Random package

[libe_5655]

So I received a package that appears to be an eBay return. I don’t know who the person returning it is, I didn’t previously have an eBay account, it’s a return package sent to me with my address. What do I do? What does this mean? It has an eBay return number and it’s tracked and has the return inside with a reason for return but was sent to me instead of eBay and has my address instead of idk what address what do I do? Do I send it back to sender or?  

[gosimus]

@libe_5655 

< it’s a return package sent to me with my address >     

I've read that some overseas sellers, when required to take a return, will just pick a name and address at random to put on the label.  I don't know why they'd do this instead of simply refunding without requiring a return, unless they can claim they never received the item and use that excuse to deny the refund.  I might be way off base here, this is conjecture.   

Is there somewhere that your name and address are available, for example in a telephone directory?  

[shipscript]

@libe_5655 

Have you been at your current address very long?

It may be possible that an eBay seller once lived there and failed to update all of their addresses on eBay when they moved.

 The buyer requested a return label and your address is what eBay provided, based on the seller's "return" address on their account. Someone, either buyer or seller, is going to be cheated due to wrong address, and I can tell this bothers you.  If you wish to pursue this, I would recommend contacting eBay customer support and providing all the information you can find on the label.

Use the "contact us" link at the bottom of this page and type "agent" into the chat box that appears:

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/managing-returns-refunds/manage-returns-missing-items-refunds-sell...

[gosimus]

@libe_5655 

< it’s a return package sent to me with my address >    

After reading the excellent take on this by ships, I have this question.  Your post says "return package sent to me", did you mean the address included your name, too, or someone else's name with your street address?  

[libe_5655]

I think my address and name are available on a few different people searching websites (many think I am the opposite sex of what I am or a different age but they have my name and address) it is possible they could have gotten it from there maybe 

[libe_5655]

My family and I have lived at this address over 20 years so I don’t think it’s that and it does have my name as well. I will try reaching out to eBay to see what I should do thank you! 

[libe_5655]

It’s my name too full name 

[libe_5655]

The only problem with contacting eBay through that though is I don’t know what prompt to pick and I don’t have a cell phone number atm and it wants one 

[shipscript]

@libe_5655 

If it looks like an eBay return, then I would pick this page:

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/managing-returns-refunds/manage-returns-missing-items-refunds-sell...

Use the "Contact us" link at the bottom and type "agent".

If it just appears to be a label with eBay's logo, it may not be a return. We'll partially go back to @gosimus' s conjecture.

Because it was shipped to your full name and address, consider it a gift. No further action necessary. Is the item cheap? Do you see a 12-digit item number printed sideways on the label (some sellers add it there)?

There is a shady operation in play by some "overseas" sellers trying to build up feedback and selling history. They will hire a service that likely uses newly minted eBay IDs with random names and addresses. The service will make a purchase of a cheap item from each of the bogus IDs. When tracking shows the items delivered, the seller gains an improved selling history and feedback.  If this was the ploy, now that you are on someone's gift list, I suspect you may see a few more in the future.