eBay

broto_64 · ‎06-20-2025

The second one this month, I have received two separate "returns" (as per the usps label) of items that I did not sell. In fact I do not carry these items, the sender address/name is NOT in my purchased / shipped list, I have absolutely NO record of these sales (and I don't have any open OR closed returns to match either).

Edit: The address on the return label is my own. It addresses to my name, and my address.
It is therefore legal for me to keep the items.

I know years ago I read about some scam that involved returning items to an unsuspecting party but for the life of me I can't find that read (google isn't much help either, of course I probably don't really know what to search for exact) and am just wondering what could be the angle here.

Edit: Brushing scam?

I mean maybe it's just an accident, but the second one already, I'm kind of awaiting the third one now. Obviously I want to put an end to this, even if it's free merchandise, it doesn't belong to me and I don't want it and no I'm not just throwing it away without knowing what is going down first.

Edit: Got the third return today!

Not sure if my being a seller here has anything to do with it, or if that's just coincidence and the returns could be going to just about anyone... They were both ebay returns thou.

Only other possibility is a scam gone wrong, but I have a feeling something much darker is afoot and am curious if the more experienced members might know a thing about this.

Thanks

kensgiftshop · ‎06-20-2025

It's probably returns for a seller from China.

They don't want to pay to have their junk shipped back to China, so they pick a US address to ship to.

When tracking shows delivered, the buyers will get their refunds.

When it first started years ago, the member found out is was a seller from China that they bought from a few months before and was using their address as their return address.

They'll us the address for a little while, then change it to another US address.

Have A Great Day.

pickapaper · ‎06-20-2025

@kensgiftshop

Why would they do that? Why not just issue a refund without a return?

mam98031 · ‎06-20-2025

Well it isn't a scam on you or your money, that is a good thing @broto_64 .

Mark return to sender on the package if the address it was delivered to was correct. If it was addressed for someone else, then put Delivered to the wrong address on the package and give them back to the carrier.

mam98031 • Volunteer Community Member • Buyer/Seller since 1999

"I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you." Quote from Edward I Koch

mam98031 · ‎06-20-2025

@kensgiftshop wrote:
It's probably returns for a seller from China.
They don't want to pay to have their junk shipped back to China, so they pick a US address to ship to.
When tracking shows delivered, the buyers will get their refunds.
When it first started years ago, the member found out is was a seller from China that they bought from a few months before and was using their address as their return address.
They'll us the address for a little while, then change it to another US address.

Why? I don't understand. All they would need to do is refund the buyer and NOT require a return. Instead you are saying they pay for shipping the item to some bogus address and then refund the buyer anyway. That sounds more like scamming yourself.

mam98031 • Volunteer Community Member • Buyer/Seller since 1999

"I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you." Quote from Edward I Koch

kensgiftshop · ‎06-20-2025

@pickapaper wrote:
@kensgiftshop
Why would they do that? Why not just issue a refund without a return?

That, I don't know.

You would think if they didn't want it back, they would save the shipping and just refund.

They've been doing it for years now.l

Have A Great Day.

kensgiftshop · ‎06-20-2025

@mam98031 wrote:
@kensgiftshop wrote:
It's probably returns for a seller from China.
They don't want to pay to have their junk shipped back to China, so they pick a US address to ship to.
When tracking shows delivered, the buyers will get their refunds.
When it first started years ago, the member found out is was a seller from China that they bought from a few months before and was using their address as their return address.
They'll us the address for a little while, then change it to another US address.
Why? I don't understand. All they would need to do is refund the buyer and NOT require a return. Instead you are saying they pay for shipping the item to some bogus address and then refund the buyer anyway. That sounds more like scamming yourself.

Don't ask me why, but that's what some of them do.

Have A Great Day.

dhbookds · ‎06-20-2025

What kind of stuff are you getting?

mam98031 · ‎06-20-2025

@dhbookds wrote:
What kind of stuff are you getting?

Hopefully they didn't open the packages unless they were actually addressed to them.

mam98031 • Volunteer Community Member • Buyer/Seller since 1999

"I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you." Quote from Edward I Koch

broto_64 · ‎06-20-2025

@mam98031 wrote:
@dhbookds wrote:
What kind of stuff are you getting?
Hopefully they didn't open the packages unless they were actually addressed to them.

Well, it takes less time to open the package than it does to deal with a tracking number.

The first item was an OBD2 HUD
The second was 5 of some kind of something trinket, looks like some sort of part, something goes through it, most likely liquid.

a_c_green · ‎06-20-2025

@broto_64 wrote:
The first item was an OBD2 HUD

OBD2 heads-up display for a car? Neat. Perhaps the original buyer couldn't figure out how to install it. I'd rank those slightly higher than "trinket" value; I think the cheap Chinese versions still sell for $15-$25, depending on the model.

@broto_64 wrote:
The second was 5 of some kind of something trinket, looks like some sort of part, something goes through it, most likely liquid.

Replacement bong parts? 😄

As for why the seller doesn't simply refund without a return, I know this was talked about years ago. Somebody with a better memory than mine could maybe confirm or deny this, but I recall something about how it was better to issue an automatic Return label than to refund without requiring a return, perhaps because the latter could be seen as admitting fault and the former did not. Either that or they cannot (or did not want to) purchase international shipping for a return, so they generate a domestic (U.S.) label to some unsuspecting third party, who suddenly finds himself receiving random gift packages from strangers.

bdmh-enterprises · ‎06-20-2025

@kensgiftshop wrote:
@mam98031 wrote:
@kensgiftshop wrote:
It's probably returns for a seller from China.
They don't want to pay to have their junk shipped back to China, so they pick a US address to ship to.
When tracking shows delivered, the buyers will get their refunds.
When it first started years ago, the member found out is was a seller from China that they bought from a few months before and was using their address as their return address.
They'll us the address for a little while, then change it to another US address.
Why? I don't understand. All they would need to do is refund the buyer and NOT require a return. Instead you are saying they pay for shipping the item to some bogus address and then refund the buyer anyway. That sounds more like scamming yourself.

Don't ask me why, but that's what some of them do.

I would suspect that the tracking info would either be sold or used by the seller themselves for a fake tracking scam.

inhawaii · ‎06-20-2025

I'm not a lawyer, I just play one on tv, but I believe if you receive something in the mail that you didn't order, it's yours. I would keep it. If you're not comfortable with that, then RTS return to sender.

Feelin' Stronger Every Day - Chicago

albertabrightalberta · ‎06-20-2025

@broto_64 wrote:

@dhbookds wrote:
What kind of stuff are you getting?
Well, it takes less time to open the package than it does to deal with a tracking number.

The first item was an OBD2 HUD

Of the 285 sold OBD2 HUD, many are from Chinese sellers.

albertabrightalberta | Volunteer Community Mentor
"I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you."

kensgiftshop · ‎06-20-2025

@bdmh-enterprises wrote:
@kensgiftshop wrote:
@mam98031 wrote:
@kensgiftshop wrote:
It's probably returns for a seller from China.
They don't want to pay to have their junk shipped back to China, so they pick a US address to ship to.
When tracking shows delivered, the buyers will get their refunds.
When it first started years ago, the member found out is was a seller from China that they bought from a few months before and was using their address as their return address.
They'll us the address for a little while, then change it to another US address.
Why? I don't understand. All they would need to do is refund the buyer and NOT require a return. Instead you are saying they pay for shipping the item to some bogus address and then refund the buyer anyway. That sounds more like scamming yourself.

Don't ask me why, but that's what some of them do.

I would suspect that the tracking info would either be sold or used by the seller themselves for a fake tracking scam.