Return scam, nothing new
Alright you probably seen this a million times here haha, basically buyer bought a iPhone off me then opened a case saying he needed help with the phone, I asked what’s wrong and he never responded. eBay let him return it . Return came from New York even though I shipped it to Florida lol . It’s obviously the scam where they deliver it in your zip code area to make it look like it delivered. It hasn’t been marked as delivered yet but when it does “arrive†I suppose I have to go to usps and ask them for documentation proving it wasn’t sent to me. I understand that but what exactly do I ask for? What do I specifically say to the clerk?
11 comments
12345jamesstamps
·2 years agoWho is paying for return shipping? And the tracking? Tracking will alert when item is out for delivery and when item is delivered per tracking.
Emails of tracking will show up in your "in box" of emails...and I suppose you can see them on your iPhone when this all happens.
I get separate emails of these just from items being delivered. I mean, I assume eBay has your email address and updates come from shipping resources outside of eBay.
yellowme44
OP2 years agoidk who paid eBay just said they let them return after I sent a partial refund offer. It’s not in my informed delivery. Red flags all over . There’s no doubt. I think I may have to act like a Karen at usps if they refuse to share any documents
ittybitnot
·2 years ago@yellowme44
Chances are pretty good that you shipped this to a Freight Forwarder in Miami. Buyers void their Money Back Guarantee protections when they use a Freight Forwarder. They are also famous for using the "fake tracking return scam" especially of late with IPhones.
Google the address to which you shipped. If it is in an industrial park, you paid an international fee for the transaction, etc. it is a freight forwarder. Unfortunately, eBay treats these as any other sale. It is up to the SELLER to inform eBay that this was a transaction (no MBG) involving a forwarder.
You are going to have to contact eBay through one of their social media portals. Use the blue message button on this page:
https://www.facebook.com/eBayForBusiness
OR
https://twitter.com/askebay
https://www.instagram.com/ebayforsellers/
Ask for assistance with a transaction involving a buyer that used a Freight Forwarder, and now has engaged in the typical FAKE TRACKING RETURN Scam involving the IPhone. They know all about this, and unlike the regular outsourced foreign call center reps you get in a call back or chat, actually have the authority to help you.
For your reading pleasure:
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
yellowme44
OP2 years agoI googled the address previously and it’s a forwarder definitely. It’s a small warehouse. So I. Tell this to eBay support on Facebook and I should be good?
ittybitnot
·2 years agoSo I. Tell this to eBay support on Facebook and I should be good?
@yellowme44
Hopefully. That is how it has been working of late. They may stick you with providing a "written statement" from the carrier for the "fake tracking return scam" part, since they know it is often impossible to obtain. However, your buyer supposedly had no MBG protection from the start had you been aware of the circumstances BEFORE you sent the return label.
Understand, eBay protects the interests of eBay. Buyers that are victims of fake tracking delivery scams can seek redress from their credit card company. Sellers that are victims have to rely on the benevolence of eBay and have to deal with them in addition to the scam buyer.
Good luck, and do let us know how it turns out so that we can advise others.
yellowme44
OP2 years agoI never sent him a label. eBay did in his favor all I did was offer a $20 partial refund
yellowme44
OP2 years agoGot a paper from usps. It’s actually coming to me and the weight is less than half of the iPhone. The buyer admitted he has the phone in the return with a picture and that model iPhone is more than double the weight the return says . So that means I should be good right? Apparently they can determine the resolution after it says delivered. I really hope they use common sense!
ibuywholesale
·2 years agoDid you win the appeal? I just got the same thing happened to me. I sent to a freight forwarder in New Jersey and he return the item to me from Kentucky. Then within 1-2 hours his account is no longer registered. EBay close the case in my favour now the case is opened again from “credit card chargeback†I had some issues with international buyers especially from Ukraine.
dbfolks166mt
·2 years agoDid you win the appeal? I just got the same thing happened to me. I sent to a freight forwarder in New Jersey and he return the item to me from Kentucky. Then within 1-2 hours his account is no longer registered. EBay close the case in my favour now the case is opened again from “credit card chargeback†I had some issues with international buyers especially from Ukraine.
You should have seller protection from the chargeback based on eBay's policy. Did eBay ask you to respond to the chargeback or did they just inform you one had been opened and no action was required on your part? Following is the chargeback seller protection policy.
https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/selling-policies/payment-dispute-seller-protections?id=5293
dbfolks166mt
·2 years agoDid you win the appeal? I just got the same thing happened to me. I sent to a freight forwarder in New Jersey and he return the item to me from Kentucky. Then within 1-2 hours his account is no longer registered. EBay close the case in my favour now the case is opened again from “credit card chargeback†I had some issues with international buyers especially from Ukraine.
If this is for a cell phone and you have the IMEI number report it to the IMEI blacklist as stolen and that should render the phone pretty much useless to the buyer. Once the phone is on the blacklists it is almost impossible to have removed.
wastingtime101
·2 years agoHey @yellowme44 . Yeah, this is very likely a scam. Most likely scenarios:
- You will receive a package with $1 junk inside.
- There will be a package delivered to your zip code, but not to you.
If scenario 1 happens you will need to file reports for postal fraud and with IC3 and attempt to appeal with eBay.
If scenario 2 happens there are good instructions on how to handle it here, see mudshark's post:
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Shipping/What-do-you-do-when-ebay-support-will-not-help-you/m-p/34080073#M460743
Edit to add: if this package was sent to a freight forwarder in Miami/Doral (look up the address online) you can quote this section of the MBG in your appeal. Also, check buyer's feedback page to see in what country they're registered.
https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy?id=4210#section3
Exclusions and special coverage when the item doesn't match the listing
The item was sent to another address after original delivery
Not covered: The buyer used third-party freight forwarding or mail redirection