Hi!
Buyer returned a bunch of mailing envelopes instead of an iPhone 13 Pro and used a third party freight forwarder for initial order. Total scam! I filed a Police report (opened a return package with the Police Officer as a witness) and reported a problem with the return to eBay, but eBay ruled the case out in the buyer's favor against their own Policy (where the buyer loses MBG when the Third Party FF is involved)!!
HERE'S THE FULL STORY:
I sold an Apple iPhone 13 Pro 512GB to a buyer registered in Bulgaria. My iPhone was in very good cosmetic condition, with no cracks, and in excellent working condition, as described and pictured in my eBay listing. I packaged the order (bubble-wrapped and double-boxed) and shipped it on 04/15/24.
The buyer used a third-party Freight Forwarder named Globbing. They receive merchandise, open and repack orders (according to their policy) and forward them to the clients overseas. The order was delivered to the above Freight Forwarder to the person on 04/17/24.
On 04/18/24, the buyer opened a return request alleging he received a broken and cracked iPhone. He provided photos of an iPhone that did not match the one sent to him, displaying cracks on the back and scratches on the sides. The return request was automatically approved by eBay.
On 04/18/24, another person shipped the order back to me, and I received the package on 04/20/24.
However, upon inspection of the package's appearance, it became apparent that the returned package did not contain the iPhone. The package had the form of a large flat rectangle, with its contents packed in a polyethylene bag, easily bendable as if containing magazines or papers. Suspecting foul play and the unlawful withholding of the iPhone, I decided to involve the police and open the package in front of a police officer to ascertain its contents and pursue appropriate legal action.
On 04/22/24, I filed a Police Report with my Local PD. With the Police Officer as a witness we opened the package, which contained USPS mailing envelopes instead of the iPhone!!
Subsequently, on the same day, I contacted the New Castle Police Department in Delaware, explained the situation, and filed a police report with them as well.
This financial scam organized by a group of individuals within Globbing Company involves fraudulent merchandise returns, constituting theft.
I also contacted The Federal Bureau of Investigation and filed a Complaint with their Internet Crime Complaint Center, or IC3.
I reported a problem with the return and attached photos and full description, eBay still ruled it out in the buyer's favor stating the following: "The tracking shows the return was delivered". I think they didn't even read the explanation of the issue!
What are my next steps? eBay does not adhere to their own policy! Please help!
