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I think I just got scammed

So I don't use ebay very often, but trying to buy an expensive item, I looked in the sales history of what a good price is. When I saw a relatively good price, I pulled the trigger and paid.

 

To my horror, I realized the seller has 0 feedback.

Red flags I see so far:
1) Seller has 0 feedback
2) Estimated delivery was 7/19 Thursday, it is now 7/22, with status "In Transit to Next Facility" for the last two days

I almost never have a delivery this late. My prediction is that the seller is using some sort of delay tatic.
Let the carrier juggle the package with a bad address to stall me out of the buyer's protection window.

Any tips? I'm sweating pretty hard right now. I want to act fast while I still can.

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I think I just got scammed

@cloudzerox,

 

" Estimated delivery was 7/19 Thursday, it is now 7/22, with status "In Transit to Next Facility" for the last two days". 

Seller reply:  "This is my first time shipping stuff and i didn't know the jist of postal stuff but the shipping was actually like $30  and its gonna be delivered by USPS taking about a week...  "

 

 

If you go to the USPS tracking site, it should tell you what shipping method was used.  The in transit message, is one you get when an item is shipped Parcel Select Ground. Pallets of items bound for regions are loaded on a truck, and an item bound say from Mi. to Fl. may first go to Pa. then to Ga. before making it to Fl. without any updates.   Even then, its next tracking up date may come from Miami, though the package is headed for Port St. Lucy, well north of Miami.

 

"I almost never have a delivery this late. My prediction is that the seller is using some sort of delay tatic...  Let the carrier juggle the package with a bad address to stall me out of the buyer's protection window  I remained calm until the tracking problems popped up as I know the chances of it being a scam rose exponentially.".

 

The time frame for being able to file an Item Not Received (INR) dispute through ebay is, 30 days after the last estimated delivery date. That means you have ebay protection until Aug. 18.  After that you have 180 days from the date of payment to file an INR through PayPal.  You have protection for up to 6 months, so there is no reason to be sweating this out.

If the item does not arrive by tomorrow evening, copy the tracking number go online to the USPS site and file a missing package case.  They will look into the where the package is, and its scan history.  They'll also flag it for quick update once it is scanned again.

 

Just because a seller has (0) feedback does not mean they are scammers. However, newbies do make mistakes such as guestimating shipping costs. Then they change the shipping method to a less expensive slower one to save some money.  Your seller contacted you (you do not say on what date) and updated you. The seller likely ran into Paypal's 21 day payment hold as well and it probably took a ay or so for them to find out how to complete the transction. 

 

If you had looked at the seller's feeback profile before buying from them, all of this may have been avoided.  Always check a seller's profile before bidding or buying. 

If the item arrives within a couple of days of the estimated date they gave you, then cut them a break and give them a positive feedback. 

"THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS FOOLPROOF, BECAUSE FOOLS ARE SO DARNED INGENIOUS!" (unknown)

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Message 9 of 32
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31 REPLIES 31

I think I just got scammed

Hi;

 

Hope you are doing well.

 

Did you try to contact with the seller? 

 

If you will not get a satisfactory answer, i think you should open a case for it. If the item arrives, you can close the case. 

 

Besides you have right to open a case on Paypal too.

 

 

Hope it is helpful for you.

 

 

Message 2 of 32
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I think I just got scammed

I forgot to mention; every seller starts with 0 feedback. So it doesn't always mean you got scammed. If it is an international order with a tracking you should keep an eye on the package and try to contact with the seller first.

Message 3 of 32
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I think I just got scammed

I understand eBay will not proceed with a case if you haven't contacted the seller first,
but the seller has already claimed to have very little experience with eBay and shipping.

"Hi i just wanted you to know i just shipped the cintiq. This is my first time shipping stuff and i didn't know the jist of postal stuff but the shipping was actually like $30 (you don't have to pay it was my bad) and its gonna be delivered by USPS taking about a week. Is that ok? Im so sorry i haven't shipped stuff like this before or sold on ebay"

Quite frankly, I wouldn't know what to say. Help!
Message 4 of 32
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I think I just got scammed

Yes, I understand they have to start from somewhere. However, I don't remember ever having a packaged delayed 3 days with very ambiguous tracking status. I remained calm until the tracking problems popped up as I know the chances of it being a scam rose exponentially.

The seller is from Florida.
Message 5 of 32
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I think I just got scammed

If it doesn't arrive on Monday then open an item not received case. 

DO NOT open a case on ebay and paypal at the same time as was suggested in a previous post.

Message 6 of 32
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I think I just got scammed


@cloudzerox wrote:

So I don't use ebay very often, but trying to buy an expensive item, I looked in the sales history of what a good price is. When I saw a relatively good price, I pulled the trigger and paid.

 

To my horror, I realized the seller has 0 feedback.

Red flags I see so far:
1) Seller has 0 feedback
2) Estimated delivery was 7/19 Thursday, it is now 7/22, with status "In Transit to Next Facility" for the last two days

I almost never have a delivery this late. My prediction is that the seller is using some sort of delay tatic.
Let the carrier juggle the package with a bad address to stall me out of the buyer's protection window.

Any tips? I'm sweating pretty hard right now. I want to act fast while I still can.


How is the seller using a "delay tactic" when the package is obviously in the hands of USPS? "In Transit to Next Facility" means USPS has it, has sorted it, and has sent it to its next stop on its way to you.

 

Maybe the seller used a lower class of shipping because of cost, which is causing it to take longer.

Message 7 of 32
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I think I just got scammed


@cloudzerox wrote:
I understand eBay will not proceed with a case if you haven't contacted the seller first

Wrong. You can open a case after the latest estimated delivery date, without contacting the seller.

Message 8 of 32
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I think I just got scammed

@cloudzerox,

 

" Estimated delivery was 7/19 Thursday, it is now 7/22, with status "In Transit to Next Facility" for the last two days". 

Seller reply:  "This is my first time shipping stuff and i didn't know the jist of postal stuff but the shipping was actually like $30  and its gonna be delivered by USPS taking about a week...  "

 

 

If you go to the USPS tracking site, it should tell you what shipping method was used.  The in transit message, is one you get when an item is shipped Parcel Select Ground. Pallets of items bound for regions are loaded on a truck, and an item bound say from Mi. to Fl. may first go to Pa. then to Ga. before making it to Fl. without any updates.   Even then, its next tracking up date may come from Miami, though the package is headed for Port St. Lucy, well north of Miami.

 

"I almost never have a delivery this late. My prediction is that the seller is using some sort of delay tatic...  Let the carrier juggle the package with a bad address to stall me out of the buyer's protection window  I remained calm until the tracking problems popped up as I know the chances of it being a scam rose exponentially.".

 

The time frame for being able to file an Item Not Received (INR) dispute through ebay is, 30 days after the last estimated delivery date. That means you have ebay protection until Aug. 18.  After that you have 180 days from the date of payment to file an INR through PayPal.  You have protection for up to 6 months, so there is no reason to be sweating this out.

If the item does not arrive by tomorrow evening, copy the tracking number go online to the USPS site and file a missing package case.  They will look into the where the package is, and its scan history.  They'll also flag it for quick update once it is scanned again.

 

Just because a seller has (0) feedback does not mean they are scammers. However, newbies do make mistakes such as guestimating shipping costs. Then they change the shipping method to a less expensive slower one to save some money.  Your seller contacted you (you do not say on what date) and updated you. The seller likely ran into Paypal's 21 day payment hold as well and it probably took a ay or so for them to find out how to complete the transction. 

 

If you had looked at the seller's feeback profile before buying from them, all of this may have been avoided.  Always check a seller's profile before bidding or buying. 

If the item arrives within a couple of days of the estimated date they gave you, then cut them a break and give them a positive feedback. 

"THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS FOOLPROOF, BECAUSE FOOLS ARE SO DARNED INGENIOUS!" (unknown)
Message 9 of 32
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I think I just got scammed


@cloudzerox wrote:

My prediction is that the seller is using some sort of delay tatic.


I'll be really interested to discover how this prediction turns out. Please do come back and let us know.

Message 10 of 32
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I think I just got scammed

 @mudshark61369

 

[[The in transit message, is one you get when an item is shipped Parcel Select Ground..]]

 

That is incorrect.

 

The "In Transit" is an automated update, done every 24 hours when there has been no physical scan of the item. It is applied to ALL classes of USPS packages.

 

I have had quite a few Priority shipments lately with 2 or more "In Transit" updates. 

penguins_dont_fly is a Volunteer Community Mentor
Buying and Selling since 2013

Message 11 of 32
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I think I just got scammed

I owned this account since half dot com. Not checking the review was a brain fart from habitual amazon usage.

By the way, the estimated delivery was not from the seller, but from the USPS tracking number

Some good signs today:
1) Upon checking the USPS site - Shipping method - USPS Retail Ground® ------ Insured

2) The seller has contacted me today once again asking if the item is delivered
3) Status finally updated - Arrived at USPS Regional Destination Facility 
SAN FRANCISCO CA DISTRIBUTION CENTER  
Your item arrived at our SAN FRANCISCO CA DISTRIBUTION CENTER destination facility on July 22, 2018 at 2:42 am. The item is currently in transit to the destination. 

The plan was to goto a USPS office tomorrow (Monday) to ask about the package, and to make sure the destination is the correct address.

Message 12 of 32
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I think I just got scammed

Just relax, it will get to you.
Message 13 of 32
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I think I just got scammed


@cloudzerox wrote:

I owned this account since half dot com. Not checking the review was a brain fart from habitual amazon usage.

By the way, the estimated delivery was not from the seller, but from the USPS tracking number




The only estimated delivery date that matters here is the one eBay provides. Go to your purchase history and find the order. Expand it and let us know what the date is there.

 

You really need to relax about the delivery of this item.  I see no red flags at all on the tracking. My packages have shown some very strange notations and routings but they eventually get there.  Your next step is to make sure you get the item you ordered in the condition it was represented.

 

Message 14 of 32
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I think I just got scammed

Purchase date - 7/12
eBay estimated delivery 7/19
USPS site estimated delivery 7/20
Today 7/22
Message 15 of 32
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