Possible INR coming my way -- FedEx redirect Scam?

[powertell]

I need some advice. I'm wondering if I just got hit with a scam and if I'm gonna lose my money after sending the product via FedEx Shipping on Ebay. 

I sold a video card for around $1,000. Printed a FedEx label using Ebay's shipping and I made sure signature was required since the purchase was over $750 and I wanted to make sure I would be covered by seller protection. 

Now here's what happened that has suddenly made me concerned. I tracked the package which was sent to Florida and I find out it was redirected to New Jersey (?) and delivered there. 

I called FedEx to find out why the package was redirected because I did not authorize this and I did not see any options to prevent this. FedEx said the recipient's party called and they were able to redirect the shipment and paid for the shipping changes with their account. FedEx would not provide me with the delivery address or the account used to pay for the redirecting of the shipment, they said that information was private (?). 

Any thoughts or help would be appreciated. Since the package was delivered today I'm concerned that I will be dealing with some sort of chargeback through paypal or ebay in the near future.

[powertell]

This whole thing is crazy. I went into this transaction thinking I had all bases covered. I saw the ebay seller protection, I saw the paypal confirmed address, I paid extra for signature, I logged into my own paypal account to make sure the payment was in there. But now it looks like I'm gonna be out a $1,000 because all signs were telling me the payment was good and I believed the shipping company would send the package to the address printed on the box. (I never knew that packages could be redirected until this problem happened.)

[tofu107]

SO FAR ,you have not told us if the buyer has filed a dispute,so why are you so upset?

you wont call the buyer,you come to this board and make assumption you could be scammed,pick up the **bleep** phone and give the buyer  a call.

[lookng2015]

Yes, the buyer has opened an UA chargeback in PP

[tofu107]

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@lookng2015wrote:
I could be wrong but I'm pretty sure USPS will ONLY honour a redirect from the sender (apart from if a buyer has filed a mail forwarding)

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I dont think a seller can ask USPS to redirect the package unless he pays $13.95 to ask the buyer post office t o either hold the package or return it back to him.

There is no redirection instruction. 

[lookng2015]

Yes, but they don't allow a buyer to do a parcel intercept. Apparently Fedex will as long as the buyer pays for it.

[powertell]

@tofu107 - You may have missed one of my posts. The person whose name is on the credit card has already filed an unauthorized transaction with their credit card company.

[dtexley3]

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@powertellwrote:

tofu107 - You may have missed one of my posts. The person whose name is on the credit card has already filed an unauthorized transaction with their credit card company.

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Others can weigh in, but as I said above, Paypal's UA seller protection ONLY requires proof that you shipped, delivery redirect whatever SHOULD NOT MATTER, you have proof of shipping.  Paypal will reimburse on the UA, but under their policy it's out of their own pocket, not yours.

[bubbleman2010]

Here is the paypal rule concerning redirects....   If you originally ship the item to the recipient's shipping address on the Transaction Details page but the item is later redirected to a different address, you will not be eligible for PayPal Seller Protection. 

[missjen831]

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@dtexley3wrote:

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@powertellwrote:

tofu107 - You may have missed one of my posts. The person whose name is on the credit card has already filed an unauthorized transaction with their credit card company.

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Others can weigh in, but as I said above, Paypal's UA seller protection ONLY requires proof that you shipped, delivery redirect whatever SHOULD NOT MATTER, you have proof of shipping.  Paypal will reimburse on the UA, but under their policy it's out of their own pocket, not yours.

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There’s actually a “gotcha clause” that has been posted on this thread and it says sellers are NOT covered if the shipment is redirected. 

[powertell]

I bet I’m gonna lose the case because of that “gotcha” clause. I certainly post an update either way. 

I’m irked about this whole package redirection thing which I didn’t know existed when I dropped the package off. 

[cycle-dog]

OK, so buyer has opened a case with PayPal claiming an unauthorized transaction which PayPal in turn is investigating? Now, you panic (JUST KIDDING!). Being on alert for possible fraud as you are, and, documenting as you are, you’re seemingly well prepared and all ready to respond!

Issue - Buyer claims they did not authorize the purchase, they did not make the purchase, or they were victims of identity or credit card theft. (“Unauthorized Transaction”). Under PayPal’s T&Cs, both you and buyer are seemingly, and equally, protected (see, PayPal Seller Protection, ss. 9.1 - 9.4 ; link previously enclosed, with relevant sections additionally copied below for ease of reference).

What’s next? You’ll want to cooperate with PayPal on the file, as you are presumably already doing. In the event PayPal’s investigation finds that innocent buyer has been the victim of fraud, etc., then PayPal Buyer Protection kicks-in (chargeback/reversal, which is only proper and similar to what buyer’s own bank/credit card would do). For innocent merchants, there’s PayPal’s Seller Protection -- i.e., paid out by PayPal. Know all those fees PayPal collects? They act as a form of insurance that “safeguards merchants against losing money to chargebacks and reversals related to ‘Unauthorized Transaction’ … claims” and, just like insurance, you’ve paid them for!

PayPal Seller Protection, ss. 9.1 - 9.4:

9.1 PayPal Seller Protection.
PayPal Seller Protection is protection we provide to Sellers from Claims, Chargebacks, or Reversals that are based on
Unauthorized Transaction; or Item Not Received.

PayPal Seller Protection is available for eligible payments from buyers in any country. (Relevant PayPal Buyer Protection policies corresponding to the location of the buyer are available here, https://www.paypal.com/c2/webapps/mpp/ua/ua-table?locale.x=en_C2 ) .

9.2 Scope of Protection.
PayPal will protect you for the full amount of the eligible payment and waive the Chargeback Fee, if applicable.

9.3 Eligibility Requirements. To be eligible for PayPal Seller Protection, you must meet all of the basic requirements listed below under (a) Basic Requirements. To be covered … for Unauthorized Transactions protection you must meet both the Basic Requirements and the Unauthorized Transactions Additional Requirements listed below under (c)

a. Basic Requirements:
You must ship the item to the shipping address on the Transaction Details Page.
You must respond to PayPal's requests for documentation and other information in a timely manner.
The item must be a physical, tangible good that can be shipped.
You must accept payment from one PayPal account for the purchase (partial payment and/or payment in installments are excluded).

b. Item Not Received Additional Requirements: (omitted).

c. Unauthorized Transactions Additional Requirements:
The payment must be marked "eligible" for PayPal Seller Protection on the Transaction Details Page.
You must have a Proof of Shipment OR a Proof of Delivery as described below in Section 9.4.

9.4 Proof of Shipment, Proof of Delivery, and Signature Confirmation Requirements:

"Proof of Shipment" is online or physical documentation from a shipping company that includes all of the following:
The date the item is shipped.
The recipient's address, showing at least the city/state or postal code (or international equivalent).

"Proof of Delivery" (omitted).

Regarding re-routed shipments, PayPal does state the following: “If you originally ship the item to the recipient address but the item is later redirected to a different address, you will not be eligible for PayPal Seller Protection. We therefore recommend not using a shipping service that is arranged by the buyer, so that you will be able to provide valid proof of shipping and delivery.” You did NOT use a shipping service arranged by the buyer, rather, shipped to a verified PayPal address, NOR did you consent to or authorize any re-routing or other deviations therefrom, and you have documented proof of everything, right? Show them! I believe you both should be and presumably will be protected – after all, what is the point of fraud protection if it doesn’t actually protect careful, conscientious buyers and sellers both against fraud?! And in the unlikely event for some reason that you are not protected by PayPal’s Seller protection, you’ve likely recourse against the shipper.

Not to stoke the pot, but there’s also the somewhat different but similar case (in that it involves unauthorized behavior on shipper’s part in the UK) where shipper leaves a package not with the intended recipient/buyer but with buyer’s neighbor who kindly agrees to sign for it on buyer’s behalf, only for buyer to find, on later receiving the package from neighbor and opening it, that the item(s) arrived damaged. In such a case, while shipper may argue it was received/delivered “in good condition” because it was signed for – albeit by a neighbor and without any instructions to deliver to this neighbor, “the (shipper) did in the end pay for the damaged service.” https://www.parcelhero.com/blog/expert-shipping-advice/signing-neighbours-parcel . Proper and happy ending. Here’s hoping all ends well for you, too!

[lovtaco0]

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@cycle-dogwrote:

Regarding re-routed shipments, PayPal does state the following: “If you originally ship the item to the recipient address but the item is later redirected to a different address, you will not be eligible for PayPal Seller Protection. We therefore recommend not using a shipping service that is arranged by the buyer, so that you will be able to provide valid proof of shipping and delivery.” You did NOT use a shipping service arranged by the buyer, rather, shipped to a verified PayPal address, NOR did you consent to or authorize any re-routing or other deviations therefrom,

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I wonder if PayPal would accept that argument or if they would say that the buyer rerouting counts as a shipping service arranged by the buyer. Interested to hear the OP's outcome and rooting for them.

[cycle-dog]

Yes, certainly may be the case in other situations, but doesn’t seem to apply here. In this case, the buyer is claiming an unauthorized transaction, and therefore could not have rerouted the package since they are alleging they did not buy the item at all. Of course, if buyer knowingly gave someone else access to and login information for their account, and it was that someone else who used the account to buy and subsequently re-route (with buyer’s knowledge and permission or not), then it would presumably be that other person’s sig on FedEx file. If so, buyer would arguably be on the hook in that case since it wouldn’t presumably qualify as an “unauthorized transaction” .

Good that PayPal is investigating, and really hope everything turns out well for the OP, too!

[newnewnewmann]

I don't use fedex but a look at their site seems to say that a buyer can only redirect in-transit packages to a FedEx Location where they hold it for the buyer, but not to any other address. At least I couldn't find any other way to do it with fedex.

If that matters. I suppose for a fraud investigation that could leave a trail.

Good luck, terrible situation, I hope you get your money back.

[berserkerplanet]

From what I see they can do that gratis, but for a fee can redirect to a different address (recipient just has to either lie about the addresses set up in the FedEx Delivery Manager, or for that matter not even lie to invalidate eBay or PayPal seller protections)

This has concerned me since I saw the first announcements a while ago (akin to the recent announcement about PayPal seller protection being reduced - sellers thrown under the bus for things they can't control or defend against).

https://www.fedex.com/apps/fdmenrollment/


http://www.fedex.com/us/legal/#22v

Section 22. FedEx Delivery Manager®.
In order to facilitate delivery or release of a shipment, FedEx may, at its sole discretion, offer certain delivery options and functionality to residential Recipients through FedEx Delivery Manager. As a condition for approval to register for and use FedEx Delivery Manager, Recipient agrees to these terms:
I. Recipient represents and warrants that Recipient: resides at the address provided for enrollment; is authorized to enroll and receive shipments at the address; will only register for himself/herself; will only register nicknames that are associated with Recipient’s name and identity; is 13 years of age or older.
II. For each shipment, Recipient represents and warrants that Recipient is authorized by the Shipper to use or request the FedEx Delivery Manager options and functionality.
III. Recipient agrees to pay any fees associated with FedEx Delivery Manager options that are offered by FedEx for a fee. See Rates in the FedEx Service Guide for details.