EBAY is ALLOWING a delivery address switch scam to continue...

[zombiestomper]

I ordered an item, got a package tracking number and the tracking says that the item was delivered.  I spent 2 hours trying to track the package through FEDEX which is another story... when I finally spoke to a FEDEX representative and gave them the tracking number, they confirmed that the address I was giving them was a different address that the package went to in the same zip code and was signed for by "UCARE". 

The proof is there that the seller is a total scammer.  I screen captured the information and posted that with a negative feedback against the seller who has stopped any communication with me as well.

Basically, the scammer is sending a weighted box to some address with the same zip code, the package is signed for, they open it, find it is garbage and toss it while scratching their head as to what they just got.

If ebay doesn't want to take care of this problem, maybe it is time to get some State Attorney Generals involved.

[johnschuricht]

It's unlikely that the seller spent money sending a weighted package to someone else. Generally they find a legitimate tracking number that someone else is using so they don't need to spend any money.

EBay doesn't have a way to verify the tracking number matches your address. It would be up to the shipping carriers to make a verification tool that eBay could access to check the address matches what you have on file. It's an extra expense for the shipping carrier and opens up more avenues for abuse so it would be difficult to implement for the small number of these cases.

Don't start an INR, eBay can only see the tracking number says delivered and you are likely to have the same issue with your credit card if you do a charge back. The best course of action is being proactive in reading the seller's feedback and where the seller is located. Sometimes they still sneak through, eBay's facebook page is probably the best contact method to supply written proof from Fedex about the incorrect address.

The other option which some won't like, is since Fedex has verified the package wasn't addressed to you and eBay shows you have received something. Is to realize the something you "received" which is nothing isn't the same as the item you purchased and file using eBay's options for that.

[ittybitnot]

@zombiestomper 

This is nothing new.  It is a very successful scam on eBay that has been going on for over a decade.  Last year there were 183 separate threads on this board alone outline the same scam and how eBay's Money Back Guarantee is a giant fail.  The total does not include the many others that responded with "happening to me, too" type responses, or any I may have missed.  

For more information on what to do, I suggest reading our new year's additions.  They will also inform you on what NOT to do, which is equally important. Come back if you have any questions before you proceed with a plan. 

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Laser-TV-Item-Not-Received/m-p/34862223#M509687
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/I-got-scammed-out-of-999-for-an-RTX-4090/m-p/34865219#M509806
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Ebay-support-and-money-back-guaranty/m-p/34870558#M510126
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Package-delivered-to-wrong-address-by-usps-no-refund/m-p/348712...
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Tracking-number-fraud-within-EBay/m-p/34872627#M510235

[12345jamesstamps]

I see no negative feedback to a seller.

Maybe a chargeback with the credit card used online.

You mention addresses are not the same...there' the dispute...plus not received. Just thoughts.

[zombiestomper]

I left negative feedback on the seller with photos of the tracking information showing that it was not delivered to me and signed for by someone else and apparently it was removed by ebay.  I think I am about done with ebay.  I am not happy with the scammers they have on the site now, it is infested with them and they don't seem to be doing anything about it.

I have used ebay for some time now but that is going to stop and I used to recommend using it over Amazon but no longer, it is not a safe site.

[eburtonlab]

If tracking shows delivery, but nothing arrives, contact the shipping service to determine if the tracking corresponds to a delivery to your address.

If you can obtain hard copy documentation of that the tracking does not correspond to a delivery to your address, contact eBay via social media and explain that you have a case of "false tracking" and you should be given the opportunity to provide your documentation to eBay via direct message. This is different than the usual "item not received" case which is handled automatically and which allows the seller to win by providing tracking that shows delivery.

You can avoid many issues entirely by choosing to only do business with experienced sellers that have a proven track record of delivering similar items as seen by examining the seller's feedback page, and by avoiding inexperienced sellers, sellers with patterns of negative feedback indicating serious problems, or sellers with large gaps in the selling history or recent drastic changes of seller behavior.

[mudshark61369]

@zombiestomper,

"I left negative feedback on the seller with photos of the tracking information showing that it was not delivered to me and signed for by someone else and apparently it was removed by ebay".  

Leaving negative feedback is not how you get ebay's attention whether you post photos or not. The seller was able to prove something was delivered in your zip code to ebay and that is why the feedback was removed. If you filed an item not received (INR) dispute through ebay and it was denied, then that qualifies any negative feedback about non-delivery for removal.

Did you file an INR dispute through ebay, or just message back and forth with the seller?

If you did not file an INR yet, there is a way to get a refund, but the feedback cannot be reinstated.

What you need to do is contact ebay though one of their social media outlets. You need to have the ebay item number and seller's username ready when you do that. Write out what happened;

"I ordered the item on (? date) tracking showed delivery on (Y date) but it was not delivered to my address.  I tried contacting the seller who was not helpful, then I contacted FedEx who sent me the tracking info with a photo showing a different residence than mine and the signature was by UCARE".

  Open the  attachment from FedEx. Make sure the screen shot shows the whole emailed page and if the photo in it is too small, try saving the photo only, blowing it up to a larger size and send that as an attachment as well.

   Then ask the rep to do a google map search for the street view your street address shown on your Order details, and compare it to the FedEx photo. Sign the message with your real and ebay username.

  The ebay reps who handle social media messages are actual employees and can authorize a refund when necessary.

https://www.facebook.com/eBay/

https://www.instagram.com/ebayforsellers/

https://x.com/askebay

The fake tracking scam happens on other 3rd party online shopping sites as well. So it would be wise to sign up for the Free enhanced tracking info available from:  

USPS - Informed Delivery,  FedEx - Delivery Manager,  UPS - My choice. 

Doing that saves time trying to contact the shippers. 

FYI,  A big part of the reason why ebay has trouble dealing with the scam is because of the various shipping agency's Privacy policies, that basically say that the Sender of a package is the only one who can gain full access to specific shipping label information, Address & Package type/size/weight, because they are who has a contract with them, for delivery, not the recipient, or the site the item was bought off of.

Most of the tracking scams are done by seller's located in China.  So no matter what the item location says, check the seller's feedback profile page before buying from one for their country of registry, and click on the numbers of neutral and negatives they have received to read only those comments.  Many  people who do not know how ebay works leave negative feedback for transactions without filing disputes and they stick.

[zombiestomper]

I already filed an INR claim.  Ebay can easily verify the scam by checking the tracking just as I did... open the tracking number, enter the ship to address and ask for verification.  If the address works, they will get verification of delivery at the site.  If the address is different, they will get a message to "Use the correct address". 

When there is a dispute like this they need to clear out the scams on their site.

As for the feedback, I left that to warn others.  By removing it, it no longer warns other buyers that the person is a scammer.  For this reason, ebay is no longer a safe site.  I have used ebay for 20 years or so and until recently have not had many issues.  Of the last 4 purchases, I have only received one of the four.  That is a really poor record.

[zombiestomper]

I did just that, I only got a verbal that the item was delivered to a different address and they would not tell me what that address was for security and privacy reasons.  I believe something was delivered to the local Urgent Care nearby which would explain the UCARE signing for the package.  It was likely a package which the tracking number was highjacked to complete the fraud.

[eburtonlab]

I already filed an INR claim. Ebay can easily verify the scam by checking the tracking just as I did.

The INR process is automatic; if the tracking shows delivery in your area, the seller will win. eBay will do no "checking".

That is why you must instead contact eBay via social media direct message, report "false tracking" (not INR), and then provide your documentation when given the opportunity. You do not need to know the actual address, you just need written confirmation that the address does not match the address in your order details.

[ittybitnot]

I already filed an INR claim.  Ebay can easily verify ...

@zombiestomper 

On eBay when you file a claim for INR, and there is tracking that shows 'delivered',  even if it was not to you, you are going to lose the claim.  eBay won't verify anything. 

The same if you file with PayPal, but at least PayPal gives you the "shipped to wrong address" option.  You claim INR there, you will lose. 

Same with your credit card company.  You claim INR, they simply present the claim to eBay who responds with the same phony delivery confirmation and you will lose. You need to file FRAUD/fake tracking scam. 

[zombiestomper]

Ebay DID refund me on my scammed order.  I contacted them on Facebook, sent them screen captures of the Fedex Tracking number and the page that said to "Use the address for the package to get verification"

That basically verified that the address that the seller claimed he sent it to was false.

[zolotma]

Hi, thank you for collecting and sharing the info! 

Wanted add my experience with this scam.  It was a textbook case, I wish I knew about it before purchasing as much as I know now.  Seller falsified USPS label with fake addresses and tracking number, but bar code tied to my actual address.  It came to a random address in my town, but registered as delivered with eBay and USPS.  I obtained full proof from my local USPS supervisor, including clear picture of the shipping label with fake info.

My initial INR was closed automatically as soon as seller posted tracking number.  My appeal, with all the info from USPS attached, was also closed in favor of the seller.  I continued banging down the closed doors, including Twitter.  All responses, Twitter included, amounted to: “eBay goes by the tracking it has on file. Since the seller provided the tracking number and it shows delivered to this town, it would not be covered under eBay Money Back.”  They all suggested various options to proceed, including communicating with the seller (what for?  the creep got his $$ already), and opening a dispute with my payment method.

Reading between the lines, some of these representatives believed my case was correct, but were prevented by eBay policy from refunding my money.  I did point out that some cases had been in favor of buyers, but that didn't help me.

I subsequently opened a dispute with my credit card company.  There was no option to open fraud/fake tracking/zip scam.  I opened as merchandise not delivered / sent to wrong address.  I provided as much detail as possible into a small text box they allocated for free-form info.  There was no option to upload supporting documentation, although I offered to provide in the above mentioned text box.  That was today, let's see what happens.

Meanwhile, I reported the seller to eBay.  I also submitted negative feedback, after my INR and appeal were closed, but it was removed.  According to Twitter rep, "Since the tracking shows it was delivered due to eBay policies, the feedback was removed. Since it was removed, it would not be able to be reinstated".  So now I can't warn the next buyer.

Any thoughts/anything I missed? 

[ittybitnot]

There was no option to open fraud/fake tracking/zip scam. 

@zolotma   

Call your c.card company on the phone.  Use the number on the back of your card.  Insist on filing a case for FRAUD, not INR.    If you stick with "item not received", the will simply submit the claim to eBay who will respond with the same FAKE delivery notice and you will lose. 

And yes, tweaking the label for sending or returning delivery confirmation is common i.e. keep the bar code, change the address.  It is a simple matter to do this. 

Good luck, and do let us know how it turns out.....CALL THEM

[zolotma]

Hi @ittybitnot,

Thanks for your input!  I will call them asap.  However, from what I see, there are specific legal categories for charge-back claims, and "fraud" one is defined as "a fraudulent transaction when your card is used by a fraudster without your knowledge and permission."  That's not my case - I had full knowledge and gave permission at the time of the transaction. 

Have you or someone you know had experience submitting credit card disputes for this type of an issue?  How exactly was it worded and was it successful?

Thank you!