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Seller same zip code scam

Can someone explain to me the process of a refund when a seller pulls the same zip code scam on you?

 

I contacted eBay and did EXACTLY what they told me to do.  I opened an INR case and mentioned eBay is showing delivered of course and have photo proof of label being someone else.  They said send seller a message showing the proof so we can have that when you have to ask us to step in and help.  

I did this, I messaged seller the photo the supervisor at my local P.O. allowed me to take of the screen showing the”delivered package” to a completely different person and address but same zip code.  It has the tracking number same as eBay’s.  Seller does not ever respond other than a “notification” he updated the shipping my information after I filed the INR.  4 business days go by and I ask eBay to step in.  After not making a decision for 24 hours I called and advised reason for the call to see if they need any additional information from me to close this case.  The seller had done the same thing to 5 people as he was new account and his feedback was now -5, 0%.  All saying the same thing was done.  I was told I would receive an answer in 24-72 hours.  

I then got an email stating:

 

” we’re sorry you had a problem with your purchase. However, the seller provided tracking information that shows the item was delivered to your address.  After reviewing all the details of this case, we determined that you won’t receive a refund.”

 

 Help me out board, What dance moves did I miss here? 

 

 

 

 

Message 1 of 11
latest reply
10 REPLIES 10

Re: Seller same zip code scam

Contact the ebay reps on facebook they are more helpful with this scam.

 

https://www.facebook.com/ebay/

RIP Renee Nicole Good
"Quiet, Piggy" - DJT
"Fear is the tool of a tyrant, wielded to suppress independent thought" - Maurene Comey
Message 2 of 11
latest reply

Re: Seller same zip code scam

There is no case by case decisions by an individual. Item not received cases are automatically closed when tracking shows delivered. Then you appeal. You get it in writing from USPS delivery was to your zip code but not to your street address. You file a mail fraud case and get a case number. You file a police report of the fraud and get a copy. Then you submit all that to eBay with your appeal.

Or if you paid with a credit card dispute the charge with the card co.

Message 3 of 11
latest reply

Re: Seller same zip code scam


@mtgzeavy wrote:

I then got an email stating:

 

” we’re sorry you had a problem with your purchase. However, the seller provided tracking information that shows the item was delivered to your address.  After reviewing all the details of this case, we determined that you won’t receive a refund.”

 

Help me out board, What dance moves did I miss here? 


I skipped the INR and went straight to a missing parts or pieces return request on Jun 10 uploading all the images, which an INR won't let you add to the case.

 

rseuqinh_0-1720009957147.jpeg

 

Then without doing anything else -- no contacting eBay, no messages to the seller, no asking eBay to step in -- eBay automatically refunded 4 days later on Jun 14 just after midnight Pacific Time.

 

rseuqinh_1-1720009972111.jpeg

 

After you lose an INR @mtgzeavy eBay allows you to go back and start a return request to get your refund. If my seller had issued a prepaid return label to return the missing item, I was going to mail those documents -- probably it'd be a bad return address but eBay would force a refund anyway. Or if I had to ask eBay to step in, same.

Message 4 of 11
latest reply

Re: Seller same zip code scam

@mtgzeavy,

 

Open the link below Click on the Go to Best Answer button, then read and follow the instructions in that reply.  Fortunately, the USPS is the easiest carrier to work with when trying to get the info you need.  If you already filed an appeal and lost use the social media sites posted in the link. 

 

eBay will not accept; emails, because they can be faked, or Photos because they do not have one of your residence to compare it with.

 

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Fake-Tracking-information/m-p/34266951#M475809

 

"THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS FOOLPROOF, BECAUSE FOOLS ARE SO DARNED INGENIOUS!" (unknown)
Message 5 of 11
latest reply

Re: Seller same zip code scam

 Help me out board, What dance moves did I miss here? 

 

@mtgzeavy 

You got caught up in the regular eBay bot denial dance.  If there is tracking that shows delivered to "someplace" associated with your order, it is an automatic LOSE, for you.  eBay protects eBay, and they hope you will go away.  Nobody will check if it was for a 4oz. package when your item should weigh ten pounds, or the tracking was issued before you even bought the item. 

eBay requires written proof from the carrier that the item was not intended for or shipped to you.  This in most instances is impossible to obtain and likely why eBay requires it (as part of the 'dance'). 

Fortunately, you may have the evidence you need, but it is up to you to convince eBay that you are a victim of the FAKE TRACKING SCAM.   The best bet for redress on eBay for you is through the social media portals.  

(The advice given to you by @rseuqinh in message #4 works also is reported to work quite well for you to exit the denial dance with minimum effort. It is beating the eBay bot at its own game.) 

If you fail to get assistance through the blue message button on this page: 

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

OR

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

https://x.com/askebay

You can file with PayPal if you paid that way.  DO NOT CHOOSE ITEM NOT RECEIVED.  They have another choice not "Shipped to wrong address".  An INR claim will be forwarded to eBay who responds with the same old FAKE delivery information and you will lose there as well. 

OR 

As a last resort you can go to your credit card.  Again you must make it very clear that this is a FRAUD/Fake Tracking Scam issue, not a regular item not received issue. 

eBay, PayPal, the credit card industry all know about this, and they choose to handle it differently.  It is not like the scam is some big secret as it has been going on for years.  It is documented on these boards back to 2013,  but you will not find any eBay policy page on what you need to do.  The information that is obtained here is collected (and often changing) by other buyers and sellers. 

Here is just this years so far on ONE Board.  Do let us know how it works out for you, or you need more assistance.  Good luck! 

Buyer victims: Jan. 2024

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Ebay-still-allows-this-basic-scam/m-p/34200329#M471797
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/FedEx-tracking-scam-resolution-help/m-p/34200076#M471780
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Scam-in-progress-How-to-report/m-p/34202408#M471983
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/My-item-hasn-t-arrived-and-got-delivered-to-the-wrong-address/...
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Seller-used-wrong-address-how-to-get-help/m-p/34214801#M472679
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Two-orders-from-two-carriers-in-two-days-shipped-to-someone-els...
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Seller-shipped-to-wrong-address/m-p/34219071#M472993
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/A-typical-buying-scam/m-p/34219558#M473030
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Problem-with-a-purchase/m-p/34224961#M473358
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/seller-close-case-with-fake-tracking-number-ebay-refuse-to/m-p/...
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/ebay-ai-helped-in-fraud/m-p/34237061#M474150
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/ebay-enable-scammers-by-closing-case-then-lying-facts/m-p/34237...
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Fake-Seller-shipments/m-p/34237759#M474196
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/eBay-s-money-back-guarantee-is-a-fraud/m-p/34239213#M474296
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Scammer/m-p/34239068#M474287
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Seller/m-p/34241530#M474404
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/how-to-contact-ebay-for-an-item-that-did-not-get-put-in-my/td-p...
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Another-quot-fake-tracking-quot-scam-this-time-with-the-package...
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Did-not-receive-items/m-p/34245181#M474623
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/eBay-Won-t-Step-In/m-p/34256703#M475318
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Fraud/m-p/34261461#M475547
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Feb. 2024

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Fake-Tracking-information/m-p/34266951#M475809
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/scam-ship-to-address-my-item-sent-to-a-bogus-address/m-p/342693...
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/incorrect-usps-tracking-number-9400108205499733679358/m-p/34269...
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/How-can-Ebay-say-to-me-we-know-you-did-not-receive-item-and-not...
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/That-Dreaded-Aquilline-AGAIN-Delivered-to-WRONG-ADDRESS/m-p/342...
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Ebay-marked-delivery-as-delivered-but-USPS-said-that-it-was/m-p...
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Your-item-was-returned-to-the-sender-because-of-an-incorrect/m-...
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/EBAY-LYING-IN-THEIR-DEFENSE-SUMMARY/m-p/34276296#M476361
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Seller-sent-item-to-wrong-address/m-p/34282633#M476650
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Scammed/m-p/34286691#M476949
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Dollar-xhop/m-p/34287357#M476988
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/another-count-of-Ebay-forcing-buyers-to-pay-for-items-that-neve...
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Possible-mess-up-with-label-generating-system/m-p/34290499#M477...
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/I-hate-everyhting-about-e-bay-and-paypal-right-now/m-p/34294747...
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/eBay-Enables-Mail-Fraud-and-ID-Fraud/td-p/34296978
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Shipment-delivered-to-wrong-address/m-p/34304049#M478122
___________________________________________________________________________________

March 2024

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Done-with-Ebay/m-p/34324403#M479273
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Loophole-that-enables-theft-via-ebay/m-p/34332383#M479633
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Seller-left-bogus-tracking-number-and-then-lied-to-e-bay/m-p/34...
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Not-delivered-parcel/m-p/34340273#M480147
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/contacting-ebay-on-possible-fraud/m-p/34349795#M480633
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/contacting-ebay-on-possible-fraud/m-p/34350054#M480666
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/PayPal-to-the-rescue/m-p/34352326#M480771
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Victim-of-same-ZIP-code-fraud-eBay-denied-my-appeal/m-p/3435884...
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Worst-customer-relations-ever/m-p/34366967#M481558
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/package-that-says-delivered/m-p/34370026#M4817

_________________________________________________________________________________________

April 2024

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Seller-sent-package-to-random-address-in-my-zip-code-and-my/td-...
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Negative-Feedback/m-p/34404925#M483677
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/I-got-scammed-How-to-fix-this/m-p/34407565#M483824
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Getting-UPS-to-cooperate-in-case-of-a-tracking-scam/m-p/3441279...
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Victory/m-p/34417103#M484423
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Ebay-Denied-Claim-on-925-package-that-was-marked-as-deliverd-by...
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Ebay-allowed-a-scammer-to-scam-me-and-even-removed-my-negative/...
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Issue-with-purchase-receiving-of-an-item/m-p/34418356#M484487
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Ebay-screwed-me-out-of-931-because-they-could-not-see-the/m-p/3...
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Customer-Service-Just-Repeats-quot-Policies-quot-and-Does-Not/m...
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/eBay-is-becoming-the-best-place-for-scam-sellers/m-p/34432245#M...
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/New-type-of-scam-to-me-at-least/m-p/31227146#M325369
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/New-Scam-Very-Odd-For-a-yard-Seed-Spreader/td-p/34430372
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/I-was-scammed-on-eBay-and-now-I-don-t-know-how-to-proceed-or-if...

May2024

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/FedEx-tracking-Issue/m-p/34447966#M486245
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Item-did-not-arrive-eBay-says-it-did-What-can-I-do/m-p/34451418...
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Seller-never-sent-out-package-EBAY-does-not-do-any-research-on/...
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Tracking-shows-item-delivered-but-wasn-t/m-p/34461150#M487060
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/I-think-I-was-scammed-on-eBay/m-p/34467595#M487369
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/How-do-you-fix-a-fraud-case-dealt-by-a-seller/m-p/34470732#M487...
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Scammed/m-p/34477363#M487945
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Item-sent-to-the-wrong-house-but-denied-refund/m-p/34490404#M48...
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Urgent-Discrepancy-in-Delivery-Status-and-Request-for-Refund/m-...
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June 2024

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/USPS-Shipping-Label-Scam-Appeal-Submitted-Without-My-Consent/m-...
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Victim-of-a-Scam-and-eBay-Won-t-Help/m-p/34513873#M490255
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Money-back-guarantee-is-a-scam/m-p/34512777#M490157
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Item-not-received-help-please-a-seller-is-trying-to-scam-me/m-p...
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/EBAY-Guarantee-is-completely-useless-and-USPS-is-incompetent-Ca...
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Package-delivered-at-wrong-address/m-p/34517762#M490532
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Scammed-with-fake-tracking-number-label/m-p/34517206#M490512
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Fraudulent-account/m-p/34518749#M490610
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Scam/m-p/34521610#M2415341
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/I-have-been-scammed/m-p/34522379#M490800
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/I-received-a-Visa-charge-for-something-I-didn-t-purchase-on-eBa...
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/am-i-getting-scammed/m-p/34528462#M491140
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/buying/m-p/34531735#M491303
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Seller-Scams-by-entering-valid-Tracking-Number-but-wrong-name/m...
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Scam/m-p/34534648#M491467
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Undelivered-Order-Fake-Tracking-Number-amp-Silence-from-eBay/m-...
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Never-got-my-package/m-p/34535096#M491503
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Fake-shipping-info-Ebay-endorsed-theft/m-p/34542818#M491840
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July 2024

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Paquete-entregado-en-direcci%C3%B3n-incorrecta/m-p/34548242#M49...




 

Message 6 of 11
latest reply

Re: Seller same zip code scam

At some point a class action suit against eBay seems warranted as they are responsible for the policies and procedures involved within their system and the protection of the parties involved need to be taken into account. 

Message 7 of 11
latest reply

Re: Seller same zip code scam

@zchrish ,

 

While ebay is responsible for the policies and procedures within their system, they cannot create policies that violate federal law.  What they run into with their system is the federal postal privacy rules, that do not allow access to shipping label information if that are neither the addressee or sender. Even the addressee is not allowed access to label information,  if an address on a label is not addressed to them.  We do find that individual USPS postmasters or clerks will write a note on USPS stationary stating in general that the address on a shipping label whose tracking was given to a buyer was not theirs.  That can be used in an appeal.  eBay does not accept emails sent from the USPS since they can be faked. 

 

 Since they also have a responsibility to a seller to keep them from being scammed, their system starts with a computer checking the tracking number posted by the seller for a delivered scan, but it does not check the zip code which is usually the same as the buyers. In cases where the zip code is different than the buyers, that can be checked on Appeal by a person, and the buyer will get a refund.  That will also happen if they can see that a label was created before a buyer made their purchase, a scam that used to be used and sometimes still is. 

 

  As for starting a class action lawsuit, those more often than not take years to be settled and after the lawyers take their cut, the payout to those who joined the C.A. suit would be minimal at best. There is also a prohibition in ebay's user agreement preventing members from pursuing claims against ebay in a class action suit unless they specifically opt out of the user agreement. 

 

 

"THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS FOOLPROOF, BECAUSE FOOLS ARE SO DARNED INGENIOUS!" (unknown)
Message 8 of 11
latest reply

Re: Seller same zip code scam

Great point and topic - this is getting to be really common and eBay is an accomplice to the scammers in their actions here.... 

I smell a class-action eventually on this.... it will cost them millions!

Message 9 of 11
latest reply

Re: Seller same zip code scam

I would also second this, I appealed a case where the seller uploaded tracking details that were for the zip code I live in, but it wasn't addressed to me or sent/ purchased by the seller. I was unable to upload the evidence from the post office they provided me with their handwritten statement that that tracking number is not for me and was not delivered to my address to the ebay appeal, so I contacted the Facebook Ebay account. I was able to chat with a real person who I sent photos of the post office's document and they escalated it to their supervisor and immediately refunded me because the seller  had committed felony mail fraud. It's a felony mail fraud if it crossed any state line and they were attempting to steal money by lying about someone else's mailings for the fake tracking Number so they didn't have to refund me what I paid. 

It takes a while between messages because they are helping multiple people at the same time, but when ebay app wasn't getting me anywhere, the Facebook ebay chat was at least getting some movement on being able to explain the situation and provide all the screenshots of the seller's manipulation and policy violations they had been trying to pull off during the entire order's transaction. 

It took a little over an hour and a half from start to finish with Facebook ebay to get my money refunded. 

Message 10 of 11
latest reply

Re: Seller same zip code scam

Hi everyone,

Due to the age of this 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.

Thank you for understanding.

Message 11 of 11
latest reply