Buyer used fake tracking number for return, what do I do?

[roflcakes123]

Okay, so basically what happened earlier is that a 0 feedback buyer requested a return and I accepted and purchased a return shipping label from eBay for a discount.  This was on February 24, a week before this happened.  So today, the buyer finally decides to put a tracking number, and it shows delivered to the city AND zip code I live in.  Of course, I never received anything. 

In the USPS website, it says "Delivered, Front Desk/Reception/Mail Room", but I don't have any of those, just a normal mailbox in front of my house.  It was supposedly shipped on Feb 25, and delivered Feb 28.  Now here's the thing that doesn't make sense, the package was shipped from NY but I shipped it to a different state that's significantly further away.

Now this is where I need help and am panicking about it, what do I do?  I plan to call eBay first thing in the morning, but I hear lots of horror stories of sellers losing cases like these, and it worries me that the tracking number and delivery times look very legitimate.  The only thing that doesn't make sense is that the package came from the wrong state.  Does USPS keep track of the address packages have been delivered to?  Because I can guarantee that it hasn't been delivered to my address.

[roflcakes123]

Oh quick note, I got an email notifying me about this as well and it says "A signature will be required at delivery," but the fake tracking number package seems to have been delivered without a signature. Hopefully this will help out in my favor?

[mam98031]

Yes, you need to call Ebay in the morning.  There is enough fishy stuff going on with this return, Ebay should sit up and pay some attention.  At least I sure hope so.  Make sure you tell them all of this.  The item shipping from a location you did not ship to is an important fact as well as all the others you have outlined.

When you go to call Ebay, there will likely be an option to have Ebay call you.  Select that option.  I have no idea if this is a fact or just my imagination, but when I do that I seem to get more knowledgeable CSRs.  Plus it is so much better than waiting on hold.  They are typically pretty quick but the screen will give you an estimate of how long it will take them to call you.

Try to relax for the rest of the evening.  I know it is hard, but tomorrow will hopefully bring some help your way.

[roflcakes123]

@mam98031 Thanks for the reply. One thing I also forgot to point out is that on the eBay website, it still says the package isn't delivered, while the tracking number does show it's been delivered. Maybe it hasn't updated yet, but I would hope it stays like that.

Also, do you happen to know how the discounted eBay return shipping labels work? I got one for the buyer, but I never got any details about it, so I have no idea if the buyer even used that label either.

[mam98031]

Ebay tracking is not on real time.  They update the system I think a couple times a day, maybe more.  I'm not really sure, but I do know it isn't real time.

As to the label.  If after a couple weeks the label isn't used, you should get refunded around the 30 day mark or so.  You will get the money back for that on your Ebay Invoice.

[lightlily_arts]

I had the similar thing happen last year.  I had eBay issue the return shipping label to my buyer.  The tracking showed the package had been posted in Georgia and then delivered the next day in Georgia.  The tracking should show the city and zip code where the package was delivered. In my case it was delivered in the originating city meaning back to the buyer.  You need to go to the Post Office and get the Intranet GPS coordinates of where the package was delivered.  This should provide you an address.   You are going to need the Post Office documentation of where that package was delivered.    Even though the package was sent from New York instead of the originating address it may not matter.  The buyer gets the label  from eBay and prints it out.  eBay can't closed the case in your favor unless you can prove that it was not delivered to your address.   eBay did close the case in my favor.

For example I live in California but when I'm on vacation in Nevada.  I can still print out the label and post my package.

[lightlily_arts]

Who sent you that email that a signature was required?

[richard1rst]

eBay SHOULD pass judgment based on the tracking number THEY provided. The fake number means nothing. Unless eBay can confirm, using their own tracking number, that it has been delivered it would seem you have a good case.

I'm not sure I would even mention the fake number, That just might confuse them.

The deal is - he was supposed to send it back (using eBay's label) and there is no record that he has sent it back - please close the case in my favor.

[roflcakes123]

@lightlily_arts It was the eBay email notifying me that the buyer shipped the item.

[roflcakes123]

@richard1rst  Well it isn't exactly fake, it's more like forged. It's a real tracking number, but it's just not for the actual returned item. Also are you sure that he HAS to use the eBay label? Because I'm sure he just entered his own, and even if he did use the eBay label, I don't think he would be able to change the return address

[roflcakes123]

@lightlily_arts Apologies for the double mention, but I'm confused on what happened in your case. How did you lose your case when the tracking number clearly showed that it wasn't delivered to you? And how does that happen with the eBay label? Seems to be a very different type of case.

[lightlily_arts]

How did you get the tracking number?   Does the package tracking show that they obtained signature confirmation?  I had a buyer who claimed that she didn't get the designer handbag I shipped her.  It was shipped with signature confirmation required.   Her package was signed for at her address, and her claim denied.  I think she thought she could get away with it because the package was delivered by a substitute postal service employee  and her husband who had a different last name signed for it.

So did the buyer just use his own label instead of the one provided by eBay?  The most important part is that you have to go to the post office and request their Intranet GPS coordinates to identify the address location for the delivery.  This is the USPS's  in house system and it can only be accessed by postal employees.

[roflcakes123]

@lightlily_artsThe tracking number just showed up today on eBay, but the reason I assume it is his own label is because it's from a different address, and also the tracking number just showed up today. Feb 24 was when I accepted the return, according to the tracking number it was shipped on 25th and delivered on 28th. But I didn't get any updates until March 2 which also happens to be the last day the buyer had to ship the item. I don't believe eBay would take that long to update their tracking.

Also I have already stated I never received any packages on that day, let alone require to sign for anything.  It also says something like delivered to front desk/mail room/reception, but that doesn't fit where I live.  Tracking usually always says at mailbox or front door for me.

[lightlily_arts]

I didn't lose my case.  It was closed  by eBay in my favor because the tracking showed it delivered back to the buyer.  I knew it was this buyer was trying to scam  me the moment she opened the INAD claim.   I believe she didn't use eBay's return shipping label because eBay didn't charge me for the shipping label either.

[alseyf-73]

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@roflcakes123 wrote:
Also, do you happen to know how the discounted eBay return shipping labels work? I got one for the buyer, but I never got any details about it, so I have no idea if the buyer even used that label either.

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Sorry @roflcakes123 that you're getting so much misinformation. When we don't know the answer, or we've not actually experienced something like this ourselves, we tend to guess and give bad advice, unfortunately. When you have eBay issue a return label to the buyer, you are only billed on your monthly invoice if the return label is scanned. Otherwise if it's never used, there is no refund weeks later for the label, since you never paid for the label in the first place.

As well, the buyer can pay for their own return label instead of using the eBay return label, and then upload that tracking number into the return details page either before their label is on its way, or many days after their label has already been delivered to your zipcode. Which is why you didn't learn of a tracking number until Mar 2, long after its delivery.

You should take the fright to your buyer: Ask why the label was delivered to a mail room when you've no such address, and why the signature required for this return is missing, then wait for the frantic reply. Aside, where the return was mailed from is irrelevant.