Possible scam. What to do next?

[thegreat2124]

Hi all,

I recently sold a sealed LEGO set and the buyer opened a case claiming the box was empty and they are requesting a refund. They provided a single photo that does not appear to be the type of box I sent the item in. Here are the rest of the facts:

-Buyer opened account the same day they purchased the item.

-Address is in Oregon; however it also said “Russian Federation” as the location

-Based on Google Maps, the shipping address is a commercial property that does not appear to be occupied; Seller listed the address as having an apartment number

-I have contacted the buyer several times to provide additional information and they have not responded

-Item was shipped on 3/22 and received on 3/24; case was not opened until 4/16

-I have filed a case with USPS Inspection Services

-I have reported the buyer to eBay for abuse of Buyer Protection Program

I am supposed to respond by tomorrow to the refund. I refuse to refund because I know I send the item so it’s either a scam or was stolen in transit which is why I filed the claim with USPS.

I know it’s rare for these disputes to go in the favor of the seller. Should I escalate the case or let the buyer do it? If they do, escalate I know I can appeal.

Thoughts?

[mtgraves7984]

Should I escalate the case or let the buyer do it?

@thegreat2124 

You should NOT escalate the case. Maybe your buyer won't use the return label. Stand pat and good luck.

[thegreat2124]

Ok. Thanks for the input. It’s unlikely they’ll use it since they claim nothing was delivered.

[bigdeals.etc]

I'm assuming you already responded to the buyer asking if they by any chance made a mistake between you and another seller. This is more of a formality, but you never know. I've gotten a few buyers make this mistake and realize it when I messaged them.

Here are the facts for your issue as I know from experience and ebay policy... sorry if sounds harsh. I'm just the messenger here. Ebay doesn't really care if your buyer is international. Is the Oregon address a freight forwarder? Most of them are located in Florida, or on the east coast. I can't recall any of them in the west, but it's possible. If they are using a freight forwarder, the buyer then forfeits all MBG privileges. But good luck on trying to prove (in ebay's eyes which are usually blinded to your facts) that the buyer isn't just an employee of that freight forwarder. They will greatly side with the buyer and give them benefit of any doubt.

I personally would challenge this buyer and accept the return, having them ship the item back to you for a refund. I'm sure you know that you will lose if either party escalates this return before you act on it. My experience with appeals is that you also will lose. Many people using freight forwarders will end up not returning the item back to you once you accept the return. Then they will just time out eventually and the buyer will go away. The postage you are obligated to provide the buyer is only from Oregon to you. And if your buyer is truly in Russian Federation, it will be more difficult and costly for them to send you back the item. It will be their responsibility. They won't really be able to use the postage you gave them (so you won't be charged) unless they send the item to the Oregon address then to you. If they do eventually return the item to you and it's not what you sent out, I would retain 50% of the refund to recuperate some of your loss. I understand not all sellers have this function... I highly recommend changing your settings to be eligible for this function in the future.

Best case scenario here is that they will rule for the buyer to return the item to you for a refund... the chances of that happening are close to none. Oh and don't forget to block the buyer.

[bigdeals.etc]

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@thegreat2124 wrote:

Ok. Thanks for the input. It’s unlikely they’ll use it since they claim nothing was delivered.

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Under ebay policy they are supposed to use it to return whatever they claimed to have received from you... the empty box itself.

[thegreat2124]

So if I accept the return and they do not send back the empty or use the return label, what happens then? I’m still out the money?

[ittybitnot]

Under ebay policy they are supposed to use it to return whatever they claimed to have received from you... the empty box itself.

The buyer IS NOT REQUIRED to use the shipping label provided.  Thus the proliferation of the "cheap trinket" scam and the "send to different address in your zipcode" scam regarding subsequent claims made by buyers who do use a freight forwarder.  Of late, ebay is NOT requiring that the "empty box" be returned, but a police report may be required.  A fake one (basic templates found on the net) typically suffice for eBay to reward the buyer a refund.  The automated system nor CS  bothers to check the veracity of such report. 

The "Oregon" forwarders appear to be taking the place of the "Delaware" ones that also cater to clients in Russia. That I suspect that  is likely because so many sellers are now "informed" and refuse to ship to New Castle or Wilmington. 

Since the use of a freight forwarder no longer voids the eBay MBG, sellers are indeed having a more difficult time with associated phony SNAD claims. 

[ittybitnot]

I am supposed to respond by tomorrow to the refund. 

@thegreat2124 

Accept the return and provide the return label. Then wait to see what you get back.  Refusing to do this will be an "auto win" for the buyer with the money coming from your proceeds.  

[thegreat2124]

Update: I had filed a theft claim with USPS and I received a response that they are only willing to pay $100 on an item that was insured for $569. Any know why? I plan on appealing.