Potential Scam

[marksmithlabels]

I got an email from a customer saying he has not received his items. Took 22 days to send me this note. I thought his address was a little odd looking. Plugged it into a google search and someone else had an issue with being scammed from someone at this exact same address and phone number.

The buyer seems to have good feedback but wondering if anyone else has had an issue?

Feeling a little hesitant about sending a refund for now.

[mtgraves7984]

Feeling a little hesitant about sending a refund for now.

@marksmithlabels 

Don't concern yourself with a refund right now. If the buyer opens an Item Not Received claim, you can load your tracking info (if you have it) into the claim. If the package is moving, you'll have more time. A refund will follow all of that jazz...

[buyselljack2016]

@marksmithlabels 

Does tracking show delivery at the reshipping service address provided by the buyer?

Buyer should be checking with the courier service that they used to determine where their item is located at this time.

edited to highlight  

[robbie31415]

The reason you see reports is because that's a business address where 1000s of shipments go to.

Obviously it will get reports from a few scammers.

If you have delivered tracking you will be fine. If you don't then you need to figure out why.

[ittybitnot]

Feeling a little hesitant about sending a refund for now.

@marksmithlabels 

Has the buyer filed an "Item not received claim" or are they just messaging you?  

Sounds like a commercial Freight Forwarder or some entity behaving as one.    Did you check what is at that location?  Typically the forwarders are usually in Delaware, Oregon, FL, etc. but that is not always the case. 
  In what country is the buyer located.  You need to see the feedback page.  If they have Zero or a rather dormant ID, you may have to use the following link to get to the correct page.  You will also see you were charged an extra fee for accepting the payment. 
 

https://pages.ebay.com/services/forum/feedback-login.html

Does your tracking indicate the parcel has been delivered? 

[archivehobbyist]

Maybe their Drop Shipping?

[fashunu4eeuh]

Likely not a scammer but an overseas buyer who used a freight forwarder. This is a common occurrence and not unusual. Your responsibility is to get the item to the address present at checkout. Do you have confirmed delivery from tracking?

[12345jamesstamps]

Might be going "freight forward"...check the buyer's ID to see what country buyer is from.

"Freight forward" is OK...it just goes to another country from the USA.

You can also see if you got an additional International eBay fee from a buyer using a credit card that was issued from another country.

Buyers do complain sometimes because freight forward takes longer for item to arrive in their country.

Just a thought.

[mam98031]

Why would you send a refund?  That should not be your initial reaction.  The first thing you should do is look at the tracking.  What is it telling you?  Was it delivered or is it stuck somewhere?

Sign up for email updates for any movement on the tracking.  You can do it from the same screen that you use when calling up the tracking details.

Then go and file a trace on the package if it is not showing delivered.

https://usps.my.site.com/emailus/s/package-inquiry

Let your buyer know you have filed for the trace and to give you a couple of days so you can get some info from USPS.  Also let them know you will update them with anything you hear from USPS.

Has the buyer filed an INR?  If they have, enter the tracking number into the claim and also only communicate with your buyer through the claim.

[reallynicestamps · Accepted solution]

Give the buyer the tracking number and tell him if it has been delivered or where tracking shows it at this time.

Then use Google Maps to see where the address actually is.

If it is in an industrial park or a strip mall, your buyer is using a forwarder and you are only responsible to the address of the forwarder, no further.

Freight forwarders are the second safest addresses you can ship to.

Your responsibility for delivery ends at the forwarder.

The forwarder usually deals with the customer's import fees, stopping the "customs delay" fraud.

And if you get a Not As Described dispute, your Return Shipping Label is only addressed to the forwarder. You are not paying international rates. Further it is up to the buyer to get the disputed item back to the forwarder for return with your label, before the eBay deadline.