Ebay refunded a buyer without me getting my item back from return.
Hello,
I recently sold an item back on January 15th. The buyer said the item wasn’t as described so I gave him a prepaid label and gave it to him to return to my address. He “shipped†it with my label but it says delivered in a different city/zip code. My city is in Dallas but it’s saying it was delivered in Richmond, Houston. So when I received this claim, I immediately called ebay up and they said they would send the claim to higher ups. An Hour later ebay automatically decided to close the claim and refund the buyer without me receiving the item. I tried again and then they denied it again because the buyer provided “proof†that shows it was delivered to me. I am frustrated because they didn’t only take my money out of my wallet on ebay they also left me -22 dollars in fees. How do I file this claim to get my money back because this is frustrating me. The item was $135 dollars.
liquidationspecialties
·2 years agoI have this same issue right now I sold a Google Pixel 8 Pro for $650 and it was exactly as described. I didn't accept returns in my store so the buyer stated there was an issue with the device to trigger a return. after sending multiple messages to the buyer trying to find out what was wrong, ebay sent the buyer a return label. the buyer sent the return but it never showed up and the minute the package showed delivered ebay refunded the customer. I have friends at the post office so I went up there because it was a pricey item. they scan every piece of mail that comes thru there daily and was able to pull up the scan of that package. the label had been altered to go to a hotel in my area. I took a picture of the screen showing the label was altered but had the same tracking number and its like talking to a wall they closed the case within 5 min and said it was final. here's a picture of the label with the correct tracking but the shipping address and even the return address isn't correct im assuming they send it to the hotel and the hotel doesn't know who it belongs to so they resend it back to the return address and the package could contain the item or maybe its just an empty box. but with all of that said the post office did informed me that this is a big scam going around right now and showed me a bin full of packages like this that people have made claims on. luckily its a phone with a serial number so I can at least report it as stolen. I am also going to that hotel tomorrow to see what the package is or if its even there.
broto_64
·2 years agoOhhh...!
That picture literally speaks a thousand words, it is a photocopy!
You can see the lines of a folded over piece of paper that is the label, so they probably printed the label and the reason they made a photocopy is because it has the "fake" address overlaid over top of your own.
vintagecraze50
·2 years agoGood catch. That is what all sellers need to do when this scam is committed.
zamboni_chick77
·2 years agoI have recently lost faith in Ebay, so good luck in getting your money back. They clearly defend the scammers. My "buyer" claimed a damaged item (since I dont accept returns). It was a 9lb item that was sent in a 28 inch long box, what I recieved back (from an address 500 miles aways) was a 4oz toy. Scammer got to keep the item and their money.
I have been using EBay for buying and selling for the last 23 years, maybe I have been lucky, but my last two transactions have been scams. This second one I even called ebay before I sent the item, to see if it was ok. Scammer wins!
vintagecraze50
·2 years agoEbay does not have the resources to track down these scammers with their fake return addresses. You have to do the leg work for them and get evidence that the package return address was altered. Everyone on this website better be doing the leg work for this scam because too many scammers are getting into this business on here. The only way it is going to stop if if sellers do the work necessary to stop them.
gamersbaystore
·2 years agoIf your package was sent to an alternate zip code upon return, then the buyer clearly didn't use the label you provided; unless the package was forwarded, which the tracking would show.
Its obvious your buyer used a different label with the return, which ebay allows. This is a very common scam here, and it doesnt appear ebay cares at all.
All you can really do is file a mail fraud report with the post office. ebay does not even bother to verify where a return is sent. Once it says delivered, you are forced to refund.
rabathin0
OP2 years agoIt’s weird because the label tracking number has stayed the same, I’m guessing they put a sticker over my address that it was supposed to be sent too like another commenter said
dbfolks166mt
·2 years agoSince you didn't specify which item I am guessing it is the following since it's the only item I see that sold on the 15th.
In the listing it indicates the item shipped out of Richardson, Texas which appears to be a suburb of Dallas. But you are indicating it was returned to Richmond, Texas which appears to be a suburb of Houston.
While you have had an account for awhile you appear to be pretty new as a seller. If this is your first return check your shipping addresses in your account settings to make sure they are all correct. There are 5 addresses tied to your account. Check the Return Address and make sure it is correct this would have been the one used to generate the return label.
If your addresses are correct pull the tracking number and information and take it to your local post office and have them pull up the label information to see if it matches your return address. If it does then you need to work with the post office on the mis-delivery. If it doesn't there is a possibility that the buyer altered the return label and sent who knows what to another address. It's a known scamming technique. If that is the case it is something you will have to work with eBay through the appeal process providing the proof that the buyer altered your label. Have you touched base with the buyer or are they ghosting you?
rabathin0
OP2 years agoNo I have not talked to the buyer yet, I do have one main return label on my account is my primary address that I used for the label, I did have the right label because I still have a screenshot of the exact one I sent to him.
dbfolks166mt
·2 years agoNo I have not talked to the buyer yet, I do have one main return label on my account is my primary address that I used for the label, I did have the right label because I still have a screenshot of the exact one I sent to him.
It's good that you have the screenshot of the one you sent them. Now you just need to get USPS to provide you with a shot of the one that was on the package that they delivered. I am going to guess that the buyer altered the return label. That is the information you would put into an appeal.
If eBay does not correct the situation you can always open a chargeback with your bank for the amount eBay took from you.
rabathin0
OP2 years agoHow would I technically charge back ebay because they took the money out my wallet on ebay, I don’t think I can get it back unless I constantly force them to give my money back.
This is my first time getting a return so it’s unfortunate how the first one has already been a disappointment
dbfolks166mt
·2 years agoHow would I technically charge back ebay because they took the money out my wallet on ebay, I don’t think I can get it back unless I constantly force them to give my money back.
This is my first time getting a return so it’s unfortunate how the first one has already been a disappointment
Didn't catch the wallet part that would make that avenue useless.
whiteparrot2003
·2 years agoIf he used your label and you have tracking that reflects that then you probably need to start an investigation with the post office to locate the package that was mis-delivered. Was it actually delivered to an address or just misdirected to the wrong post office? Ebay sees the buyer did his part by using the return label but they should IMO also be refunding your fees. Good luck!
rabathin0
OP2 years agoI did start a usps investigation but they haven’t responded yet. It said it was delivered to a mailbox in richmond houston which is weird because that is the same city as the buyer which isn’t my city/address. I will be contacting ebay again tomorrow, I don’t understand why they can’t just check that my zip code and the zip code it was delivered too didn’t match.
caldreamer
·2 years agoThere are many different types of scams going around on EBAY. This scam is more sophisticated...customer opens "return" case and AFTER they print label that you provided (they put sticker over address and have it shipped to THEIR HOME). EBAY only looks at tracking which shows item was delivered and they get a refund.
EBAY always rules in favor of the customer and does nothing to protect Sellers against scams. Sorry this happened you...
rabathin0
OP2 years agoWow, that’s disappointing, first return and it’s already been a scam, hopefully I can find a way to fix this from ebay.
luckythewinner
·2 years agoThe irony is that the buyer doesn't need to go to all that trouble. All they need to do is use the label and return a phone book and they will still get refunded.
broto_64
·2 years agoYeah, in fact they can get in more trouble by falsifying the label than if they just send back an empty envelope.