06-18-2023 03:36 PM
Occasional seller here but can notice a scam when i see one. Sold a rear view mirror for a parted out truck. What got my attention was the shipping address, Ships to Home Depot in Virgin Islands. Ive never shipped directly to a store, especially to the VI. Thinking of just cancelling the order and revising all my listings to ship to the lower 48 only.
06-18-2023 03:39 PM - edited 06-18-2023 03:41 PM
Maybe the Home Depot in the Virgin Islands needs a rearview mirror for its delivery truck. I'm not sure where you see the scam here. Put tracking on it and ship it.
06-18-2023 03:39 PM
Maybe they work there. If you can prove tracking to the address eBay provided you are covered for a not received claim.
06-18-2023 03:41 PM
I think you're overthinking it.
It's probably for one of their delivery trucks or for an employee shipping it to their work address.
What reason would you use to cancel?
06-18-2023 03:44 PM
I would have assumed the buyer works there ... and that it's a safer place to have an item delivered than their home ... rather than you're being scammed.
Have you considered asking the buyer why they want the item delivered to a store before taking drastic action?
06-18-2023 03:47 PM
I sell computer peripherals all the time to store/company addresses. In this case, maybe the buyer or a coworker wants to be on duty to collect the package when it arrives.
Is it going to Charlotte Amalie by any chance? I used to sail down there and the US VIs are not exactly stuffed with various emporiums to just buy anything locally, even there.
06-18-2023 03:54 PM
I have asked the buyer about fitment check, no reply yet. Reason im ruling out that this is a delivery truck is that the mirror is for a 2004 Tacoma, chances are nil for Home Depot to own such a truck and never seen one.
06-18-2023 03:58 PM
Even in the Virgin Islands? I saw tons of old American cars driving around in the Middle East.
06-18-2023 04:02 PM
In the 15 years i have been selling here, never been defrauded by a buyer. Encountered fraudulent sellers, but never a bad buyer. So they buy, and pay, then i ship without worry.
Are there fraudulent buyers? Yes, i read about them here on the forums regularly. But i don’t worry about a buyer until something definitive happens. Scammers always tip their hands. As a result, i give buyers the benefit of the doubt.
Shipping to the Virgin Islands, to a Home Depot, at this price point, doesn’t raise my suspicions.
It is good to be cautious when selling online. Listening to one’s gut usually serves one well. If this were a high fraud item in a high fraud category, going to a foreign country with a questionable mail system, then i would pause.
But under the circumstances you describe, i would feel confident shipping the item out.
Best of luck to you whatever you decide. We each must respect our risk tolerance levels.
06-18-2023 04:04 PM
I asked the buyer for fitment check before I ship. Its going to St Thomas.
06-18-2023 04:08 PM
You can't deliver stuff in the Virgin Islands in a 2004 Tacoma?
06-18-2023 04:24 PM
Never seen it with Home Depot, They usually drive Fords and Chevys. Checking with buyer for fitment right now. Mine is the mirror with map lights and in his notes its for a base model without.
06-18-2023 04:35 PM
Happened to me about 5 years ago selling old video editing equipment. Buyers Opening SNAD requests and swapping their old broken equipment or shipping to some port in NY from a buyer with 0 feedback(cancelled that one). Im a little over cautious about this especially selling used car parts, Ill usually record S/N or scratches before shipping.
06-18-2023 04:58 PM
A 2004 Tacoma is *exactly* the kind of work truck I would expect to see down there. If you get away from the cruise port mess and get to the actual world there - it's pretty workaday Caribbean.
Also, recording anything for shipping doesn't do anything but waste time - boxing recordings aren't taken as evidence. I just can't imagine someone defrauding anyone for a mirror for an older truck. Video equipment is another market altogether.
06-18-2023 05:08 PM - edited 06-18-2023 05:10 PM
Maybe Home Depot in the Virgin Islands had a bad experiences with Fords and Chevys, so they bought a 2004 Tacoma that was missing a rear view mirror. Or they're just using one until their Ford or Chevy gets its transmission rebuilt. I've heard that service is a little slow in the Virgin Islands.