Be aware of this eBay scam
I sold an expensive sweater to a buyer and they opened up a return. Instead of using the prepaid label that was provided, they bought their own label and sent back a different item (their own used sweater). While the return was still open, they opened up a case and eBay automatically sided with them just because they provided tracking. Since they went outside of the system, they were able to avoid my 50% deduction for sending back a different item. This essentially allows anyone to get a full refund and to keep the item by sending back ANYTHING to the seller, so long as they provide tracking. I'm currently in the appeals process. I also filed a complaint with ic3.gov as well as a police report. How is eBay allowed to take $150 out of my account and give it to someone who is committing mail fraud. The return process is there for a reason.
chapeau-noir
·3 years agoMaybe I'm not understanding this, but if they did not use your label there would not have been any record of tracking the item back to you as the return is indexed to the tracking number issued through eBay - if it's outside the system, there would have been no record of actual return. I don't use eBay labels to ship out, but any returns certainly have the eBay issued label.
I can't imagine eBay issuing a refund just on the strength of some tracking number the buyer provides outside the system. Did they 'step in'?
dbfolks166mt
·3 years agoUnfortunately this does happen. About all you can do is report the buyer to eBay and file a claim with the buyers local police department and the FBI cyber crimes division. They will probably do nothing unless they have received multiple complaints about this individual.
pjcdn2005
·3 years agoWhen a buyer purchases their own label, I don't understand how they can avoid the 50% reduction by paying for their own postage. Either way, the refund should not have been done until tracking was showing that you received the item back. At that time you should have had the option to use the 50% off since a different item was sent back. Are you saying that ebay refunded early or that the 50% option wasn't there or ??
icksee
OP3 years agoSince they did not go through the system and they provided their own label, the return remained open (they never uploaded tracking to the return). Upon receiving a different item, I messaged the seller and told them that they sent me a different item. I never refunded them since they did not send back the item. They must have called eBay and were able to open (and immediately close) a case by providing their tracking number. I had no option to talk to anyone or state my side. I just want everyone to know that this scam is out there. It's happened to me twice now. The first time I received a defect for it! I'm not sure if I'll receive another one this time. This is a zero feedback buyer as well. I'm not really sure how to avoid this scam in the future. I guess I have to refund them minus my deduction no matter what they return? Pretty frustrating tbh.
chapeau-noir
·3 years agoThe returns system here can be a hot mess.
rfmtm
·3 years agoYou need to turn on the RMA required option in your Return Preferences at the very bottom. This at least prevents the immediate refund and gives you some time to contact ebay or make your own refund.
https://www.ebay.com/rtn/Return/SellerRules
joliztoyco
·3 years agoYes. Ebay has a "returns process".
Yes. It's meaningless when it can be subverted so easily.
Until Ebay addresses the rapidly expanding scammer activity infesting their platform, they will continue to bleed sellers.
Notice they're doing nothing?
We're sorry about you finding this out the hard way. It's only going to get worse.
Good luck.
12345jamesstamps
·3 years agoIt does happen. Buyer can sometimes return anything. I usually check buyer's feedback on high end stuff now. I usually do immediate feedback but not on those that have no or little feedback now. It's my personal choice and anyone can do anything they want. I understand that. I also google the address to see where my high end item is going now . I prefer not to do freight forward for just a letter. It would sit there forever while waiting for other packages to deliver everything at once to their foreign country.
Doing the appeal or doing a complaint won't do anything.
I got a return of a girlie post card instead of my stamps once. And I got a return of a dark bag with something gooey inside...instead of my stamps...refused that from buyer and bank charged me another $20. Sometimes doing an appeal can cost you more...which I found out.
frommichel
·3 years agoHello. Sorry this happened to you - truly terrible. I think that it is eBay policy to have a knee-jerk response to side with a buyer over the 'did the buyer return an item or not' issue. However! First of all, send a sad (not angry) sounding message to your buyer asking 'why didn't you return the sweater I sold to you' and include a pic of the bad sweater. See if you can get them to admit to anything. Then, regardless of whether they come clean or not, I think that if you call eBay and explain what happened - offer to provide photos of the bad sweater that was sent to you - they may alter their conclusion. This will hinge significantly on your background with eBay because it comes down to trust - feedbacks, complaints, longevity of account, etc. You are not new here and you did the police report, so you have a good chance of getting them to not let a thieving buyer get away with it. Don't forget to block the bad buyer. Please let us know if you got some help from them?