I got scammed. How to fix this?
- A few days ago I bought a GPU for $440 which is a price too good to be true (MSRP $600).
- Scammer provided a fake Fedex tracking number.
- I received a notification that my package is delivered, but it wasn't sent to my address and I have PROOF.
- I reported to eBay, but they closed my case because Fedex says it was delivered.
- I called Fedex, and they gave me a PDF of the real shipping address where the "package" was delivered. The scammer sent a package to a warehouse a mile from my house.
- I contacted eBay but I can't appeal because they said it was delivered.
Now, here I am. I'm stuck! What can I do to fix this?
40 comments
m0ving0n
OP2 years agoUPDATE: May 28, 2024
I've finally got my money back by fighting with my credit card provider. It wasn't easy. Thanks to everyone in this thread for helping me.
Details:
- eBay support wouldn't help me. I kept getting the run around.
- I issued a chargeback with my credit card provider.
- eBay immediately responded to the chargeback with an ebay letter that showed the tracking number as proof that the item was delivered. My chargeback was automatically reversed in eBay's favor.
- I disputed the chargeback reversal with my credit card provider by providing proof from Fedex that the item was delivered to a stranger's business warehouse. I also showed them how they can get proof directly from Fedex.
- eBay could've been classy and acknowledged my proof, which would have closed the case in my favor sooner. But instead, they chose to NOT RESPOND to my proof, which prolonged the dispute, because my credit card gave them 30 days to respond. I went online and checked my credit card dispute status every morning for 30 days, because they didn't email any status updates regarding the dispute. A month later, my credit card provider closed the case automatically in my favor. I doubt many people go this far and don't appeal cases. I was prepared to take this to small claims court if I needed to.
Lesson #1 always use credit card in online purchases so you can request chargebacks.
Lesson #2 if a deal is too good to be true, it is probably a scam.
Lesson #3 eBay advocates for whomever makes eBay money. The seller still is selling on eBay.
Interesting note: Currently, when I search the seller's ebay nickname on google, I find this post at the top. But I didn't write their name any where in this thread. I didn't write their name in this thread because I didn't want to violate some kind of forum policy. I'm not sure how Google associated the scammer with this post, but... whatever. eBay allows them to change their name every 30 days. Good job, eBay.
nenu-5410
·2 years agoA question @m0ving0n --
Instead of fighting with your credit card provider, could this have resolved sooner than in those 30 days by
3. providing proof from Fedex that the item was delivered to a stranger's business warehouse
(ETA at the moment you filed the chargeback) before eBay could even have
2. responded to the chargeback with an ebay letter that showed the tracking number as proof that the item was delivered
to stave off that lame, predictable rebuttal?
And eBay themselves had to foot your $440, which explains the extraordinary effort writing the letter -- and it worked, closing your chargeback in eBay's favor. (Then eBay ignored the rejoinder, banking you would wane impatient and make a mistake.)
That's because eBay already ruled in the seller's favor and now the seller has eBay protection if the same claim is repeated at PayPal or/and then at a card issuer. Hence your seller still is selling on eBay.
m0ving0n
OP2 years agoAs mentioned many times in this thread, I sent proof from Fedex to eBay that shows the package was delivered to the WRONG ADDRESS. And, in my final update, I issued a chargeback since I could no longer move my case forward with eBay. The rest of your post is strange, and neither here nor there. I'm done with this thread.
ittybitnot
·2 years ago@m0ving0n
Glad you got your money back, and thank you for the update! For the future, should you have to go to your credit card for redress, it is important that they know when you file, that your issues IS NOT AN ITEM NOT RECEIVED CASE but rather a report of FRAUD/FAKE TRACKING SCAM ISSUE. That should by itself shorten the time you have to wait, and eBay's little game of responding with the same phony tracking shows delivered evidence won't cut it as a response against you.
eBay knows about it, the credit card industry knows about it. Even PayPal has now added a choice to their dispute menu "shipped to wrong address" instead of item not received.
m0ving0n
OP2 years agoUPDATE:
I was able to reach an incredibly helpful eBay representative at eBayForBusiness on Facebook. There is now a 7-10 day manual review on my case. It gives me hope, because a real person can look at my case and see that the seller shipped it to the wrong address. Fedex can prove it.
I just want to thank everyone for guiding me through this. 👋
I'll keep you all posted on the outcome! Promise!
dare-2046
·2 years agoHopefully, eBay has not yet released the payout to the scammer/seller, after the INR and its appeal was decided against you.
The rules are -- if eBay made a mistake initially, the seller keeps the payment and eBay refunds your $440 out-of-pocket. But maybe during the manual review eBay can remove the seller, and use that as the reason to claw back the payment.
vintagecraze50
·2 years agoGOOD JOB!!! THEY CAN HELP YOU.
house*of*paws
·2 years agoHi @m0ving0n
eBay apparently is not yet equipped to handle the ‘fake tracking number scam’ efficiently. I would deal directly with the Fraud Department of your credit card company in getting refunded.
vintagecraze50
·2 years agoYep, a lot easier to do that for sure.
vintagecraze50
·2 years agoIt’s a huge labor intensive ordeal for them. I understand. To the extent of how much this is happening not sure but a company that handles as many transactions as ebay, it has to be pretty high. The solution is for the buyers and the sellers to do the leg work. Ebay would need an entire building of people dedicated to do this. Each seller and buyer must be proactive.
stevescho
·2 years agoTerrible advice, voids eBay protection. Don't do this yet.
kako_5344
·2 years agoTerrible advice, what eBay protection. Already lost case and appeal.
stevescho
·2 years agoNo, yours was...read pragmas latest post. And consider that you're wrong. You might feel better admitting it.
kako_5344
·2 years agoI didn't provide any advice. Oops.
stevescho
·2 years agoHow many sales by seller? Did buyer communicate with seller? Any response?
deltilogical
·2 years agoThis makes Ebay look really stupid - classic cliche corporate antihuman nonsense.
THIS: "File mail fraud and a police report."
But frankly, its getting where we citizens are going to have to take care of this ourselves.
vintagecraze50
·2 years agoWHAT THESE SCAMMER doing THIS DO NOT REALIZE or they don’t care is that all this nonsense can be verified 100 percent by the carrier. Fed ex takes pictures of where these packages end up and have Global Positions system. USPS has global positioning also in their database. The buyers AND the sellers who have been victimized by these people need to get proactive all the time about this.
m0ving0n
OP2 years agoThanks for the suggestion. I'll look into chargebacks.
I'm guessing eBay will tell my credit card provider "Tracking number says delivered. Case closed." and my credit card issuer cancels the chargeback.
Then, eBay turns to me and says: "We were GOING to help you, but you charged us in the back with a chargeback. And, that hurt our feelings so now we're NOT going to help you."
By the way, I noticed my scammer-seller has a 100% rating now. This morning they had an 89% rating. My negative review and others have been removed. The scammer's trap is now ready to catch the next mouse-- err, eBay buyer.
Bravo, eBay. ðŸ‘
albertabrightalberta
·2 years agoA chargeback should be your last option.
As suggested earlier, go to eBay for business on facebook. Send a private message with a brief description that you're a victim of a "fake tracking" scam. Tell them you have documentation that the item wasn't delivered to you and you need to appeal the case. (You'll be able to upload pictures of the documentation.)
https://www.facebook.com/eBayForBusiness
m0ving0n
OP2 years agoHi Alberta, thank you for your advice. So Facebook/Meta where the authoritative eBay customer support representatives can be found? I thought eBay's phone reps would hear my case, but they were just following a script to get me off the phone. Now I need to create a facebook account, fill out a profile, upload photos, and get messages from people from high school, jump through flaming hoops, because of this scammer.
Regardless, I sincerely appreciate your advice. I am just marveling the Kafkaesque system that is eBay.
chapeau-noir
·2 years agoYou don't need to do any of that stuff to contact eBay on Facebook - just fill out the brief profile and that's it. No personal involvement.
m0ving0n
OP2 years agoOk, thanks! In that case, I'll do it now.
Update: I was able to send a message to eBayForBusiness. Thanks all for your advice! I'll keep you all posted! 👋
dare-2046
·2 years agoFile a dispute here if that's how you paid.
Choose that option when tracking was delivered to a warehouse a mile from your house. Upload that PDF from FedEx into the dispute @m0ving0n to get your refund.
m0ving0n
OP2 years agoThanks for the suggestion! I used a credit card, thankfully.
lazray
·2 years agoI think you can do a charge back on your credit card
m0ving0n
OP2 years agoA gentleman from eBay sent me a personalized email that says "appeal denied". He said the seller's tracking number says it was delivered. Case closed.
Me: "The package was not addressed to me. I have proof."
eBay: "Tracking number says delivered."
Fedex: "We can confirm this package was addressed to a warehouse a mile away."
eBay: "Tracking number says delivered. Case closed!"
I appeal and select the option titled: "My item was delivered to the wrong address".
eBay: "Tracking number says delivered. Case closed! Ruling in seller's favor!"
I have irrefutable proof from Fedex that the scammer:
- Did NOT address the package to my home.
- DID address the package to a stranger's warehouse a mile away from me.
Proof #1 Fedex sent me a "Proof-Of-Delivery" PDF showing the package was shipped to a warehouse nearby.
Proof #2 eBay can call 800-GoFedEx (800-463-3339) and Fedex will tell them directly that it was not sent to my house.
I'm so dizzy right now. This was a lot of money to me. The scammer is reading this laughing at my pain, I'm sure.
eburtonlab
·2 years agoYou cannot win a standard "item not received" case if the seller has tracking that shows delivery.
You need to contact eBay via social media and explain that you have a "false tracking" situation, not an "item not received" case.
Good advice for dealing with false tracking:
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/I-tried-contacting-seller-i-tried-contacting-fedex-i-tried/m-p/...
m0ving0n
OP2 years agoHi eburtonlab, as mentioned above, I appealed and clearly described that the seller did not ADDRESS the package to my home address on file, and that I have proof from Fedex that the seller addressed the package to a stranger's warehouse.
BTW, on Fedex's tracking page, there's a link to "Report Missing Package" and if you put in my home address Fedex says it doesn't match the shipping address.
I recorded a video of myself demonstrating this "Report Missing Package" link using the seller's tracking number.
As a counter example, I recorded myself on video demonstrating "Report Missing Package" using a package I received from Walmart, and the "Report Missing Package" allowed me to open a case. I sent both video examples in my appeal.
eBay's response to my appeal:
This has got to be intentional.
I told them the seller sent it to a warehouse; I have proof; this is the "same zip code delivery" eBay scam. And yet, the response above is what I received.
This is malicious compliance.
eburtonlab
·2 years agoI appealed and clearly described that the seller did not ADDRESS the package to my home address on file
If you appealed an "item not received" case, you are still pursuing the wrong case.
You need to contact eBay via social media and use the words "false tracking", then provide your documentation. Others in the same situation have done that and gotten a refund.
m0ving0n
OP2 years agoHi eburtonlab,
My original report was "Item Not Received" which was closed in favor of the seller.
Then, I appealed and selected the option titled: "My item was delivered to the wrong address".
But I understand you now. It's very strange that the representatives didn't read any of the words in my report. The fact that I submitted a PDF proof from Fedex in my appeal meant nothing, at all.
I currently don't use any social media. Is there an alternative? I'll join to get my case resolved. But I'd prefer working with eBay directly via phone/email.
I am very appreciative for your advice thus far. Thank you!
bctk5292
·2 years agoIt looks @eburtonlab @ittybitnot like eBay is moving to handle the fake tracking scam, with the "My item was delivered to the wrong address" option to appeal an INR closed in favor of the seller because tracking shows delivered.
But although we hear that appeals are reviewed by humans, they may not have been trained yet for this option. And regardless @devon@ebay @elizabeth@ebay @kyle@ebay isn't this late in the process, to concede a $440 refund (which eBay will have to pay, since it's an appeal) when the submitted PDF from FedEx ends the appeal in favor of the buyer?
ittybitnot
·2 years agoIt looks @eburtonlab @ittybitnot like eBay is moving to handle the fake tracking scam, with the "My item was delivered to the wrong address" option to appeal an INR closed in favor of the seller because tracking shows delivered.
@bctk5292
The screen shot in message #12 provided by @dare-2046 is of a PAYPAL page, where the selection is provided for the BUYER to choose 'item shipped to wrong address'. Are you saying that selection is visible on eBay now as well, but ONLY during the appeal stage?
vintagecraze50
·2 years agoRight, GET ON FACEBOOK WITH EBAY FOR BUSINESS.
asset_liquidators
·2 years agoContact ebay for business on facebook.
msha3839
·2 years agoNext time buy from Amazon and don’t expect miracles…
vintagecraze50
·2 years agoYou need to call ebay and ask them to give you the email address where you can give them the proof from Fed Ex. I personally am sick of hearing about these cases on here with these scammers with the fake address scam, and you have to call Ebay and get that PROOF sent to them and go over this again and catch these people doing this stuff. Other than that. File a chargeback.
kensgiftshop
·2 years agoHave FedEx send you a letter stating that the package was not addressed to you.
File mail fraud and a police report.
Once you have those three, use them to appeal the case.
vintagecraze50
·2 years agoSeriously, this stuff has got to be reviewed properly by ebay with the buyer sending this proof to them to stop this.
m0ving0n
OP2 years agoOh, thank you! I wasn't able to find that link.
lady_madonna
·2 years ago@m0ving0n
Contact Ebay and provide the proof that it was delivered elsewhere other than your Ebay shipping address.
Use the following link to click on either "Chat with us" or to request a "Call back":
https://www.ebay.com/help/eua?id=5275&mkpid
Available 5:00 am to 09:30 pm Pacific Time.
Good luck!