How to handle this scam?

[mokie11559]

Sold new full bottle perfume 8/17. Buyer received 8/21.  On 8/30, 9 days later get a message "I received this item but the bottle is empty. Can you advise if I get my money back from you or is this a carrier claim? I asked for photos of the shipping box, the perfume gift box & the bottle. Why would anyone wait 9 days if they paid $150 & received an empty bottle? Radar up......never received a reply.

Now 17 days later, I get a photo of shipping box, the gift box & an empty bottle of perfume. I see no water marks showing leakage & bottle is intact. The message this time is "Here are pics. I don't see apparent damage but don't know condition when sent. Don't see where a leak would have occurred"

I don't keep empty bottles in my house, I know 100% the bottle was new & full. How would you reply? And no, she hasn't opened a case. And I shipped 1st class & didn't buy insurance.

Thanks for any advice

[3eyedfishcatcher]

If you really think they pored the liquid out just for the pictures then perhaps call them on their bluff. Issue a return shipping label and make them send the empty bottle back for full refund. If it is a scam they would not be looking to return the bottle and would want a refund and to be able to keep the bottle as they do need it.

[southern*sweet*tea]

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@golfingaddict wrote:

Are you even suppose to ship perfume by US first class mail (by air) 

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Nope

[mokie11559]

Buyer sent a photo of an empty bottle. I believe she had an empty bottle on hand & sent photo of it. And is trying to get mine for free. I am not sending a label to pay return shipping for an empty bottle. No case has been opened yet

[mtgraves7984]

"My question is do I reply with something or ignore her message & hope she goes past the return window?"

I'd not reply yet. As others have posted, you'll have no alternative to a refund if the buyer can use the MBG  on this transaction. I'm thinking maybe the buyer can't... or would have opened a Return request already.

Sadly, even though you are TRS, you can't deduct anything from a full refund due to your No Returns policy. But you don't have to refund until the bottle is returned to you. Cross that bridge when you get to it. Good luck.

[mokie11559]

I am not going to reply at this point. Will have to wait & see. I only have return policy on non-fragrance items so am well aware I can't issue a 50% refund

[date-bait]

How do you know the USPS didn't empty your bottle? You are mailing prohibited items by the wrong shipping method. Can't believe fragrances are still getting past your post office. 

What USPS Mail Class Should I Use To Ship Perfume?

The USPS allows perfume to be shipped within the United States via ground transportation only. Parcel Select is the most common method to ship perfume, since other mail classes such as Priority Mail and Express Mail involve transportation of packages by air. This also means that perfumes, colognes and fragrances cannot be shipped to Canada, Hawaii or internationally, due to lack of ground transportation to these destinations.

[simply-the-best-for-you]

My thought was the same as date-bait.  Since you're not allowed to ship perfume by FC, maybe it was PO (rightful) interference.  

Also, if perfume leaks, I would think it would simply vaporize, like if I leave acetone out for an hour.  There's no spill, it just evaporates into the air.  I'm no expert, but given the high alcohol content, I imagine a small leak could have caused it to all evaporate.   And/or not sure why you're not allowed to ship it FC, but the process of doing so, could have caused it to evaporate - in other words, maybe that's why you CAN'T ship it FC.  

I think it's quite possible for the buyer to be telling the truth in this case.   As to the 9 days, that seems perfectly normal to me.  People have a life, kids, illnesses, jobs & a lot of upheaval going on due to the pandemic.   I often don't even open pkgs I've rec'd for a couple of weeks! 

[moondogblues]

"This also means that perfumes, colognes and fragrances cannot be shipped to Canada, Hawaii or internationally, due to lack of ground transportation to these destinations."

There are boats to Hawaii...and last I checked Canada is attached to the U S and DHL will ship there by ground.  As for international, how does French perfume get here?

[date-bait]

Shipping to Canada is considered International and must go air via USPS.

From the USPS website:

Perfume containing alcohol may not be shipped internationally or mailed domestically using air transportation. Perfume containing alcohol, however, may be shipped within the United States by ground transportation.  

Not sure about other countries that ship fragrances to the US. I believe there is an exemption for certain shipping restrictions via a special permit? I don't know how big corporations get around the shipping requirements.

Sellers may wish to consider a private ground-based delivery service for sending and receiving these items. International mailing of hazardous items is a federal crime subject to fines and other penalties. Items may be seized and destroyed.

[vintagecraze50]

DEAR BUYER,

We sent you a full bottle of pefume securely packaged. Appears that the item was tampered with and we need to do an investigation with the USPS. Please save all packing materials and we will contact a posta inspector to look over the item. Thanks so much.

Try that one and see what they do. Good luck.

[autopartspuller]

A lot of high quality perfumes have an oil base to make it last longer.  This would be permanent stain on the box and packing materials. 

[lightlily_arts]

Does the buyer know it wasn't insured? Knowing the type of bottle it's just not possible for an empty bottle to have arrived. I would say something about USPS tampering with the package.  For the bottle to have leaked for whatever reason there would be evidence of this.  I'm afraid you might get hit on this one.  Have you looked at your buyer's feedback left for her sellers?

[moondogblues]

"Does the buyer know it wasn't insured? Knowing the type of bottle it's just not possible for an empty bottle to have arrived. I would say something about USPS tampering with the package.  For the bottle to have leaked for whatever reason there would be evidence of this.  I'm afraid you might get hit on this one.  Have you looked at your buyer's feedback left for her sellers?"

I fully agree, I collect vintage perfume and bottles.  I have Avon samplers that are over 50 years old and they have never evaporated like that.  Most are half full and still good.  I digress, sorry.  This appears to be a heckofa scam to me.  I have Chanel # 5 from the Sixties that never evaporated, and I'm not a stickler with the caps.

But if USPS tampered with it there would be a very nice smell in someones truck or office....just sayin'.

[bargainnation]

This certainly sounds like a scam. I can't imagine that too many people would pay $150 for a bottle of perfume then wait 8 days after receiving it to let the seller know the bottle was empty.

Knowing that you shipped a new full bottle of perfume to the buyer and being able to prove it are two different things. This along with eBay's generous 30 days MBG is going to attract scam artists.

You might have to refund the buyer in full (exactly the outcome scam artists want so they get free merchandise) but you should also report this buyer to eBay. The reason for reporting this buyer is so that the next time if there is a next time that this same buyer buys perfume or something similar and claim the bottle was empty when they got it, eBay can see this buyer has a pattern of doing this and will remove the buyer from eBay.

You might end up having to refund the buyer but that is definitely one buyer I would block.

[vintagecraze50]

I have had some of these would be scammers message me with this and that wrong with an item that are obviously WRONG. I do not play into their games by responding with excuses for THEIR  attempts tp scam me. Usually they back off. If they do not then as a preventative, tell them you will have a postal inspection of the item, that also might prevent the open case.