Heads-Up to Fellow Sellers: Return Scam Alert – Small Envelope Swap
I want to give fellow sellers a heads-up about a scam I’m currently dealing with. A buyer requested a return and I approved it. A few days later, I received a small envelope, definitely not the item I originally shipped.
USPS scanned it as “Delivered,†so as far as eBay’s system is concerned, the return was completed. I refunded the buyer immediately, but what I actually got back was not the item just a worthless envelope. It’s now been three days since I reported the issue, and I still haven’t heard anything from eBay.
If you haven’t already, I strongly suggest recording return unboxings. This kind of scam is hard to fight without proof — and it seems to be happening more often.
eBay, we need a better way to handle fraudulent returns. Sellers shouldn’t be punished for doing the right thing and refunding promptly when the returned package clearly isn’t legitimate.
Be careful out there — this one really stings.
rugerskick
·1 year agoUsps has a record of the weight of that item. If it isnt the weight of the item you sent them, its clear they didnt send the same item back to you. Start fraud proceedings with usps, and inform ebay of this as well, showing the usps proof of weight differences.
owerstokdeel
·1 year agoDo not refund a scammer.
Report scammer.
Record scammer contact information.
File a police report.
kensgiftshop
·1 year agoThat wouldn't really prove anything, but you being able to make a video.
onefootflipper
·1 year agoEvery time you see me open a box on my youtube channel it is the second time I opened the box. I always pre-open them to make sure there isn't anything inappropriate, isn't any personal information visible, or just to make sure nothing to is too agressively protected to the point where I can't open in smoothly on camera.
Absolutely no way to tell that from watching my video though and there would be no way for ebay to tell that watching yours.
Switcharoo returns are actually quite rare and you are likely to go years without encountering another one. I think I have had like 2 out of 50,000 transactions, both Pokemon cards.
dolcetreasures
·1 year agoFast forward to 2025, there are cameras now that capture photographs of the envelope/package, they also have the weight of said packages if they are sent by usps(via informed delivery). eBay can easily put that info together for many transactions where it’s obvious the buyer can’t possibly be returning the item the seller sent.
onefootflipper
·1 year agoThey could, but they don't. Maybe they will someday, it won't help since that will just mean that the people who do this will start making the package the right weight.
12345jamesstamps
·1 year agoIt can happen and has to me...I just brush it off as business and block the buyer.
As being a stamp seller and getting a return with something gooey in a dark plastic bag with tracking and refusing it at the post office and never knowing what it was in the bag it kinda turned into a funny story.
I also got a girlie post card returned with tracking.
My thoughts are as these were International Buyers I am surprised they would return them with tracking which isn't cheap to do.
ittybitnot
·1 year agoI refunded the buyer immediately, but what I actually got back ...
@darink7
You refunded, as far as eBay is concerned that is the end of the story.
Did they use the return label you provided?
Sounds like the seller version of the "fake tracking scam". It used to be called the "cheap trinket return scam". When this happens there are other options for you to take. Sometimes they are successful, other times not.
You can still try. First "report the buyer" for the faulty return. Then contact eBay via one of the social media portals. These are US based human eBay employees that do have the authority to help you if they so choose. If the buyer has played this game before, you may get help. Contacting the regular Customer Service you get in a call back or chat is typically not productive.
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
Unfortunately, this is nothing new. It has been going on for years. At least when buyers are victims, they have a few avenues of redress. Sellers not so much. Always remember that just about ANY ITEM CAN BE HAD FOR FREE AT THE SELLER'S expense. Know your risk tolerance before posting.
Here are some older threads for your reading pleasure. You will note that many of these involve out of US buyers that used Freight Forwarders in the US (typically but not limited to Delaware, Oregon, S. Florida). It that is the case for you, come back for more advice.
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Buyer-using-USPS-return-scam-Ebay-decided-case-in-buyers-favor/m-p/34225035#M2339548
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Help-Miami-Freight-Forwarder-says-wrong-item-sent-and-returning/m-p/34234105#M2341629
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Getting-screwed-over-for-months-as-a-seller-on-on-an-blatant/m-p/34253728#M2346631
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Ebay-refunded-a-buyer-without-me-getting-my-item-back-from/m-p/34267762#M2350243
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Return-scam-nothing-new/m-p/34302635#M2358896
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/The-new-buyer-scam-and-eBay-s-ignoring-Policy/m-p/34301810#M2358639
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Return-Scam-so-simple-but-super-effective-What-should-I-do/m-p/34350235#M2371144
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Scam-and-ebay-ignores-it/m-p/34356453#M2372717
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Seller-Beware-of-Buying-amp-Return-Scam/m-p/34386391#M2379744
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Scammed-on-My-First-Major-Sale-A-Buyer-s-Deception-and-Lack-of/m-p/34424217#M2388957
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/What-more-proof-could-eBay-possibly-need/m-p/34425944#M2389459
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Need-advice-on-a-customer-return-Never-received-return-and/mp/34498149#M2409355
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/eBay-messed-up-Lawsuit-en-route/td-p/34547069
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/iPhone-Buyer-Scam-Abuse-of-eBay-Protection/m-p/34568104#M2428528
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/iPhone-sale-scammed-by-buyer-Ebay-sided-with-them/m-p/34579951#M2431674
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Ebay-facilitates-fraud-against-seller-and-still-charges-seller/m-p/34633858#M2446459
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Scammed-and-eBay-won-t-help/td-p/34633093
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Buyer-Created-False-Returns-Case-with-Fraudulent-Fake-Tracking/m-p/34724972#M2470905
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Why-I-m-closing-my-eBay-account-reported-eBay-to-the-FBI-and-am/m-p/34772539#M2483947
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Blatant-buyer-scam-any-way-to-esclate/m-p/34956765#M2530733
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/New-type-of-return-fraud-Bar-code-on-shipping-label-replaced/m-p/34980071#M2536479
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Concerned-about-possible-scam/m-p/35012358#M2544889
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Your-opinion-and-advice-on-a-tricky-return-case-What-Would-You/m-p/35029915#M2549727
jonathanbrightlight
·1 year agoThis isn't new, though it's always good to hear more stories to bring it to light. Many sellers have reported this, and it's worth noting some sellers do the same thing to buyers, so it can go either way. It's one that's difficult to address, because as you saw, you have a delivered item according to the USPS. Your best bet in fighting it is often to get the weight of the item you shipped and the weight of the returned envelope and submit that evidence to eBay, but it's very much not a guaranteed winnable case for the recipient in this type of scam. Sorry you're dealing with this!
pls-consignments
·1 year ago"eBay, we need a better way to handle fraudulent returns. Sellers shouldn’t be punished for doing the right thing and refunding promptly when the returned package clearly isn’t legitimate."
I couldn't agree more. This is a trend that will continue to increase. They are delusional if they think it's a temporary or manageable issue. If they expect Sellers to carry the risks of a trending human behavior, then such short-sightedness will be their downfall.
mrcdeals
·1 year agoI agree with you. I've wondered on occasion that if eBay had a system - location to receive and verify returns (for items over a certain dollar value) that that may somehow lessen the buyer scam opportunity......
All the best 🙂