This happened to me just this morning. I received two orders, one with 8 items and the other with 6 items.... I thought COOL. Then when I opened the payment I saw a note from the buyer:
Hello Dears (dead giveaway, who the heck calls their seller dear except off-shore sellers)
Then they explained that they were unable to find where to change the address and would I please ship the items to an address in Miami with an apartment number that had a combinations of about 10 letters and numbers, the item was a gift for their nephew. Then they send me separate message for each order requesting the same as the message with the payment.
I immediately knew this was a scam but did google the address (less the "apt" number), and you guessed it, it was a freight forwarding facility. Well, if there weren't enough alarms going off in my head already, I had to ask myself.... why would someone have something sent to a freight forwarding facility that they had to pay for the service when they could just forward the "gift" themselves.
I sent two messages to the scammer explaining I would not ship the items to an address that was not the address on file and cancelled the orders (bummer). Shortly after, I received two messages from eBay stating that I had corresponded via message with someone whose account had been compromised. I was rather disappointed that while eBay was interested in addressing the correspondence there was no information acknowledging the order nor instructions on what to do with it. The warning only addressed what to do if you had actually send them anything.
In the past I believe I have read from a blue that eBay will accept an address change if the address change was requested via eBay messaging.... DO NOT DO THIS UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. While eBay may accept an address change, Paypal will not. One of the easiest Paypal cases to win is an unauthorized charge via eBay dispute or CC chargeback. It is covered by seller protection provided you ship to the address on file.
This is the message I received from eBay.... am I expecting something from eBay that I shouldn't be? Please be honest. I just got the feeling that if I hadn't sent the scammer a message, I wouldn't have received this message... nothing addressing the actual order.
MC010 Account Security Communication Partner Warning -
Hello XXXXXOur records show that you recently contacted or received messages from XXXXXXX through eBay's messaging system. This account was recently found to have been accessed by an unauthorized third party, who may have used the account in an attempt to defraud other members. We've taken action to restore this account to the original owner, but wanted to let you know to be suspicious of any communication you may have received from them. Nothing is wrong with your account at this time – this message is just being sent as a precaution. If you have received any messages from that appears suspicious, please feel free to forward them to us at spoof@ebay.com for review. -- Safety Tips ---- Don't respond to the sender, through either eBay or your email provider, if the message is an offer to buy or sell an item. This type of offer may be fraudulent, and the transaction won't be covered by eBay protection programs. - - If you received what appears to be a Second Chance Offer for an item you recently bid on, and it appears in My Messages with the subject of "Message from eBay Member," it isn't a legitimate Second Chance Offer. Real Second Chance Offers appear in My Messages with a blue background and subject that says, "eBay Second Chance Offer for Item...". Always check for both the blue background in My Messages and the subject line of "eBay Second Chance Offer for Item…" when responding to a Second Chance Offer.-- Never pay for your eBay items using instant cash wire transfer services such as Western Union or MoneyGram. It is against eBay's Safe Payments Policy for a seller to request payment with these methods, as these types of payments are unsafe if you're paying someone you don't know. -- If You've Already Sent Payment or Shipped an Item --- - If you already sent payment for an off-eBay transaction, or if you're a seller who already shipped an item to a fraudulent buyer, we suggest you take the following steps:-- Contact the payment service you used to make the purchase. If you paid by credit card, most card issuers provide consumer protections in instances of online fraud. - - If you sold and shipped an item to a fraudulent buyer, contact the carrier you used to ship the item. You might be able to receive additional assistance from the shipping service. If it was sent through the United States Postal Service, you may want to file mail fraud charges. Please go to: http://www.usps.gov/websites/depart/inspect/ - - Report the fraudulent buyer or seller both to law enforcement officials in your area, and in the area where the buyer or seller lives. To find law enforcement agencies by area, please visit: http://www.usacops.com
When you contact a law enforcement officer, please explain the following: - eBay will be happy to help with the officer's investigation. - For more information on how the officer can contact eBay, go to: http://pages.ebay.com/securitycenter/law_enforcement.html
-- You may also want to file a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). The IC3 is a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the National White Collar Crime Center. The IC3 will review complaints and refer information to the appropriate local, state, or federal agency. To file a complaint with the IC3, please go to: http://www.ic3.gov/
We also need you to take a few minutes to provide more information related to the transaction. The information you provide will allow us to work more effectively with law enforcement should an investigation occur. Please go to: http://pages.ebay.com/help/buy/transactions-outside-eBay.html
Click the "Item Bought Outside of eBay" or "Item Sold Outside of eBay" link. Thanks for your cooperation.
