I believe I got scammed into shipping my item with a fake payment received email

[emiltr13]

I am 90% sure that I got scammed into shipping my item since I received an email from supposedly eBay saying that my item has been paid and to start shipping which I did. I failed to realize it was a scammer so I ultimately think lost the item. I contacted costumer service and all they could do is to report they buyers and escalate things as well as telling me to reporting it to the authorities. Have you guys encountered a similar situation and would like to share the outcome as in if you were able to receive some sort of money back or something like that? Or should I just lose hope of ever getting anything back.

[wrong66]

I completely agree. eBay could put a halt to so many of these scams by limiting what new sellers can list. Which I thought they were doing for a while. Must not have been worth it to THEM. No money in it. When people talk about eBay not caring for their sellers, here's one scenario they could point to. Completely irresponsible. 

[shaggygolfballs]

Sorry to hear it. This could have happened to any of us. Best thing to do is move on and learn from it. It’s an expensive lesson, but a lesson learned nonetheless.

I hope this bad experience doesn’t put you off reselling. Reselling isn’t easy, but can be extremely profitable and rewarding if done right. I’m still trying to figure out the ins and outs and feel I’m getting better by the day.

Money comes and goes and I’m sure you recoup your losses right away.

[earthdreamer]

You are a new seller who listed an expensive electronic gaming item and so it was almost a given that you were going to get scammed.  How Ebay let a new seller like yourself list that item is beyond me.  It is bordering on criminal behavior on Ebay's part.

I feel exactly the same way. So many new ill-informed new sellers are thrown under the bus by ebay, and ebay merrily keeps collecting the FVF's on these criminal acts.

[inhawaii]

I hope you believe in karma.  I do.

The scammer will some day get what's coming to him/her.

[bimm_corp]

@emiltr13 

>I received an email from supposedly eBay saying that my item has been paid and to start shipping which I >did.

Sorry that you got fooled by a fake email. Sellers are often subject to this kind of treatment on eBay. I have learned a few tricksto quickly recognize fake emails over the years.

In order to recognize and deal with fake eBay, PayPal (or any other) emails, one has to do two things,

1) Set your mail reader to display the full email header. This is usually possible with dedicated email programs, those that you run on your computer. Most webmail readers don't have or limit this ability.

2) Learn to read and parse the full email header. Every legit PayPal payment notice email I get USUALLY has in the first "Received from..." line an entry like "mxx.xxx.paypal.com" and an IP address in the "173.0.8x.xxx" range. Any first "Received from..." line that doesn't is almost certainly a fake.

I have been displaying the full header received emails since CP/M days and by experience been able to easily spot a fake. Displaying the full header may seem awkward at first, but you will soon get used to it and you will gain proficiency at spotting the fakes as you get more experience. HTH.

[albertabrightalberta]

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@bimm_corp wrote:

@emiltr13 

>I received an email from supposedly eBay saying that my item has been paid and to start shipping which I >did.

Sorry that you got fooled by a fake email. Sellers are often subject to this kind of treatment on eBay. I have learned a few tricksto quickly recognize fake emails over the years.

In order to recognize and deal with fake eBay, PayPal (or any other) emails, one has to do two things,

1) Set your mail reader to display the full email header. This is usually possible with dedicated email programs, those that you run on your computer. Most webmail readers don't have or limit this ability.

2) Learn to read and parse the full email header. Every legit PayPal payment notice email I get USUALLY has in the first "Received from..." line an entry like "mxx.xxx.paypal.com" and an IP address in the "173.0.8x.xxx" range. Any first "Received from..." line that doesn't is almost certainly a fake.

I have been displaying the full header received emails since CP/M days and by experience been able to easily spot a fake. Displaying the full header may seem awkward at first, but you will soon get used to it and you will gain proficiency at spotting the fakes as you get more experience. HTH.

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Much easier and less complicated than doing 1 and 2 above is to just get in the habit of going to your "my ebay" after seeing that you received (or supposedly received) a payment. Any real payment will show on your account. 

[threelittlelambs]

eBay can’t collect FVF when the scammer doesn’t actually pay.

[wrong66]

"Some day", maybe. But I want to be there to see it. In the first row!

[luckythewinner]

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@earthdreamer wrote:

I feel exactly the same way. So many new ill-informed new sellers are thrown under the bus by ebay, and ebay merrily keeps collecting the FVF's on these criminal acts.

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How did eBay collect final value fees if the OP never got paid?

[earthdreamer]

How did eBay collect final value fees if the OP never got paid?

Oh, sorry, I had my head full of all the ongoing buyer scams being reported here while posting my response.

My FVF comment is not applicable to the OP’s situation. My oversight. 

[ckimodog]

Sorry for your situation.  Be careful with those Yezzy's...they'll be back.  If I were you, I'd remove that listing because more than likely you'll be experiencing the same thing with fake payments and scam attempts.  Unless Ebay contacts you directly to let you know you've been paid through your messages via the Ebay platform,  it will most likely be a scam attempt.  Stop with the auctions and just list your items with a fixed buy it now price and NO best offers either.  Make sure you check off the immediate payment required and to ship through Ebay shipping that is provided for all sellers.  

Good luck with future sales. 

[bearswatching]

Really wish you would end your current listing before you lose that as well. Then do some Internet reading about eBay scams. Being educated is your best defense. EBay has become a magnet for scammers and they are getting smarter and more clever by the day. If you Google “”eBay scams” you will have reading material for days. Sorry that happened to you.

[jahood1984]

First, try to halt the package if it's delivered.  Second, check the address!  If it's a freight forwarder I'd contact them and tell them what's going, might be able to intercept that way.  If all else fails a visit maybe in order....