxes that I purchased.
It was uploaded/given to eBay 3 days ago and I have received 0 response so far.