My first time being scammed.....I think?

[suavepenguin]

I went to my mailbox just now, and in it was a Priority Mail Flat Rate Padded Envelope. A return to sender, addressee unknown. The package was obviously opened and retaped shut. Hmmm. I look up the buyers name, and he had bought a pair of jeans. The package does not feel like a pair of jeans are in it (I have yet to open it). Tracking shows it was delivered 2/10/24, that's it. I'm waiting for the INR claim! Of course, I have proof otherwise. Should I open this package yet and see what was returned? Of course I have photographed it.

[brightlightbookseller]

Yes, no harm in opening it unless you suspect something really foul like a dangerous object or substance.  eBay isn't going to accept any photographs as proof of anything.  Just wait and see what the buyer does.

Edit: I suppose you could take it to your local post office and show them it shouldn't have been able to be "Returned to Sender" in that condition, and see if they'll write you a letter stating such.  That might actually help you.

[suavepenguin]

Just a quick update, I went ahead and called eBay just to have this issue on record. Turns out, this buyers account has already been flagged.  In looking at their feedback, looks like a flurry of activity this month after a dormant period. Maybe an unauthorized user at their address is pulling this switcheroo scam, but in a way that won't work for them? They can't file an INR (documented delivery), nor an INAD because if it was returned as undeliverable, then how could they have opened it to see if it was not as described? I can't wait to see what they returned to me, as I can feel it is not what I shipped, and the weight is off. This is so much fun!

[a_c_green]

---

@suavepenguin wrote:

I went to my mailbox just now, and in it was a Priority Mail Flat Rate Padded Envelope. A return to sender, addressee unknown. The package was obviously opened and retaped shut. Hmmm. I look up the buyers name, and he had bought a pair of jeans. The package does not feel like a pair of jeans are in it (I have yet to open it). Tracking shows it was delivered 2/10/24, that's it. I'm waiting for the INR claim! Of course, I have proof otherwise. Should I open this package yet and see what was returned? Of course I have photographed it.

---

Regardless of what is stamped on the outside (i.e. they could have swapped the contents, then returned it to their post office and claimed that they don't know the person on the addressee line), what does the tracking say? Was it delivered, then marked as Refused/Return to Sender later on?

While the PO states that packages to be returned (RTS, at their expense) should be unopened, I have not seen that rigidly enforced, so I would say there's a great chance that the contents were swapped. (Otherwise it should at least weigh exactly the same as when you shipped it.)

[iamalwaysright]

Interestingly, a buyer is allowed to file a SNAD return without ever having opened the package to see what’s inside. You’d be required to honor that refund when the buyer ships that package back to you. Fortunately for you though, the package got returned to you by a “refused delivery” by whomever received the actual package. When a package comes back to the seller thru a package refusal, the buyer forfeits all MBG perks. I don’t know if this forfeit is automatic by eBay and the bots, meaning IF the buyer files a SNAD eBay may still force you to refund but you should be able to fight it under policy. But if you speak to an agent, they might tell you to not since “you did get your item back.”

That’s why you should open that package and see what’s inside asap so you’ll know your options. Also I would message the buyer to see and try to find more info on what actually happened. Give them benefit of the doubt first. An RTS for unknown addressee isn’t enough to suspect the buyer of wrongdoing. It could have gotten to the wrong (or buyer’s old) address and the resident there could have just opened it by accident and sent it back to you. Hopefully the buyer isn’t a scammer and will reply to shed some light on the issue.

I just noticed that you said the buyer account is flagged. I’d still message them once and see but wouldn’t be surprised if they didn’t reply.

[bennotbill]

---

@suavepenguin wrote:

I can't wait to see what they returned to me

---

Me to.

[suavepenguin]

---

@iamalwaysright wrote:

Interestingly, a buyer is allowed to file a SNAD return without ever having opened the package to see what’s inside. You’d be required to honor that refund when the buyer ships that package back to you. Fortunately for you though, the package got returned to you by a “refused delivery” by whomever received the actual package. When a package comes back to the seller thru a package refusal, the buyer forfeits all MBG perks. I don’t know if this forfeit is automatic by eBay and the bots, meaning IF the buyer files a SNAD eBay may still force you to refund but you should be able to fight it under policy. But if you speak to an agent, they might tell you to not since “you did get your item back.”

That’s why you should open that package and see what’s inside asap so you’ll know your options. Also I would message the buyer to see and try to find more info on what actually happened. Give them benefit of the doubt first. An RTS for unknown addressee isn’t enough to suspect the buyer of wrongdoing. It could have gotten to the wrong (or buyer’s old) address and the resident there could have just opened it by accident and sent it back to you. Hopefully the buyer isn’t a scammer and will reply to shed some light on the issue.

I just noticed that you said the buyer account is flagged. I’d still message them once and see but wouldn’t be surprised if they didn’t reply.

I went ahead and opened it, it was the item I shipped (my bad on the shipping weight, I read something wrong!). Anyway, I'll hang onto everything for a while just in case. Maybe you're right, maybe the buyer moved in the last 6 months and didn't update their address. I'll reach out to them. Thanks to everyone for their input!

---

[12345jamesstamps]

I would do nothing and wait and see if anyone opens a claim. I get returns and these buyers have never contacted me.

[iamalwaysright]

That’s good news that you at least have your item back hopefully in the same condition as you sent it out despite the package having been opened. 
You should be covered either way in event of an INR (package refusal still counts as successful delivery among the bots I think) or SNAD (package refusal forfeits MBG). If eBay forces a refund from SNAD, I would at least talk to eBay and fight for the outgoing shipping charge as there’s a loss of the shipping cost that you’d have from issuing a full refund to the buyer. That package refusal isn’t your fault unless you accidentally sent it to a different address from the shipping address on file.