Got a Weird One On My Hands, Seller Advice Needed and Wanted

[bossesale77]

Sorry in advance for the novella

On Saturday July 10th I received an offer on a 1983 AT&T Genesis Telesystem Universal Module w/Base I was selling ($75.00 with free shipping via USPS Priority Mail Medium Flat Rate Box), the offer was fair so I accepted it. The buyer paid for the item yesterday July 12th. I immediately packaged the item and purchased the shipping label through eBay, at just after 10 p.m. Eastern I scheduled the pickup for both the module and another item I had sold. I did not receive a request to change the delivery address or make any changes to it (even if I had received a request I wouldn't do it because doing so nullifies the one small bit of seller protection eBay gives us). This morning before I went to my day job I double checked both packages to make sure they were ready for the mail carrier (they were) and placed the packages in the spot I always put my outgoing packages if I'm not going to home when the carrier comes through. When I got home I checked the spot where I put the packages to see if they were still there (they weren't) and then I checked their tracking status through eBay to see if there were pickup scans (there were). I then check my eBay messages because I see I've got a bunch and that's when things go south. All but one of the messages were from the buyer of the module (the first came in around 6:45 a.m. Eastern which was about 1 hour & 45 minutes after I left the house) and the gist of what the buyer is saying is that their account was hacked and the shipping address eBay provided to me is the wrong address. From my reading of the various messages they are not saying that the purchase or payment are fraudulent, just the ship to address. I'm aware of the fact that some scammers track items and when a legit buyer purchases the item the scammer contacts the seller posing as the legit buyer with some **bleep** reason asking the seller to change the shipping address but that doesn't seem to be the case here (the buyer's username on the transaction details and the messages I received today match, I did not receive a request to change the shipping address and the buyer hasn't opened a fraudulent purchase claim through eBay or claimed in his messages that the actual purchase/payment are fraudulent). Is it possible that some dirtbag hacked this guy's account just to change his ship to address at checkout and steal his legitimate purchases?

[rebell45]

I'd go to the USPS website and try to Intercept the package. It'll cost you $15.00 if they are successful, so you'll have to decide if it's worth it.  If you do get it back, cancel the sale for problem with buyers address and block them. Sound like you're being set up.

[jahood1984]

Is it from the actual buyer (the message)?  Scammers try this all the time to intercept orders

[pikabo-icu]

@bossesale77 

I agree with @rebell45 Sounds like a set up.. Get that package back.. 

Here use this:: https://www.usps.com/manage/package-intercept.htm 

[1tuna]

this is one of those things that makes me want to tell the buyer off

if his account  was hacked he  had better sound the red alert and tell ebay and get all the passwords changed..........I am unsure just what does a hacked buyers accout have to do with the seller.

the buyer needs to get on the ball with ebay.not the seller...if its a legitimate complaint then a CSR can assist the buyer.

I have had buyers tell me there paypal was hacked..again thats not really my problem.

I am unsure what yu shoud do but i to me it sounds like a lot of drama over a bad address.

maybe a crook broke into his apartment and used the laptop when they were sleeping.

having a hacked account means you need to do soemthing and thats not passing the buck onto the seller.

I generally never get into it in messages but my response might be more like

"yeah.............you shoud take care of that problem.or hacked account.or wrong address"

[pikabo-icu]

@1tuna 

Yeah I would be temped to send buyer a message:  "Oh no, I am so sorry, I will contact eBay right away to let them know your account is compromised & hacked, they should be able to lock it."

Yes, I know that's a bunch of baloney but it would be tempting just the same. 

[bossesale77]

Update

About an hour ago a received an MC010 notice (actually they sent me 4) from eBay regarding the messages I received from the "buyer" and not long after I received another message from him asking if I could stop delivery of the item. The notice clearly says "Don't respond to the sender" so why is the sender still able to message me?

@rebell45  @pikabo-icu 

I am currently looking into a package intercept and trying to determine if it's worth it, one thing is confusing me though. It says if I submit an intercept request I'll "be provided an estimated total (intercept fee plus estimated Priority Mail® postage, if applicable).". Maybe I'm reading this wrong but it sounds to me like USPS is saying a successful intercept will cost me $15.25 plus I'll be charged a second time for postage (the first being the label I purchased yesterday), am I right about this?

[pikabo-icu]

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@bossesale77 wrote:

Update

About an hour ago a received an MC010 notice (actually they sent me 4) from eBay regarding the messages I received from the "buyer" and not long after I received another message from him asking if I could stop delivery of the item. The notice clearly says "Don't respond to the sender" so why is the sender still able to message me?

@rebell45  @pikabo-icu 

I am currently looking into a package intercept and trying to determine if it's worth it, one thing is confusing me though. It says if I submit an intercept request I'll "be provided an estimated total (intercept fee plus estimated Priority Mail® postage, if applicable).". Maybe I'm reading this wrong but it sounds to me like USPS is saying a successful intercept will cost me $15.25 plus I'll be charged a second time for postage (the first being the label I purchased yesterday), am I right about this?

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Well a Google search brought up this:

15.25
We will then attempt to intercept and redirect the shipment. If the shipment is intercepted, your credit card will be charged the $15.25 Package Intercept fee plus any applicable postage. If the actual postage is greater than estimated, any additional postage will be charged accordingly.

 So unfortunately it looks like it will cost both.

But didn't you just drop it off? It shouldn't have really gone anywhere yet did it?

How much is the item worth?

You have to count the cost and see if it's worth it..

If It isn't deliverable at the other end, it would come back to you free of charge- but that's only if it's undeliverable. 

Sorry that sucks! 

[itsjustasprain]

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@bossesale77 wrote:

I am currently looking into a package intercept and trying to determine if it's worth it, one thing is confusing me though. It says if I submit an intercept request I'll "be provided an estimated total (intercept fee plus estimated Priority Mail® postage, if applicable).". Maybe I'm reading this wrong but it sounds to me like USPS is saying a successful intercept will cost me $15.25 plus I'll be charged a second time for postage (the first being the label I purchased yesterday), am I right about this?

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Yes - IF the USPS can intercept the package then you pay their intercept fee plus whatever Priority postage is needed to ship it back. 

Just for yucks it might be fun to Google the buyers name and that Ship To address and see if that is his real address after all. If it was but its an old address - because he forgot to file a forwarding order when he moved - then normally I would suggest to the buyer that he file his forwarding order on-line now. If the address is a reshipper then maybe he did actually get hacked after all. But since when are 38-year-old phone systems such a hot commodity?

This actually sounds more like a weird case of Buyer Remorse. 

[bossesale77]

It was picked up by my local mail carrier. According to the tracking info it was just before 1 p.m. Eastern when he scanned it, there hasn't another update since he scanned it but I doubt it's made it out of the metro Detroit area yet. The offer I accepted was $75.00 with free shipping via Priority Mail Medium Flat Rate Box. The original shipping label plus the intercept charge plus a second postage charge means I'd be be out around $40.00 if the intercept is successful.

[na_833338]

Sounds like the lesser of two evils.  You are in a tight spot with no easy way out.  It sucks, but you can either take the full loss or take a partial loss and still have a chance to resell it for a higher price to help make up for the bad experience.  Bummer!

p.s.  I didn't I actually read your original post just because I don't like to read giant blocks like that.  I get it that you're mad and you're in a hurry to get some help so you have a good excuse.

[itsjustasprain]

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@bossesale77 wrote:

The original shipping label plus the intercept charge plus a second postage charge means I'd be be out around $40.00 if the intercept is successful.

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Are you sure youre going to lose your payment? Even if he does a chargeback you should be able to show that you shipped it to the address you received with the payment.