eBay

tantrampaper · ‎01-02-2024

I purchased an item and sent payment.

As the item reached my city, the seller redirected the package to another address. It is currently in motion somewhere new. How can I report this to eBay so they can stop this scam before the seller gets paid? I've been the victim of this scam before and ebay never gave me my money back since the package showed as 'delivered'.

I cannot report this or mark the item as not received until the scam is completed (shows as delivered on the tracker and the seller gets paid). There has to be a way to go some help before it is too late.

richard1rst · ‎01-02-2024

@tantrampaper wrote:
I purchased an item and sent payment.

As the item reached my city, the seller redirected the package to another address. It is currently in motion somewhere new. How can I report this to eBay so they can stop this scam before the seller gets paid? I've been the victim of this scam before and ebay never gave me my money back since the package showed as 'delivered'.

I cannot report this or mark the item as not received until the scam is completed (shows as delivered on the tracker and the seller gets paid). There has to be a way to go some help before it is too late.

Well, in fairness it may not have been the seller re-directing the package. A common thread on these boards involve sellers receiving what appears to be a note from the buyer asking to send "as a gift" to some friend or relative. New sellers of somewhat expensive or desirable items get this. The note sender is a thief hoping that the seller is too naive to realize they are being scammed.

However, you add FedEx as a tag line. It was my understanding that eBay has standing orders with FedEx that NO package can be redirected.

fountain13 · ‎01-02-2024

"Well, in fairness it may not have been the seller re-directing the package."

IA. For grins and giggles, I'd love to hear the OP's theory in how an eBay seller is magically re-directing his package - just before it reaches his city, too! LOL

Last month I sent a package from OH to WV. It went from Columbus to a shipping center in PA, then to Maine. From Maine, it went to Massachusetts, then finally to WV. I shipped the thing out the next day. It took over a week to do make its way up and down the east coast when WV borders OH. I don't even live in the northern part of the state.

I didn't hear a peep out of the buyer. I only had like 4 orders for all of last month, but every single one had some kind of shipment problem. I had hoped USPS worked out its kinks, but sounds like it hasn't.

fountain13 · ‎01-02-2024

"However, you add FedEx as a tag line. It was my understanding that eBay has standing orders with FedEx that NO package can be redirected."

I missed that part. FedEx is a cluster - at least ours is. I hate it when I find out that a seller used FedEx. It means that my order is bound to show up at my neighbor's - either the one that put a restraining order on me after I hit him in front of police, or the one that put in a security system just because of me. It never goes to a neighbor that I like or that I'm allowed to be around.

Also, Fed Ex is really bad about showing that an order is delivered in tracking when it doesn't come until the next day. IDK why anyone would immediately jump to the conclusion that your seller is frauding you in this case.

campanaelia · ‎01-02-2024

I would call the carrier ASAP and verify if the address on the package matches your delivery address.

If the address is not yours and the tracking shows it is delivered eventually but not to you, I would file an INAD claim for missing parts and pieces. The seller will be required to send you a pre-paid return label, if they don't ebay will refund you. If you actually get a label just use it, when it shows delivery you'll be refunded within 48 hours.

If you file an INR case it will be an uphill battle. You already lost your money once going that route, don't repeat the same mistake.

soh.maryl · ‎01-03-2024

Can you explain exactly the mechanism by which a seller can redirect a package in mid-transit? And also, how did you discover this redirection?

ittybitnot · ‎01-03-2024

As the item reached my city, the seller redirected the package to another address.

@tantrampaper

Chances are pretty good that it is not a re-direct. Does it mention that in the tracking on FedEx?

Most likely the parcel is addressed to someone else in your zipcode to satisfy the eBay bots that the parcel was actually delivered to you, when in fact it was sent to a random address near you.

If there is a notice of "delivery" and you get nothing DO NOT FILE AN ITEM NOT RECEIVED CLAIM with eBay. You will lose. You will need to pursue this in a different manner, give up the "item not received" idea and proceed with a "fake tracking scam" defense.

You can read about this in the many threads on this topic, but do come back here for advice before you do anything.

ittybitnot · ‎01-03-2024

It was my understanding that eBay has standing orders with FedEx that NO package can be redirected.

@richard1rst

I am not familiar with that, but seems to me it would be for labels purchased on eBay only. Sellers are not required to use eBay labels, and many international sellers can't buy eBay labels at all. Now that we know that most labels can be "altered" to retain the same tracking number and bar code with a "different address" it complicates the matter even more.

ittybitnot · ‎01-03-2024

I would file an INAD claim for missing parts and pieces.

@campanaelia

I am soooooo ready to start recommending that again as well. Those that went that route in the past reported good and expedient results. The "return labels" were often to non-existent addresses, but it didn't seem to matter from the buyer's standpoint.

Some have argued that the SNAD claim was a lie, and on ethical grounds, sending back a box of "air" was morally incorrect. After all this time eBay REFUSES to address this problem (which is also morally incorrect), and so long as buyers that are victims keep insisting on filing INR instead, the problem is not solved.

Another option would be to go directly to your credit card with FAKE TRACKING SCAM instead of INR. (PayPal will make you send that BOX OF AIR back at your own expense, and recorded delivery is required before getting refunded).

kh-cathy · ‎01-03-2024

Hi everyone,

This discussion has gotten a bit heated. Please remember that, while it is fine to disagree with others, discussion should always remain friendly and respectful as required by the Community Guidelines.

Thank you for your cooperation.

ittybitnot · ‎01-03-2024

@tantrampaper

Sorry for all the distraction that has been happening on your post. Once that scan says "delivered" and you got nothing come back here for directions on how to proceed. DO NOT FILE AN INR CLAIM WITH EBAY.

tantrampaper · ‎01-03-2024

Because the FedEx tracking literally said, "Returning package to shipper. Shipper requested shipment returned." It's a common scam. They wait till the package hits your zip code, then they redirect it back. Then ebay releases the funds to the seller because the item was "delivered" in their system.