Item purchased by user with fake reviews and fake address

[tyrevarne0]

Earlier this morning I received a notification that my listed item had been purchased. I further looked into the account of the user and his reviews had multiple repeated reviews from different accounts saying the same sentence. "Thank you for an easy, pleasant transaction. Excellent buyer. A+++++".  As well as other special character responses. I don't want to ship the item out to the listed address because it is suspect as well, "123 -------". I'm worried of losing my item without payment as it is very valuable.  I am not sure who to contact in this case. I understand there is sellers protection but all this person has to do is send a report saying 'the package was never delivered' and since I have a young account, I could very well lose the case to someone with a 20+ year old account and multiple reviews. Even though its a scam. I sent this user a message regarding my concern and have not received a response. I apologize for the long response I just want to do the right thing.  

[bonjourami]

Why is his address suspicious? Many sellers use the same automatic positive feedback left. With delivery confirmation, he cannot claim item not received. This is a buyer with a 20 year old account? If he pays, you ship..unless you want a defect on your account and a negative feedback.

[donsdetour]

Hmm do an internet search of the addy and see if it is a freight forward addy.

As for the item and a 400+ sale,  with an item that is rife with fraud and theft.....with low feedback: What could go wrong with this??

Due to your low feedback you are a scammer magnet. Just saying.

Again

RULE NO. 1

If you can not afford to lose item: and money paid for it shipping etc.

Do not list it on the Internets..

[inhawaii]

Your job is not in investigate each sale.

They pay.  You ship.

[femmefan1946]

multiple repeated reviews from different accounts saying the same sentence. "Thank you for an easy, pleasant transaction. Excellent buyer. A+++++".

That's one of eBay's standard click and post feedbacks.

The customer pays and you ship.

Use tracked shipping, even if it is higher than you expected. Add Signature Confirmation if you are really concerned. Tell the customer through Messages that this was "for his protection" against porch pirates, although it is mostly for you.

I sent this user a message regarding my concern and have not received a response.

That was.... not a good idea.

the listed address because it is suspect as well, "123 -------".

What was suspicious?

Someone has to live at 123 Any Street -- Google Maps will show you a picture of the house.

And no matter how paranoid sellers here get, the two most secure addresses are postal mail boxes and freight forwarders.

With the former, the boxholder has to use his key or pickup at the counter.

With the latter, your responsibility for delivery ends at the forwarder. 

There are other reasons why sellers may avoid such addresses, but security is not one of them.

[caldreamer]

Scammers target new sellers and high value items (things they can easily resell).   Never sell more than you are willing to lose.

If you have tracking# proving item was shipped to address provided by EBAY customer cannot claim "did not receive item".  Never ship to alternate address as this will void any protection.

However, any customer can "reverse credit card charges" after they receive your item.   This is just one of the pitfalls of selling online.

[southern*sweet*tea]

The time for risk assessment is before you list, not after.

They pay, you ship.

[maxine*j]

---

@tyrevarne0 wrote:

... I'm worried of losing my item without payment as it is very valuable.  I am not sure who to contact in this case...

---

The only way you can be sure that the seller has the item and you have the money is to sell for cash, face-to-face.  (And then hope the money is not counterfeit.)

There are no guarantees when you sell on-line.  There cannot be.  No matter who your buyer is, or appears to be when you play amateur detective, the deal may go south.  Buyers are in the same position, you know, and can but hope that they're dealing with honest sellers.

You have a contact with the buyer.  He has fulfilled his side of the contract.  Your next contractual obligation is to be sure the buyer gets the merchandise he paid for, in the condition described. 

If you feel you really cannot do that, if at this last moment you are just too scared to make good on the contract, then cancel the whole thing, take the defect on your account -- and never try to sell-on line again, because it is not for you

.

[fashunu4eeuh]

As a young account yourself, i would avoid researching a buyer when you do not yet know all the facts of selling here. Some of your suspicions are based in your inexperience, such as finding the same comment on each feedback. eBay has some canned responses for feedback left, as explained by another poster. If you use tracking, you will not fall prey to a bogus Item Not Received claim. Unless the item is truly not received, the tracking protects you. There are few seller protections, but those that exist are important, such as your Buyer Requirements and the block list. 

Keep in mind that most buyers are honest. In over ten years of selling, I have never had a fraudulent buyer. Had some bad sellers, but never a bad buyer. I am cautious, yet have never felt the need to check a buyer's background. It is difficult to try to screen for scammers after the sale, when eBay expects you to ship, and has policies in place to punish sellers who cancel transactions without buyer request. So the time to assess your risk tolerance is prior to listing the item.

You are as safe with a low feedback buyer as with a high feedback buyer. That's because one cannot tell who a scammer is based solely on their feedback score. I am not saying fraud doesn't happen here. It does. But approaching every sale as a potential scam is not a good idea. Making decisions based on unfounded suspicions has the potential of ruining legitimate transactions. 

It is true that any buyer at any time can steal about any item for sale on eBay. All they need to do is open an Item Not as Described case. So there are inherent risks in selling online. They cannot be avoided, only mitigated. If you want to sell here, you have to take your chances. 

Sending a note to the buyer with your assumptions was not a good idea. I would advise selling only low value items until you get more experience selling here. 

[cstpos]

@tyrevarne0As others have suggested - google the address. That will show you what is at that address - a house, a business. The feedback is one of several prewritten feedbacks supplied by ebay. If they haven't paid yet, then don't ship. 

If they have paid, you can either cancel and take a defect to your account, or ship with tracking and signature delivery required. Good Luck!

[fedswatching_you]

YES THIS IS A SCAM!!!! This is currently happening to me RIGHT AT THIS MOMENT. I told Ebay about it and even listed the same points as you did. As a matter of a fact they used the exact same line that you have in your writing above.  How can Ebay assume people like that are outstanding buyers when we all are complaining and pointing out the flaws. They rely solely on their policy with no regards to human rights. Good you didnt sell that person an item, or you could have been just like me. A new buyer with a frozen account, with Ebay forcing me to take back an item.... An item I have the receipt for. I have reported that person and nothing has changed. I am starting to believe that those people actually work for Ebay... I mean.. Come on. This is not rocket science. 

[fedswatching_you]

Negative Ghostryder!  In a perfect world yes... But in todays world.. Don't be nobodies FOOL

[soh.maryl]

Since the original message here was from March, 2022, this thread will soon be slammed shut by the bots.

How about starting a new thread about your problem? Doing so offers the possibility of more answers for you.  

[kh-taylarie]

Due to the age of this thread, it will be locked in order to keep discussions current. If you have the same or a similar question/issue we invite you to start a new thread on the topic.