"The seller sends the item to a nearby address to make the tracking number appear as delivered."
New sellers with low feedback mark the items as shipped and upload the tracking number. The tracking status shows the item as delivered to the ZIP code, but sellers actually send it to a nearby address, and someone else signs for the delivery. This means the buyer cannot win the case with eBay. eBay asks buyers to provide proof of delivery with the address, but only the sender can obtain that proof. Therefore, the buyer cannot submit evidence of an incorrect delivery address.
16 comments
simba6
·1 year agoThat is why the buyer has to file an item not as described case. And yes, it's not a lie as you know they did not send a valuable item to a random address.
The fake tracking number scam is by far the most popular scam running now. It's pulled way ahead of the drained gift card scam. Even selling a dead husbands car is losing ground.
mudshark61369
·1 year ago@her-932616 ,
"The tracking status shows the item as delivered to the ZIP code, but sellers actually send it to a nearby address, and someone else signs for the delivery. This means the buyer cannot win the case with eBay".
If you filed an item not received dispute, it will initially be turned down by ebay. However, there are two ways to get a refund from ebay. You do need to get some information in order to get one though and it is spelled out in the link below. When you open the link, click on the Go To Best Answer button. The links needed to contact ebay outside of normal channels are in the next reply.
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Need-advice-item-not-received/m-p/34621715#M496499
Buying items from low feedback sellers has its problems. Many of them haven't read every thing they should have before starting to sell and run into issues they are not prepared for. Until you have more experience yourself, you should avoid buying from low FB number sellers, especially if the item is an expensive one that has a lower than trending price.
campanaelia
·1 year agoBelow are a couple of threads on this topic you should read!
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Fake-Tracking-Scam-by-seller/m-p/34889174#M511418
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Where-Can-I-Send-a-Formal-Complaint-to-eBay-Buyer-Protection/m-p/35185601#M527326
campanaelia
·1 year agoThere are 2 types of claims for the money back guarantee you can open
They are "Item not received" and "item not as described", @roccotacodad54 already gave you a hint which one NOT to choose... Good Luck!
roccotacodad54
·1 year ago"The tracking status shows the item as delivered to the ZIP code, but sellers actually send it to a nearby address, and someone else signs for the delivery. This means the buyer cannot win the case with eBay."
Not so if the buyer knows how to go about it. Hint...It's not by filing an "Item Not Received" case.
soh.maryl
·1 year agoHow does that work if there's tracking proving delivery?
All the tracking has to prove, as I understand it, that the item was delivered to the correct zipcode, it doesn't have to be the correct address, apparently.
estate_echoes
·1 year agoIs this something that happened to you? I know I heard of that scam years ago. Would be surprised that it can still be pulled off. Then again for this platform...
tinsoldierunderground
·1 year ago@estate_echoes
We here about this fake tracking scam daily, and have for years now. It never stopped. It's to the point now where multiple threads about it get started in a single day.
soh.maryl
·1 year agoJust curious: Why are you surprised that it can still be pulled off?
What would be in place to stop it now vs years ago?
powell-collectibles
·1 year agobuyer just files an INAD. That’s the best way to beat this scam - fast and efficient.
estate_echoes
·1 year agoAnd all eBay has to do is bury this advice in the "Listing Dogfood" Policy on page 5,391 of the eBay handbook.
Mission Accomplished.
mudshark61369
·1 year ago@estate_echoes ,
What @powell-collectibles suggested is actually postal fraud, and if ebay were to post the suggestion anywhere on their site, the Federal Govt. would go after them.
What happens if the scammer sends a label with an undeliverable return address?
You replied to soh.maryl writing:
"The same could be done now as it could have been years ago. It would only take a tiny bit of programing and cooperation with USPS to confirm delivery status to the correct address instead of just the zipcode".
The cooperation of USPS, FedEx, UPS would require a change in federal postal privacy policies, that actually do not allow anyone other than the sender of a package to access the shipping label information.
Of course buyers could do their due diligence when shopping on the site like checking feedback profiles, and not buying from very high volume sellers who have a 96.7% feedback rating.
powell-collectibles
·1 year agoAbsolutely, eBay would not include some suggested as a great way to fight these scammers in a policy or help a page. But, I don’t think it would be male fraud. I’d have to give it more thought.
seriously, tell eBay has an option for the buyer to choose that indicates that the item was delivered, but to a completely different address, buyers that do this are just using the only workaround that there is available to them. Well, the only workaround that doesn’t require them to jump through hoops and put those buyers at risk for having their refunds rejected by eBay.
you did ask about what happens if the scamming seller provides an address that is undeliverable – good question. With returns, the buyer just needs to get a scan on their label – if the item gets lost in transit, undeliverable, etc. – the buyer is refunded.
estate_echoes
·1 year ago"
estate_echoes
·1 year agoHow would it be postal fraud? You ordered something and were delivered nothing...
Besides, contrary to what you claimed, the recipient can also get label info. You can ask your postmater and get the delivery address, package weight, and have them check the scan photo and tell you size.
I see lots of people have done this, and submitted evidence to ebay, only to have it rejected.
estate_echoes
·1 year agoThe same could be done now as it could have been years ago. It would only take a tiny bit of programing and cooperation with USPS to confirm delivery status to the correct address instead of just the zipcode.
We can go to USPS with a tracking number and figure out what address a package was delivered to... but eBay can't... and won't accept any evidence.