Fake tracking numbers getting more common

[iveyspam]

I'm used to Chinese sellers providing a non-working tracking number on their shipments, but now even U.S. based sellers are doing it. It makes me suspicious that they aren't really based in the U.S.  One time I bought an item from a seller clearly "based in the U.S." but the package arrived from - surprise! - China.

I know sellers are not required to providie a tracking number, so why lie about it??

[daveroo]

Supplying a fake tracking number is meant to slow you down from taking appropriate action.
The seller wants to at least get pass the 30-day time period.
WAY too many buyers then don't know what to do and the seller gets to keep the money but ship nothing.

[boatdog68]

when a seller ships through eBay labels, the tracking # is uploaded automatically and will show no data till it gets it's first scan so it might appear to be fake if you check the tracking too soon.

[myboardid]

agreed with boatdog - a seller can print a label, and that immediately generates a message from eBay that the package has been shipped.  As I said, eBay sends it, not the seller.  The seller will then take the package to the post office, a drop box, or a mail carrier will pick it up.  That might be the same day or the next day, maybe two days.  It is not going to get scanned until it is handled at the post office. 

Personally I don't use eBay shipping, I use another postage company, so I send out the tracking numbers to my buyers myself, and they don't get a false shipment notice from eBay.  In my notice I ask buyers to give it 48 hours for the post office to update the tracking info.  Some of those buyers get the package before the 48 hours have passed! 

[chapeau-noir]

When an ebay seller generates a label, it says that a label has been created, NOT that the item has been shipped.

Shipment doesn't occur until the acceptance scan.  You can't fake that.

[mudshark61369]

iveyspam wrote,

I'm used to Chinese sellers providing a non-working tracking number on their shipments,

Actually they do work, but it is a matter of hunting down the shippers involved.  There are sites to track both Hong Kong, and China Post numbers.  However, they only give info up until the item leaves Chinese control. 

Then there are tracking numbers that give no information until the item arrives in the US, at a fulfillmemt center. UPS has arrangements with foriegn postal systems, and issue tracking numbers that do just that.  The item arrives from China or elsewhere, and the number becomes active after that.  In some cases UPS hands off the item to the USPS, so the UPS number shows only that the item passed through one of their facilities. 

but now even U.S. based sellers are doing it. It makes me suspicious that they aren't really based in the U.S.  One time I bought an item from a seller clearly "based in the U.S." but the package arrived from - surprise! - China.

There are several sellers who have locations, in places where there are major hubs, or ports. EX: New Brunswick, NJ. or some places in Ca.  Even a few in Kentucky, where UPS has a huge hub.  Some are warehouses many of the seller's items ship from, but many items come from China as well.  Did you know that eBay actively helps chinese sellers find warehousing space, in the US?

The trick is to check a seller's feedback profile, carefully.  The listings may say Item Location in the US, but the seller may be registered in China. Do they have many non positives mentioning slow shipping, or packages received from China? Do any replies to the negatives seem to be from someone whose first language is not English?  Does the ID history show that fast2you, was once yuchufat?  Was the ID generated after 2010, when eBay sold out, to get into the Chinese market?  Those are just some of the ways to identify Chinese sellers.  

As myboardid, said tracking numbers can be issued on receipt of payment, but it can be a few days before it gets an acceptance scan. Because of the holiday season, tracking seems to be spotty.  Right now I am sweating out a package I sent on Tuesday, It was scanned as picked up, and arrived at a sorting center early Wed. morning, but no updates since then. 

[usmc*usnmom]

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@chapeau-noir wrote:

When an ebay seller generates a label, it says that a label has been created, NOT that the item has been shipped.

Shipment doesn't occur until the acceptance scan.  You can't fake that.

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When a seller prints the shipping label, the buyer gets an email stating that the package has SHIPPED, not  that only a label has been printed.  I got this around midnight for a purchase I had made earlier in the day. Nowhere does it say a label has been created.

[etacarina11]

That's right.... I've even had packages with tracking that was never scan even after being delivered

[southbeachgroup]

This comes from eBay they even know that tracking numbers can be manipulated http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/performance-manipulation.html

[offerbug]

Common Problem. Seller Takes many orders. Example: 200 units. Then Seller who most likely "has already confirmed with his supplier that they can fulfil the order of this size" Places the Drop shipment order. Then you Get your Stuff. Kinda Shady, but this is what has to be done in some markets: "Electronics" so the seller can compete for the pennies that hes making off of each item.

[takikawa4]

When I'm unable to track a purchase, I simply wait until the last estimated delivery date. Then I message the seller. If it still hasn't arrived within the next week, I open the INR.

[michael_chourdakis]

When I notice a fake tracking number I send a warning to the seller that, if the parcel is received and the tracking number is not there, they will automatically get a negative.

And, I really do it that way.  If  you all follow this I'm sure that they will stop this cheating.

For tracking, I use 17track. Works well with most stuff except, obviously, fakes.

[pikabo-icu]

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@michael_chourdakis wrote:

When I notice a fake tracking number I send a warning to the seller that, if the parcel is received and the tracking number is not there, they will automatically get a negative.

And, I really do it that way.  If  you all follow this I'm sure that they will stop this cheating.

For tracking, I use 17track. Works well with most stuff except, obviously, fakes.

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This thread is 18 months old but I have to reply to this..  

IMO advising buyers to give neg FB and doing it yourself, for TRACKING, is very bad advice.

It's unfair to neg a seller for something that is NOT REQUIRED by eBay.

Tracking is convenient and I appreciate it when a seller uploads it but it's NOT a requirement, it's auxiliary.

If you neg for tracking and your seller is experienced, they will get it removed. 

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

Also I buy a LOT of stuff and haven't found this happening commonly.

[kh-vince]

Hello Everyone,

Due to the age of the thread, it has been closed to further replies.  Please feel free to start a new thread if you wish to continue to discuss this topic.

Thanks for understanding!