Ebay Scammer How do i deal with Properly ?

[matt266]

Hi i have this person make offer on a item and i accepted . 

I tested it and it worked good .They sent  a immediate return  upon recieving .

I started to look at their feedback. And then  their feedback for others.

This is a big scammer    and has been doing it to many other people .  And leaving them negatives .

I feel so bad for all thos other sellers.   How does  ebay keep alllowing this. This person is a  obvious big tiem scammer .Its hard to tell how many people are victims as some leave automatic feedback . Im not a expert on this and what are the exact steps . 

They have just opened a false  return  tryign to get me pay return shipping . Looks like they are also sending many sellers garabage back   and junk instead of their items .

[luckythewinner]

---

@siayan wrote:
I agree but they do it because they have no recourse. Mail Fraud is not prosecuted.

---

That was exactly my point. You adapt or leave, because no one in the last decade has figured out how to stop SNAD scams.

And suggesting we get a postal employee to take time out of his day in the mistaken belief that he will someday be a "witness" on our behalf  just slows down the line at the counter for everyone else. 

[poppyswag]

So we do nothing so the PO line won't be longer?

@Anonymous what can be done here?

[postingid2017]

---

@siayan wrote:

---

@luckythewinner wrote:

---

@ersatz_sobriquet wrote:

I do like your idea, I wonder if it ever works. 

---

That idea has been posted here as the "only way to stop it", as has the idea of videotaping yourself when you package, mail and /or receive the item back. 

And yet never once in more than a decade of reading these boards do I recall a seller ever saying that it accomplished anything. 

Sellers who encounter this behavior either choose to stay and absorb it, or leave and go somewhere else. Given that ebay currently has 1 billion listings, I would assume that many of those sellers choose to stay and accept getting ripped off occasionally. 

---

I agree but they do it because they have no recourse. Mail Fraud is not prosecuted.

---

Mail Fraud is prosecuted - exactly how it is prosecuted is dependent on the dollar amount/number of occurrences, etc.   To go to the extreme, Bernie Madoff is a prime example.  Insofar as items on eBay, it may or may not, but they (Postal Inspectors) will do investigations.  There are other instances where eBay sellers were tried and convicted of Mail Fraud.  The dollar amounts were in the millions.  One even went so far as purchasing an authentic item, posting pics of the authentic item and substituting a fake item when shipped.  The OP's buyer seems to have a lot of "issues."  The replies to the FB left is saying something is not right.  

[postingid2017]

And to add to my last post, hot head me did file a Complaint and I was contacted.  It was not fraud to the extent of the OP's buyers, but it would have cost me money because I needed a "Delivered" scan. We spoke, he was nice and the situation was handled.  

[sg51]

Mail Fraud is prosecuted - exactly how it is prosecuted is dependent on the dollar amount/number of occurrences, etc.  

What is not prosecuted are "faulty returns".  Ever.

[postingid2017]

True - however, if I sell a MacBook Pro and the buyer requests a return for refund and I get back a phone book, that is Fraud.  The seller is not getting back what was sold.  Try returning an item in person that was not sold and see what happens - your return would be rejected.  

If you do not receive back what you sent, it is Fraud.  Does not matter if it was shipped with a different carrier other than USPS - it is Mail Fraud.  

[retrose1]

I have reported buyers who have filed fake ebay snads, shipped back half my merchandise, postage fraud at the PO and the PO makes the report and so far almost all of the buyers I have reported to the PO are not buying stuff anymore. 

I don't hear about it and I don't read about court cases, but when the PO inspectors knocks on their door, or bar the address from use, the buyers have to find another way to deliver the packages back to their victims.

Unfortunately for the OP, ebay's new buyercentric policies require that the seller take the return, pay for the return ship cost and get the buyers garbage back and then refund the buyer for their trash. 

Then they should report the buyer to the PO and the buyers local police for internet fraud and then to ebay jsut to let them know that their 'customers' are on the job and their work is rewarded.

[siayan]

---

@luckythewinner wrote:

---

@siayan wrote:
I agree but they do it because they have no recourse. Mail Fraud is not prosecuted.

---

That was exactly my point. You adapt or leave, because no one in the last decade has figured out how to stop SNAD scams.

And suggesting we get a postal employee to take time out of his day in the mistaken belief that he will someday be a "witness" on our behalf  just slows down the line at the counter for everyone else. 

---

I understand what you are saying but part of the Post Offices job is mail fraud. They have a whole mail fraud division. There is no other agency that can do anything about. It is not eBays job to police the Post Office.  This fraud happens over and over because people know there is no one going to stop them.  Just because the Post Office is big doesn't mean they should just neglect mail fraud. I am saying a few cases and word would circulate and it would stop. 

I say the Post Office should do their job. 

[pikabo-icu]

---

@postingid2017 wrote:

True - however, if I sell a MacBook Pro and the buyer requests a return for refund and I get back a phone book, that is Fraud.  The seller is not getting back what was sold.  Try returning an item in person that was not sold and see what happens - your return would be rejected.  

If you do not receive back what you sent, it is Fraud.  Does not matter if it was shipped with a different carrier other than USPS - it is Mail Fraud.  

---

Yep.

And try buying an expensive item from any big retailer and returning junk.

They are NOT going to refund unless they get back the proper item.

Problem here is, there are SOME scamming sellers- eBay has no method to determine who is the honest party.

I have an idea for a business about this very thing, however, there would be a fee and it would require eBay's approval/acceptance. Sadly, it wouldn't be cost effective for lower priced things so it would only be appropriate for higher dollar items..

There really needs to be a fix for this.. My PO is very small, they would happily help me out in a case like this, write a statement on PO letterhead & all. Now, whether eBay would accept that is another story but it couldn't hurt.. 

[siayan]

---

@pikabo-icu wrote:

---

@postingid2017 wrote:

True - however, if I sell a MacBook Pro and the buyer requests a return for refund and I get back a phone book, that is Fraud.  The seller is not getting back what was sold.  Try returning an item in person that was not sold and see what happens - your return would be rejected.  

If you do not receive back what you sent, it is Fraud.  Does not matter if it was shipped with a different carrier other than USPS - it is Mail Fraud.  

---

Yep.

And try buying an expensive item from any big retailer and returning junk.

They are NOT going to refund unless they get back the proper item.

Problem here is, there are SOME scamming sellers- eBay has no method to determine who is the honest party.

I have an idea for a business about this very thing, however, there would be a fee and it would require eBay's approval/acceptance. Sadly, it wouldn't be cost effective for lower priced things so it would only be appropriate for higher dollar items..

There really needs to be a fix for this.. My PO is very small, they would happily help me out in a case like this, write a statement on PO letterhead & all. Now, whether eBay would accept that is another story but it couldn't hurt.. 

---

I have had a few packages opened at the Post Office. It seems they love to open packages like they always wanted to see what was inside.

I had a situation in the early days. I bought a print for I think $36 total. I mailed the check (no PayPal) and the seller claims they never got paid. I pull up a copy of the check and they signed it with a middle initial which I never wrote on the check. I write who ever it was at the Post Office and they email or phone, I can't remember, but they said there was probably nothing they could do but they will make an attempt. I get a message from the buyer a few days later that they found the check and the print would be there that week.

A letter from the Federal Mail Fraud Division or what ever he did worked wonders.

[matt266]

Hi everyone how you .Thank you all for kind replies . The item wasnt very expensive . But  i made the mistake of being kind  as the item wasnt selling and  just to clear out  some inventory . I was helping my eldery  parents  and disabled and elderly neighbors  and was very busy and made the mistake no looking at all their feedback .    And i just sell here to help long illness  its all i have . 

I also feel so bad for all the  victims  of this person . As it looks like 17 or more people have been scammed. Im sure its more as many use automatic feedback . And also those who have been given feedback abuse  by this thief. They should have been banned logn ago . Its very sad .Ebay is a very good place  .But it looks like way to many people have been scammed by this person . Very sad . I havent made any choice yet on the return . I wanted to warn everyone also as there is alot of very good people on this board so kind to help others.. And i know how hard they work .

I then looked at the feedback 

[klassic*kids]

@matt266 So sorry that you have been hoodwinked by this criminal. You've gotten some good advice here.  I am not sure if it will help to open at the PO or not, I've never had this happen to me -- thankfully. 

In the meantime, have you called eBay?  The feedback this scammer (er .. buyer) leaves should be brought to their attention immediately.  This character should not be permitted to buy on eBay any longer -- it speaks for itself!

Good Luck.  Come back and tell us what transpire next.

[rolenboy01]

---

@siayan wrote:

---

@pikabo-icu wrote:

---

@postingid2017 wrote:

True - however, if I sell a MacBook Pro and the buyer requests a return for refund and I get back a phone book, that is Fraud.  The seller is not getting back what was sold.  Try returning an item in person that was not sold and see what happens - your return would be rejected.  

If you do not receive back what you sent, it is Fraud.  Does not matter if it was shipped with a different carrier other than USPS - it is Mail Fraud.  

---

Yep.

And try buying an expensive item from any big retailer and returning junk.

They are NOT going to refund unless they get back the proper item.

Problem here is, there are SOME scamming sellers- eBay has no method to determine who is the honest party.

I have an idea for a business about this very thing, however, there would be a fee and it would require eBay's approval/acceptance. Sadly, it wouldn't be cost effective for lower priced things so it would only be appropriate for higher dollar items..

There really needs to be a fix for this.. My PO is very small, they would happily help me out in a case like this, write a statement on PO letterhead & all. Now, whether eBay would accept that is another story but it couldn't hurt.. 

---

I have had a few packages opened at the Post Office. It seems they love to open packages like they always wanted to see what was inside.

I had a situation in the early days. I bought a print for I think $36 total. I mailed the check (no PayPal) and the seller claims they never got paid. I pull up a copy of the check and they signed it with a middle initial which I never wrote on the check. I write who ever it was at the Post Office and they email or phone, I can't remember, but they said there was probably nothing they could do but they will make an attempt. I get a message from the buyer a few days later that they found the check and the print would be there that week.

A letter from the Federal Mail Fraud Division or what ever he did worked wonders.

---

It sounds like they need to send out more of these letters.

[matt266]

What bothers me most that person has done  this to at least 17 people  and then me . And they are still here.   And i get  warnings not to post their id immediately . Why arent these people investagated .And why protect their identity . If a theif steals this much  ebay should be glad and reward. people .Instead the buyer  id is keep secret . In cases this bad   that rule shouldnt apply .  17 or more times .. And i know its the scammers  fault not ebays. But they need to do more to protect us .  Almost everyone i meet now that sells or tell em they sell all warn me and say dotn sell anythign expensive on their .  As the scammers are  doing this .  There has to be a huge amount of money they are losing .  And sellers like me  and all others need to helped and protected in cases so obvios . I take any and every return .    But i see all the victims  of this guy or lady and its a real shame . Plus hes stealing off me  and i have very little due to long illness and  we all work so hard . These guy shouldnt ever be allowed to buy on ebay  or sell .  If someone would  looked this properly its easy to see. I  also talked to another victim  he said  ebay wont help him . And he had perfect feedback and the scammer ruined it .  Im sure he will do same to mine . And lookign hes done it  to many others . All his feedback he left should be removed  on all the victims .

[coolections]

@matt266

So have you called Ebay and talked to someone to help get this buyer banned from buying or are you just venting ?