Buyer wanted me to ship to a PO Box, eBay wants me to ask fraudster to cancel the transaction

[fleance]

I just had a bad interaction with a buyer of a PS5 console that I was selling.  They won the auction, and then immediately messaged me asking me to ship to a P.O. Box which is an unconfirmed address.  I told him I can only ship to his confirmed paypal address, and then he told me he is moving in a few days.  It all reeks of fraudulent activity, so clicked option to cancel the transaction, and now ebay is telling me that I have to ask the fraudster to accept the cancellation, or else I'm out my final value fees. WHUTT? 

My auction is now in limbo for 7 days because buyer refuses to cancel the transaction.

Since below conversation, this person has followed up with more rude messages, and left a negative feedback.  I reported the buyer for asking to ship to unconfirmed address.   Is there any way to get his bogus feedback removed?

[fleance]

To followup, I chatted with ebay rep, and at first they gave stock answers, but eventually they agreed to refund the final value fees, but said it would take 3 days (!) to be reflected in my account.   I will wait 3 days to see if it is really canceled and I am creditted the final value fees ($69).    I wanted to relist the item, but I'll wait to see it is fully resolved first.

Someone suggested I should just list the item as a 'Buy it Now' listing with immediate payment required to avoid people that are trying to circumvent the shipping restrictions.   I think that would have saved me the headache of dealing with this person.

[ittybitnot]

@fleance 

The very first thing I would check when you get a "change of address request"  is to see if it is from your actual buyer.  Compare the ebay ID of the winning bidder/buyer to see that they are the same.  

There are the "change of address" scammers that pretend to be your buyer in hopes that you will send the item to them.  In these instances, if you cancel the sale you will be refunding the real buyer.  

Just something to think about. 

[soh.maryl]

You are, of course, free to exclude whatever delivery addresses you want, but why exclude PO boxes?

A PO box is probably about the safest delivery address there is.  It's a locked box in a Federal facility.

Only the owner of the box and the PO clerks have the ability to use the box.  If a package is too large for the box, the clerk puts a notification in the box and the box owner presents the notice t the window to retrieve his package.

So, tell me again, why exclude PO boxes? 

[gwens*4saleitems*]

In a previous post fleance stated : "Yes, at first I was open to working something out, but after he said he was moving in a few days before the package could arrive, that was too many red flags...   My listing had excluded shipping to PO Boxes and I stated that signature would be required.  This is a large package and would have to ship via Fedex or UPS. I could have sworn I had a problem before where UPS wouldn't ship to a PO Box."

He answered your question before you asked.

[soh.maryl]

I stand corrected.

Guess I did not see the previous post where he mentioned that fact.

Can you please point it out to me? 

[kiss-3]

   I know it will be a pain, but please contact E-bay again and again and again...Try to get a representative or manager to understand, this is a new scam and hurting the confidence of sellers. If any good can be taken from this case, is that at least 349 (at this time) people have viewed your post.

  A big thank you for your time in posting what happened, the heads up on a new scam and for all the effort/energy it will take to get through to E-bay.  They need to listen to you!

[lightlily_arts]

If you are shipping by Fedex you don't have the option of shipping to a P.O.Box.  Fedex requires a physical address for shipping and therefore you have to exclude them on the listing.  I use Fedex for heavy oversize packages as they are cheaper than USPS.

[a_c_green]

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@soh.maryl wrote:

I stand corrected.

Guess I did not see the previous post where he mentioned that fact.

Can you please point it out to me? 

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That would be Message 12: 

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Buyer-wanted-me-to-ship-to-a-PO-Box-eBay-wants-me-to-ask/m-p/3... 

[axiombody]

I'm pretty sure you don't have to allow shipping to PO boxes.  I have a PO box and I have had been automatically from paying.  My confirmed address has nothing to do with my PO Box.  I live where there is no daily delivery so everyone in my city has a PO box.  Please stop with the fraud.  You sound like you are the one backing out of the transaction.  Sounds like the buyer did nothing wrong and you want someone to blame because you have trust issues.  You can cancel a transaction anytime you want without the buyers consent but it will go against your account for not completing the transaction.

[ra_201044]

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@lightlily_arts wrote:

If you are shipping by Fedex you don't have the option of shipping to a P.O.Box.  Fedex requires a physical address for shipping and therefore you have to exclude them on the listing.  I use Fedex for heavy oversize packages as they are cheaper than USPS.

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As with UPS, you can always use the address of your PO and then add the box # after it. Some or most PO's would make a PO box holder sign something to allow them to accept it. 

Mine is small, and in a small town, so no problems when I am forced to do this, although I only use it for sellers who for some unknown reason ship USPS but block PO boxes.

[misfitfun]

Ebay does not require address bei confirmed or verified just that you ship to address in order details.If the po box is not that address you should have cancelled w reason problem w buyer address

[gwens*4saleitems*]

"""In a previous post fleance stated : "Yes, at first I was open to working something out, but after he said he was moving in a few days before the package could arrive, that was too many red flags...   My listing had excluded shipping to PO Boxes and I stated that signature would be required.  This is a large package and would have to ship via Fedex or UPS. I could have sworn I had a problem before where UPS wouldn't ship to a PO Box."""

Copy and paste from the original post AND from my post to you.

[racingoval]

I just sold an item and the listing says UPS ground shipping. After buyer paid his address is a PO Box. I told him UPS does not ship to PO Boxes. Shipping through the Post office may be more expensive. I asked if he has  another address I can ship to.  He has not replied. So I started a live chat with ebay agent. She told me that if he doesn't reply I can cancel transaction after 5 days with no plenty to me. Just state in cancelation that address not verified.   

[dbfolks166mt]

With all the scamming taking place and the high target value of a PS/5 I give you credit for even posting it here. There are way to many other more secure and less costly ways to move that item. I sold one around Christmas time on a local forum for about what they were going for on eBay at the time that required no shipping, no fees and I was paid in cash.