Cheated by Buyer. Unable to send proof to appeals department

[circus_camel]

I sold my Google Pixel 4a phone on E-bay using buy it now option. It was in like new condition. Buyer requested a return quickly after receiving the package by lying about its speakers being defective. I sent the USPS return label. A few days later I received a package by UPS, which was sent by Amazon 3rd party seller. I had not placed the Amazon order. There was no indication that it was sent by the buyer as the address was of some Pharma company. There was no indication that it was Ebay return. The package contained some cheap $3 markers. 

After a few days the buyer opened and escalated a case with Ebay giving the same tracking number that was on Amazon shipment box. The Ebay system closed the case in a few min stating buyer provided return tracking and the item was delivered. I was never contacted by Ebay to check. I also chatted with Amazon who confirmed their 3rd party shipped the package to me and it was their tracking number. They told me to donate or keep the markers. The packing slip in the package matches the UPS shipping email, which has the same tracking number that Buyer provided to Ebay.

I tried for almost full day trying to appeal with Ebay, and send documents . First it was almost impossible to reach someone and finally when I did, the person submitted a poorly written appeals case. By ignoring all that I said, he said that I received the package in Amazon box. When I told him that this was not the full story, he said I can provide more info to appeals. Appeals emailed me after about ten hours stating they were closing the case as buyer provided return tracking that shows I got the item back. There was no way to send any documents as proof that buyer used Amazon tracking number.  Appeals did not even ask me for documents with which I can clearly prove that the buyer had cheated.

The link on Seller Dashboard for "Closed without seller resolution" is also not showing the case. How can submit my evidence to appeals department? When I call or chat, first all day it keeps telling me live help not available and then shows an email window with which no files can be attached.

I had shipped the package to  8 McCullough Dr. U125558, New Castle DE 19726-9000. I saw on forums that others have also been cheated by asking to ship items to this address. I have reported the buyer, but need Ebay to act responsibly. 

Now I am out of my phone and the buyer has full refund.

Very frustrating! I also contacted Paypal, but they asked me to contact Ebay.

It almost feels that Ebay was complicit in cheating the seller by easily enabling the buyer to get refund, keep the item, not seeing sellers proof and making it very hard for seller to reach them.

Could someone recommend what I could do? 

[numisnorway]

Googled for that address. Long list of forum posts by buyers having been scammed.

Guess this is what ebay calls their "seller protection".

[numisnorway]

*sellers

[ittybitnot]

@circus_camel 

I found this thread from November that outlines a similar circumstance.  There may be some information contained therein that will help you as well.  Note that the OP of that thread got assistance from an eBay staff member back then (See the posts from @brian@ebay ),  but perhaps they are not allowed to do that anymore and can only tell you to call customer service.   

Good luck with this, and do let us know how it turns out for you. 

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Sold-an-item-and-the-buyer-sent-a-cheap-item-through-Amazon-ba...

[myangelandmyprincess]

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brittanie@ebay wrote:

@a_c_green I understand that the buyer sent a different item back. I also know that it's frustrating I can't provide more concrete details on what went down, but as we protect all member privacy we cannot provide details on a member's account publicly. 

In general, if an item is returned that is not the one the seller sent originally, we can't detect that from the tracking. The seller would need to file an appeal with the information on what they received and we'd review to determine if the appeal qualifies. It isn't guaranteed we can cover the seller and it depends on what information we're provided at the time of the appeal as to what our options are to assist. 

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The buyer didn't send "back" a different item.  The buyer bought something from Amazon and had it sent to the seller and used that tracking number for the return.  That's not sending anything 'back".   We've been told on here is the buyer doesn't use the label provided in the returns process and uses their own way of returning that they are responsible if the seller doesn't actually get the item back.  So this should be a pretty good case of seller refunding the seller.   

Op I would recommend contacting eBay through Facebook I've found them the most helpful   

[blueapples_22]

So I've read this entire thread and here is what I have learned. 

I can create a fake account or even use my own account, buy something really expensive, keep it, file for a return, go to Amazon and order a cheap item and have it sent to the seller and then get my money back, no questions asked.

What I just wrote breaks my heart as a seller and needs to be fixed...otherwise Ebay is broken.  Why would anyone continue to sell on here?

[a_c_green]

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@blueapples_22 wrote:

So I've read this entire thread and here is what I have learned. 

I can create a fake account or even use my own account, buy something really expensive, keep it, file for a return, go to Amazon and order a cheap item and have it sent to the seller and then get my money back, no questions asked.

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That's correct.

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@blueapples_22 wrote:

What I just wrote breaks my heart as a seller and needs to be fixed...otherwise Ebay is broken.  Why would anyone continue to sell on here?

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Wellll... there is a certain level of trust in all transactions, at least until a bad guy appears. Basically the moral is to not sell anything that you can't afford to lose. Your chances of being ripped off are affected by what you're selling. Certain items such as game consoles and laptops and such will attract a larger percentage of scammers, especially to sellers with low feedback counts who are viewed as easy victims.

[alcoforever]

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@blueapples_22 wrote:

So I've read this entire thread and here is what I have learned. 

I can create a fake account or even use my own account, buy something really expensive, keep it, file for a return, go to Amazon and order a cheap item and have it sent to the seller and then get my money back, no questions asked.

What I just wrote breaks my heart as a seller and needs to be fixed...otherwise Ebay is broken.  Why would anyone continue to sell on here?

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You are over complicating it.  All a US buyer has to do is use the seller-provided return label and send back some dirty socks.   It is only the overseas buyers that need to do the Amazon trick.

As for why anyone would continue to sell here, there are tons of newbies that just don't know the rules.   They all have those nice smartphones, game consoles, tablets, laptops, etc. that they think they can get good money for.  First law of applied economics: There is a sucker born every minute.

[jameshen1]

It isn't guaranteed we can cover the seller

The above part of brittanie's post is the understatement of the decade.

[donsdetour]

To the topic:

Freight forward does not mean loss of protection for the buyer unless that admit the item was forward: eBay goes with possible employee or possible owner with out proof that it was a forward item.

As for the item being order and sent as a return proof of this other than just tracking must be provided.

Such is also fraud and theft so file a report with the proper law enforcement; Get a copy of this also  as it can also be used in an appeal with eBay;

Report the buyer for return abuse also with proper evidence and the copy of law enforcement report.

[ittybitnot]

You are over complicating it.  All a US buyer has to do is use the seller-provided return label and send back some dirty socks.   It is only the overseas buyers that need to do the Amazon trick.

@blueapples_22 

Mors specifically, it is "overseas buyers" that use a US shipping address from a freight forwarder that are partial to the 'cheap trinket' scam.  Should a seller ship directly to an international destination (or use the GSP), they have to forward the MONEY to the buyer to get back the "dirty socks" when a SNAD claim is made. 

@alcoforever 

LOL at the "socks"...coffee in the keyboard.  

[ra_201044]

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brittanie@ebay wrote:

@a_c_green I understand that the buyer sent a different item back. I also know that it's frustrating I can't provide more concrete details on what went down, but as we protect all member privacy we cannot provide details on a member's account publicly. 

In general, if an item is returned that is not the one the seller sent originally, we can't detect that from the tracking. The seller would need to file an appeal with the information on what they received and we'd review to determine if the appeal qualifies. It isn't guaranteed we can cover the seller and it depends on what information we're provided at the time of the appeal as to what our options are to assist. 

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You sure can if the tracking # originates at an Amazon warehouse and not where the buyer lives(unless he made himself a gaylord house in a rack in the warehouse). IF anyone bothers to look, anyway ......

[gatts1]

I've heard that many sellers both here and the big A keep a UPS PO box just for returns for this exact reason. The return is opened in front of an employee witness, and if it's different from the item sold, a police report is filed.

It's not an expensive workaround, and practically a necessity for high-volume sellers.

[bangordiscount]

just business as usual; nothing to see here

[vintage-car-magazines]

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brittanie@ebay wrote:

@a_c_green I understand that the buyer sent a different item back. I also know that it's frustrating I can't provide more concrete details on what went down, but as we protect all member privacy we cannot provide details on a member's account publicly. 

In general, if an item is returned that is not the one the seller sent originally, we can't detect that from the tracking. The seller would need to file an appeal with the information on what they received and we'd review to determine if the appeal qualifies. It isn't guaranteed we can cover the seller and it depends on what information we're provided at the time of the appeal as to what our options are to assist. 

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That's the gaping hole in the system....it accepts ANY tracking number. While not foolproof, there are two things eBay can do to help button it up.

1. Require that the return label issued is the tracking number used.
2. If another tracking number is used, require that it originates from or near the delivery address.

This won't address a buyer who ships back something different. It will address the scam the OP fell victim to. It takes the ability to order from a third party out of play and requires the buyer to actually ship something.

To accept some random tracking number from a sale on another site (that probably had free shipping to boot), that the OP can tie to an Amazon purchase for an unrelated item is reprehensible. The OP shouldn't have to work this hard for what's right.

[ittybitnot]

The OP shouldn't have to work this hard for what's right.

Or ebay could just consider it a "faulty return".  There is no seller protection for "faulty returns", and they are "just part of doing business on the net" according to this marketplace for many years now.  Sad.