Buyer filing obvious fraudulent "received empty box" claim and asking for refund.

[chr0mew0rld]

Buyer received item nearly 3 days ago. Now today has filed a "Item not received" request and in the reasoning section wrote "received empty box.."

About an hour later, that request was cancelled and he then filed a return request instead. Again claiming 'received empty box..."

This was an expensive jacket. I absolutely shipped it in the box. I have already sent a message stating that we can file police report/contact local post office/etc as seen in other forum threads about this same type of scam. Is there anything else I can do in the meantime? Is there a way I can reach out to a human at Ebay directly and let them know whats going on?

[mtgraves7984]

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@chr0mew0rld wrote:

Since the return request is filed under 'item not as described',  If i accepted the return, ebay has to wait to refund my buyer until i receive the item back. What if I accept that and he sends nothing back? Do I then get to file the same thing, saying he returned an empty box?

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@chr0mew0rld 

If eBay refunds without action on your behalf, you'll get the ding but still have the opportunity to appeal the refund. (It's a double-edged sword.)

No... to be able to reduce the amount of the refund, you'd have to be a Top Rated Seller who offers 30-Day (or better) Returns, or a seller who offers Free Returns. I don't see either on your account.

[chr0mew0rld]

So I really have no recourse here?
Whats to stop someone from just doing this all the time and getting anything they want for free?

I might as well do the same thing if it's just allowed by Ebay no questions asked, buy something and say it never showed up even when it was clearly delivered based on tracking etc

[mtgraves7984]

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@chr0mew0rld wrote:

Why would I want to keep selling here if buyer's are given free reign to lie and scam with no remorse? Especially when everything I sell is decently pricey. Never had this issue on grailed, depop, mercari, etc

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@chr0mew0rld 

Ah! Now this is clear thinking as you move forward. eBay is definitely not for the faint of heart. Or for new sellers with pricey items. 

[chr0mew0rld]

I dont even see any option to take action on my own behalf. Only options im given are to either accept the return or message the buyer. When does ebay step in?

[qeqo_0]

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@chr0mew0rld wrote:

What if I accept that and he sends nothing back? Do I then get to file the same thing, saying he returned an empty box? 

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If the buyer returns an item for Missing Parts or Pieces, because the item is missing @chr0mew0rld 

What is the buyer required to return inside the box to get their refund, when the item is missing?

[buyselljack2016]

Whats to stop someone from just doing this all the time and getting anything they want for free?-

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Their upbringing, integrity, sense of decency, moral compass.

Some do not have any of that.  Most do.

Eventually eBay will catch on to an individual, but at that point a scammer will just get another account.

[luckythewinner]

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@chr0mew0rld wrote:

Shouldnt the fact that they filed two different 'refund reasons' be suspicious enough? 

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No.

In their "Item Not Received" dispute, they said they received the item but got an empty box. 

Because they received a package, they should have filed a "Not As Described" dispute, not an "Item Not Received" dispute. 

So withdrawing the incorrect dispute type and re-filing the correct dispute type would not be seen as suspicious. It would be seen as correcting the dispute type. That is a common mistake that buyers make here. 

[bonjourami]

"I dont even see any option to take action on my own behalf. Only options im given are to either accept the return or message the buyer. When does ebay step in?"

You dont want Ebay to step in, they will immediately refund the buyer,without returning anything and a ding to your account. I know you dont care aboout that..but you are a new seller and it can hurt you with holding funds, etc.

[buzzapparel]

The box became empty after it was opened and the contents removed by the buyer or their family, the post office in no way shape or form would have delivered an empty, water logged box. Thieves don’t carefully open boxes and take their contents, they take the entire box as quickly as possible. Obviously scum of humanity is trying to rob you.

[kensgiftshop]

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@chr0mew0rld wrote:

Since the return request is filed under 'item not as described',  If i accepted the return, ebay has to wait to refund my buyer until i receive the item back. What if I accept that and he sends nothing back? Do I then get to file the same thing, saying he returned an empty box?

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The buyer ships back what they received, the empty box.

[kensgiftshop]

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@chr0mew0rld wrote:

So I really have no recourse here?
Whats to stop someone from just doing this all the time and getting anything they want for free?

I might as well do the same thing if it's just allowed by Ebay no questions asked, buy something and say it never showed up even when it was clearly delivered based on tracking etc

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Tracking just shows something was delivered, doesn't mean the item was in the package.

Ask the buyer if the carrier stuck a note on the package about it being empty when delivered?

[ittybitnot]

@chr0mew0rld 

The "empty box" claim is a favorite for international buyers who use a freight forwarder.  To what city/state did you ship your product?

[albertabrightalberta]

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@chr0mew0rld wrote:

UPDATE: Buyer now responding as I asked how a large heavy package could show up empty without anyone along the way noticing, and he replied 'box had some water damage, half of box were soaked" LOL

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Look up (or post) the city/state/zip code of the buyer's address. I will look up the direct phone number to the post office that services that area. You can call them, give them the tracking number and have them check with the carrier and the cameras that photograph the package along the way. I've had good results and cooperation from postal employees when I've had to call.

I'd recommend sending the buyer a message along the lines of the following:

"Dear buyer,

Thank you for letting me know that (at first), your item didn't arrive although tracking showed delivery, (next) that your item was empty and (finally) that the packaging was wet and damaged. 

Since it wasn't sent that way and because USPS and the inspector general take postal fraud seriously, you will investigate and get to the bottom of how this damage or theft happened. 

They will need your cooperation so I shall forward your contact information as supplied by ebay and the transaction. 

Sincerely, 

Seller" 

I'm guessing that the buyer will either disappear or will let you know that it was a mistake and the damage/theft was to another seller's item!

[albertabrightalberta]

@chr0mew0rld 

No one else brought this up so I'll mention it. 

Although we all started as brand new users at one time, scammers look for new sellers with expensive items to try to take advantage of them. That you have (and had) expensive listings made you a magnet for some less-than-honest buyers. 

[1786davycrockett]

@albertabrightalberta 

@chr0mew0rld 

In addition, check to see what the weather was like in the buyer's neighborhood on the day & time of delivery:  No rain means no waterlogged box.