Buyer Claims Item is missing with USPS Damage Labels oddly placed - Possible Fraud?

[chaos-games.llc]

Sold an item and the buyer sent me message a few hours after delivery that it was missing. The photo they attached in the message shows two USPS damage labels that were suspiciously placed on the package with an opening clearly off placed from the labels. I would suspect that if this were internal theft that it's quite odd an employee would take a chance on random package opening to thieve in this way. As of now, I'm filing a claim for USPS mail fraud and communicating with the buyer to determine if they are persistent on wanting to handle this claim of theft. Looking for advice and others stories concerning receiving anything similar in claims from buyers. How did it turn out?

[itscalledapostingid]

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@chaos-games.llc wrote:

Got any links to claims that were decided on the reuse of packaging alone? I've searched and it's quite acceptable to reuse packaging as long as it still retains similar to the same structural integrity. In fact, USPS employees at PO locations have said there's nothing wrong with it either giving the same criteria. Unless, you can provide some real-life examples and testimonies from others who encountered a claim denial based upon the packaging based on reuse and not damaged, then I'm gonna have to say you're spreading misinformation.

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It's common knowledge. You should already know this.

You can read the Terms & Conditions of most shipping insurance policies

Take a look at the certifications stamped on the bottom of shipping boxes too.

You can also google to find many posts about insurance rejected for re-used packaging. 

[vintagecraze50]

Show your local PO this picture and see if they can tell you if this is an official received damaged sticker. That might do the trick.

[vintagecraze50]

If the sticker is not an official sticker for received damaged, and you can get the PO to show it was not sent out damaged see if you can get that info to Ebay officially from them.

[itscalledapostingid]

Damaged claims being denied are almost always due to poor packing.
Re-using a box that was manufactured to be a single use product is absolutely a valid reason to have the claim denied.

[gurlcat]

Just my opinion, but I would NOT try to claim you can see package fragments in that photo.  I have it up on my large and bright Macbook screen, and all I see is a yellow envelope on a marble-fragment countertop.  The only debris is at the 7:00 position, a teeeeeni-tiny brownish wad, could be a food crumb or a booger for that matter.  I would also not make any more phone calls to the buyer.  Nothing productive could come of it, and you might only enrage him to do god-knows-what.  You've done all the procedural stuff correctly, now let the powers that be weigh the evidence.  

[fern*wood]

They are on a mission.

[dentalrprtek2012]

That’s correct that is the eBay way,let the buyers make any claim they want to and the seller just sends a full refund and moves on it is all about keeping ebays wonderful buyers happy at any cost

[chaos-games.llc]

Yes, I've read over many policies. Which is why I asked you to provide a source which you haven't. The reason you haven't is because there's nothing in the policy about the reuse of packaging. You tried to use the old "it's common knowledge" which it isn't because the typical stipulation is that packaging must maintain close to its structural integrity that it was manufactured. In fact carriers at the point of acceptance, will reject any packages which don't meet the criteria for shipment. So, you're spreading misinformation at this point.

[chaos-games.llc]

Wrong again. You've yet to provide any source because there isn't one on reuse of packaging. It simply has to fit the structural integrity that it was designed for and carriers will reject at the initial point of inspection any packaging which doesn't fit their standards. You're spreading misinformation that claims are denied on reuse of packaging. Provide an official, valid source for this information. Not just you on here constantly repeating the same false statements.

[itscalledapostingid]

If you want to risk a claim being denied for inferior packaging go for it.

Judging by the photo you are not too concerned with how your packages look and that one obviously didn't make it.

Good luck and have a nice weekend.

[chaos-games.llc]

There is no risk for reusing packaging, as long as, it's not deteriorated and lost structural integrity that is rejected by the carrier. They inspect every package they take receipt of at the counter to ensure it's not acceptable. You see, when I confronted you with providing proof, you couldn't. That's because you're spreading misinformation intentionally or based upon your own false belief.

[chaos-games.llc]

Thanks. I already provided it to the local PO that delivered to the buyer, USPS CS, and Postal Inspection reporting for theft. I'll update with a final summary on the process which took almost a month with as much info as possible to hopefully help anyone else out who comes across this post on the forum.

[chaos-games.llc]

Yeah, I didn't. I had text a handful of times over almost 4 weeks and called twice. I don't believe that's going beyond any sort of harassment since the buyer had avoided communication and still up to the final decision never delivered the supposed received empty/damaged package to the local PO for inspection. I'll update with a post about the ordeal, what I would have probably done differently in terms of additional documentation, and final results. Hopefully, it will help out others with some basic guidelines that they could follow in order. Mine could have went either way, up until, calling eBay CS about the case which I escalated. It may still end up with a decision against the seller but at least there is a paper trail. Mine came down to a non-compliant buyer who avoided communication and never presented the supposed empty package to the PO.

[gurlcat]

If Ebay handles this like they NORMALLY do, it will close in your favor simply because there was a delivery scan.  Unfortunately Ebay may not have the final say.  If the buyer is aware of their options, they could move on from Ebay to their bank/card/Paypal and file a payment dispute, which tends to be far more difficult to beat, and you have to wait at least a month to see what they decide.  If it's in favor of the buyer and they snatch the money from Ebay, then Ebay will take the funds from your next sale AND slap you with a $20 fine.  The most messed up part, in my view, is how you have to read whatever the buyer got to say (in text) to their bank, but Ebay only provides YOU with a single FILE upload option, no text box.  So just imagine dealing with this case when all you can do is upload a photo, screenshot or whatever, with no ability to say anything about it, in your defense.