eBay

householdrecycle · ‎03-09-2023

I had two sales on the same item within a month. I cancelled both because something didn't add up.

In both the addresses indicated that they were using international forwarding services, yet both new buyer accounts where the buyers name was nowhere near what the addressees name was and the phone numbers didn't match with the state they were in. Both were to be delivered to Asian Spas (two different states) with the international forwarding information in the address lines. I googled both these delivery addresses and there were many reviews on a review site about CC fraud and Sephora fraud (multiple). I then decided to google "sephora arrests" and low and behold the the police in NH raided a location in a town nearby and seized 8000 items related to this kind of activity.

Now I know you are saying. Oh well.. They paid me I should be covered after it's delivered. But I certainly don't want to losing my inventory and sale money, paying a possible chargeback fee (or arguing to get it back) or any of the sort.

I'll also note that both accounts that bought from me "no longer exist" and that I never received any notification from eBay of possible fraud. I did contact eBay about the first one and explained my concerns based on the shady discovery and address, but I was just told to cancel if I didn't feel comfortable so I just cancelled them myself for address issues.

So just be weary... Plenty of great buyers out there, but always going to be the few bad apples.

reallynicestamps · ‎03-09-2023

You got two sales.

The addresses for both were freight forwarders.

Nothing worrying there. Freight forwarders are the second most secure addresses you can mail to. Safer than houses*.

yet both new buyer accounts where the buyers name was nowhere near what the addressees name was

Huh? My ID is reallynicestamps, but that's nothing like my legal name,nor would it be on any shipments to me.

That's sorta the point of eBay IDs.

and the phone numbers didn't match with the state they were in.

I have a friend whose cell number still has the long distance code of his old house- in another province he has not visited in three years.

I'm not clear if you mean the phone number of the buyer or of the forwarder.

Both were to be delivered to Asian Spas (two different states) with the international forwarding information in the address lines.

So not to actual freight forwarding addresses, just someone's auntie's business?

Also, two different spas?

Now we can worry.

low and behold the the police in NH raided a location in a town nearby and seized 8000 items related to this kind of activity.

"nearby"?

Like next door? three towns over? last week? four years ago?

Google gives us a lot of information that is less useful than meets the eye.

Now it may be that there was an organized gang fraudulently obtaining Sephora products using New Hampshire spas as a front. That the police have been active in seizing goods indicates that the fraud was in the past surely?

All that being said, I don't think I would be shipping either. Too many "problems with address". If challenged I would go with the mismatch of address and telephone number, weak as it may be.

*Houses attract porch pirates. Forwarders don't.