Ebay engaged in theft and fraud with scammers

[ruleoflaw]

I haven't used Ebay much for years after getting scammed multiple times, but I'm extremely disappointed to return and find Ebay not only full of scammers outright defrauding and ripping off buyers, but far worse, Ebay participating in the fraud and enabling the scammers with no way to contact anyone at Ebay for a week. I'm not exaggerating one bit and I'll provide the details.

From Jul 29, 2024 to Aug 10, 2024 I purchased five AMD Ryzen 9 5950X CPUs from five different sellers:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/196547793580

https://www.ebay.com/itm/395582979738

https://www.ebay.com/itm/355907375480
https://www.ebay.com/itm/285998200043

https://www.ebay.com/itm/387275647352

These sellers all turned out to be scammers. There appears to be no way to reach anyone at Ebay, even when you're obviously getting scammed, other than waiting a week for Ebay to finally respond to your case.

The scam involves stealing Fedex tracking numbers for other deliveries near the buyer and submitting the stolen tracking numbers as proof of delivery to Ebay. Fedex does not display the delivery address on their website tracking unless you know the delivery address and enter it at the "Report missing package" link on the tracking page.  Obviously, as the victim entering your address will not work since the stolen tracking number is for another address.  If Ebay likewise attempted to enter your shipping address at the Fedex tracking website it would show them the stolen tracking was for a different address too, but apparently Ebay doesn't even do that for disputes or Ebay is ignoring this fact.

Below are two stolen tracking numbers that the scammers gave Ebay and Ebay accepted as valid. You can easily see for yourself in just seconds from the Fedex delivery photos and Ebay tracking pictured below that these tracking numbers are for two different houses at two different zip codes and yet Ebay is falsely claiming they were sent to my address, stating in both cases that they were, "delivered to the right address." Neither match with my address on record with Ebay and I live in a completely different zip code.

https://www.fedex.com/fedextrack/?trknbr=278088738493
https://www.fedex.com/fedextrack/?trknbr=404433713980

Even though the tracking zip codes were both wrong for my address, today Ebay accepted these fraudulent tracking numbers delivered to different zip codes as proof of delivery for my address and closed two different cases in favor of two scammers.

The following are Ebay's own tracking details showing that the stolen tracking numbers entered were to two different wrong and conflicting zip codes, which are not mine. It's certainly far more than negligence to decide cases in favor of multiple scammers when Ebay already has proof on hand that the stolen tracking numbers provided by the scammers were for the wrong zip codes.

I have attached screenshots below of Ebay Help falsely claiming on both cases that, "The case was closed because tracking details show that the item was delivered to the right address," and falsely stating that "The case is closed. The decision is final and can't be appealed," for both cases when you actually do still have the ability to appeal through the case details as long as you don't dispute the charges with Paypal or your credit card first.

If it were just one case or the shipments were at least to the same zip code as me I'd lean towards it just being an unfortunate mistake by an extremely careless or negligent Ebay employee, but two different cases closed in favor of two different scammers who shipped to the wrong address and zip code in the same week makes me suspect there are insiders within Ebay engaged in the fraud and working with the scammers.

Would an Ebay employee really be so stupid to think that tracking info to different zip codes matches mine or that two different photos of houses were the same address? It would seem that the only way this could happen is if Ebay employees are involved in the fraud and intentionally ignored the fact that the deliveries were not to my address.

Ebay has effectively assisted the scammers in defrauding me and ripping me off for $500.

I've tried to reach out to Ebay support and it's totally worthless too. It's all automated and appears to be near impossible to reach a person, even when specifically calling the number that is supposed to be for fraud: (866) 643-1607. When calling the fraud number you get an automated system that gives tips on avoiding fraud and then refers you back to the automated help website and hangs up.

What has happened to Ebay? A decade ago, I used to love Ebay, but now it's like a scam website itself with horrible support.

Ebay is literally defrauding me and ripping me off with the scammers with no recourse and no way to contact anyone at support! I feel I may have no other option than suing Ebay to prevent this from happening to others. If it's happening to me multiple times in a week on multiple purchases, then it's probably happening to others too.

[safan80]

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@ruleoflaw 

You need to go to the post office and get a written statement saying that it was not delivered to your address. Also check that the address you have saved inside of ebay is correct.

@ruleoflaw wrote:

I haven't used Ebay for years after getting scammed, but I'm extremely disappointed to return and find Ebay not only full of scammers outright defrauding and ripping off buyers, but far worse, Ebay participating in the fraud and enabling the scammers with no way to contact anyone for a week. I'm not exaggerating one bit and I'll provide the details.

From Jul 29, 2024 to Aug 10, 2024 I purchased 5 AMD Ryzen 9 5950X CPUs from 5 different sellers.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/355907375480
https://www.ebay.com/itm/285998200043

https://www.ebay.com/itm/196547793580

https://www.ebay.com/itm/395582979738

https://www.ebay.com/itm/387275647352

These sellers all turned out to be scammers. There appears to be no way to reach anyone at Ebay, even when you're obviously getting scammed, other than waiting a week for Ebay to finally respond to your case.

The scam involves stealing Fedex tracking numbers for other deliveries near the buyer and submitting the stolen tracking numbers as proof of delivery to the buyer and Ebay. Fedex does not display the delivery address unless you know what it is and enter it. Obviously, as the victim your address will not work to display all the tracking info since the delivery is for another address. You're only shown the city and zip code without knowing the address of delivery.

Yet, even though the tracking zip codes were wrong for my address, today Ebay accepted these fraudulent tracking numbers delivered to different cities and zips as proof of delivery for my address and closed two different cases in favor of the scammers.

You can see for yourself in just the delivery photos and zips that these are two different houses and yet Ebay is claiming they were sent to my address. I live in a different city and zip from both of them though:

https://www.fedex.com/fedextrack/?trknbr=278088738493
https://www.fedex.com/fedextrack/?trknbr=404433713980

If it were just one case, I'd lean towards it just being an unfortunate mistake by a very careless Ebay employee, but two different cases closed in favor of the scammers who shipped to the wrong address, city and zip makes me suspect there are insiders within Ebay engaged in the fraud and working with the scammers. Would an Ebay employee really be so stupid to think that tracking info to different cities and zips matches mine or that two different photos of houses were the same address? It would seem that the only way this could happen is if Ebay employees are involved in the fraud and intentionally ignored the fact that the deliveries were not to my address.

Ebay employees have effectively assisted the scammers in defrauding me and ripping me off for $500.

I've tried to reach out to Ebay support and it's totally worthless too. It's all automated and appears to be near impossible to reach a person, even when specifically calling the number that is supposed to be for fraud: (866) 643-1607. When calling the fraud number you get an automated system that gives tips on avoiding fraud and then refers you back to the automated help website and hangs up.

What has happened to Ebay? I used to love Ebay, but now it's like a scam website itself with horrible support.

When attempting to appeal these fraudulent decisions Ebay decided in favor of the scammers, Ebay online support just claims the decision is final and cannot be appealed! See the screenshots below.

Ebay is literally defrauding me and ripping me off with the scammers with no recourse! I feel I may have no other option than suing Ebay. If it's happening to me multiple times in a week on multiple purchases, then it's probably happening to others too.

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[ruleoflaw]

@safan80 Yes, my address is correct and I received three other Ebay purchases just fine in the same time period.

The  scammers are using stolen tracking numbers from Fedex, not the post office. It's the responsibility of Ebay to verify the tracking information is valid before deciding a case. In both cases above the tracking is for the wrong zip code and city. So, at least one and maybe two or more Ebay employees are involved in deciding the cases in favor of the scammers, even though the tracking info does not match mine.

[house*of*paws]

Hi @ruleoflaw 

The cases are being decided by a 'bot' ... NOT by a human.  If you can collect a statement from FedEx that states that your name and address were NOT on the packages associated with the tracking numbers you were given ... then phone your credit card company and request a chargeback.

eBay admittedly isn't equipped to handle the 'fake tracking number' scam which you experienced.  So get your money back from your CC company.

[kathiec]

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@ruleoflaw wrote:

@safan80 Yes, my address is correct and I received three other Ebay purchases just fine in the same time period.

The  scammers are using stolen tracking numbers from Fedex, not the post office. It's the responsibility of Ebay to verify the tracking information is valid before deciding a case. In both cases above the tracking is for the wrong zip code and city. So, at least one and maybe two or more Ebay employees are involved in deciding the cases in favor of the scammers, even though the tracking info does not match mine.

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The problem is eBay can't verify that tracking information is correct. None of the carriers will release the address information to anyone but the two people directly involved in the transaction. So to win an appeal you'll need a written statement from FedEx that the package wasn't addressed to your address. Photos won't work because eBay has no way to know that a house pictured isn't yours.

The fake tracking number scam is growing problem, and not just at eBay. I will fully admit that eBay is behind the curve in addressing it. You may have better luck if you contact your card issuer's fraud department. 

[ruleoflaw]

@house*of*paws  Wouldn't a bot at least verify that the tracking city and zip code matched the buyer's? The zip code is information that Ebay already has and is displaying to me. At the very least, checking that the tracking zip code already on hand matches the buyer's is fairly basic.

In the screenshots below, right now on Ebay tracking I can see for myself that the shipments were to two different zip codes than mine, so at the very least a bot could easily check the zip. It's info Ebay already has. It's negligent to decide a case in favor of a scammer when you already have proof on hand that it's the wrong address. This is why I don't think it's a bot, but rather someone on the inside assisting the scammers.

[ruleoflaw]

@kathiec As mentioned above, Ebay already provides you with the zip code of delivery, proving the shipments were to the wrong address if it doesn't match your address on record.

[house*of*paws]

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@ruleoflaw wrote:

Wouldn't a bot at least verify that the tracking city and zip code matched the buyer's? 

@ruleoflaw

Yes, you would THINK that a bot could do that ... but apparently it can't.  I've been the victim of the fake tracking number scam several times when purchasing on both Amazon and eBay.  It can happen anywhere you purchase online.

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@ruleoflaw wrote:

This is why I don't think it's a bot, but rather someone on the inside assisting the scammers.

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There's an old adage (called 'Hanlon's razor') that states:  Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.

It is most likely that eBay is stupid.  There's been no evidence that anyone within the eBay organization ... which has NOTHING to do with shipping items ... is in cahoots with scammers.

The sooner you turn your attention away from eBay ... and concentrate on providing your CREDIT CARD COMPANY with the evidence it needs to refund you ... the better.  You are beating a dead horse with eBay.

[ruleoflaw]

Because Ebay has proof that these shipments were delivered to the wrong addresses it's negligence at the very least for them to claim they were "delivered to the right address" and keep my money, but I suspect there's more to it. I'm contacting the Attorney General. 

[house*of*paws]

@ruleoflaw 

By all means, contact the AG if you're so inclined.  I was merely trying to ensure you got refunded.

[ruleoflaw]

I followed your advice and contacted Paypal about not receiving these items and the tracking being wrong, but that may have made things more complicated and worse. Before I contacted PaypaI, I was finally able to open appeals on these items at Ebay through the case details at https://www.ebay.com/ItemNotReceived/ , even though the Ebay Help center falsely stated in my above screenshots that, "The case was closed because tracking details show that the item was delivered to the right address," and falsely stated that "The case is closed. The decision is final and can't be appealed."

These false statements from the Ebay Help Assistant represent even further negligence from Ebay.

However, as soon as I contacted Paypal about the scam shipments, both my appeals at Ebay that I managed to get opened were automatically closed. I'm not sure if the appeals would've done any good at a negligent company like Ebay that claims that two different zip codes match mine, but it probably would've been best to wait in contacting Paypal and my credit card company?

I'd hope that at least a competent person at Ebay reviews appeals?

I have also called and sent all the details to the Attorney General and will pursue that route, Ebay should not be getting away misinforming and enabling the scamming of their own customers. It's fairly outrageous.

[campanaelia]

Ebay should of been your first line of defense. Once you filed at paypal you're ebay protection was forfeited. You can't have both open at the same time. Anyways once tracking shows delivery it's very difficult to win an item not received claim. Since ebay was insisting you received it you should have filed an Item Not As Described / missing parts and pieces case instead. When the return tracking showed delivery you would of been refunded already.

And most likely the scammer wouldn't have paid for the return label so you would of been refunded when you escalated the case to ebay after 3 business days.

[vintagecraze50]

When you are a victim of the FAKE TRACKING SCAM, YOU must get the GPS coordinates of where the package was delivered. ALL carriers use a GPS tracking scan and Fed Ex also has drivers tale pictures of where the package was left. If you really want to catch these people doing this and get them prosecuted for mail fraud which is a federal offense with steep fines and prison time you need to appeal the case with ebay and get the GPS coordinates of the package info from FED EX and submit this in the appeal, or email ebay directly with the evidence. It is up to you to file mail fraud charges with USPS after that.

[vintagecraze50]

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@vintagecraze50 wrote:

When you are a victim of the FAKE TRACKING SCAM, YOU must get the GPS coordinates of where the package was delivered. ALL carriers use a GPS tracking scan and Fed Ex also has drivers tale pictures of where the package was left. If you really want to catch these people doing this and get them prosecuted for mail fraud which is a federal offense with steep fines and prison time you need to appeal the case with ebay and get the GPS coordinates of the package info from FED EX and submit this in the appeal, or email ebay directly with the evidence. It is up to you to file mail fraud charges with USPS after that.

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Sorry mail fraud using Fed Ex. They are all linked for mail fraud reports.

[vintagecraze50]

eBay can only go on the delivery scan with millions of packages delivered daily. YOU must do the legwork and get the proof sent to them that this seller or sellers are committing mail fraud. Again, GPS coordinates tell without a doubt from EVERY carrier where this package was delivered.