Scammed ! I was scammed out of an iPhone 14 from that place in Miami!

[Anonymous]

Sold an open box brand new iPhone, buyer received item saying we have a problem doesn’t work. I sent a return label. Item was shipped back to me.  However was never delivered! But according to eBay it was! eBay refunded the buyer in about 10 minutes! Saying they have valid proof that it was returned! Went to my local post office, the manager looked into it ! He sent me an email confirming that the address and name on box wasn’t mine! And the address doesn’t even exist.  He gave me a copy of the label. I talked to eBay until I’m blue in my face.  They will not reverse the case! I sent them all the pictures, emails from post office!  Reports from the Better Business Bureau! That this address has multiple complaints of fraud from various people    One complaint was just a few months ago exactly like mine.  Label tampered with.  eBay failed to its job and protect its members from this place.  It’s time for us as a community bring this to media’s attention! eBay’s customer service is absolutely the worst.   

[slati_2013]

Hmmmm. As a relatively new seller, you should have never sold that phone here. New sellers selling iPhones are target of scammers. The majority of scams reported here involves an iPhone. The MO is always the same. Report the phone stolen and brick it. 

[cardxcraft]

Follow the information below: It's steps you should follow to get your money back... from community member @mudshark61369

I know its worked for other victims, so give it a try.  

You have been the victim of a fake tracking scam, the seller sends something, an envelope or small box with tracking to a different address, and uses the Delivered scan to win an Item Not Received (INR) dispute.  eBay's automated INR system is not allowed access to anything but the scan information, due to shipping company's privacy policies.  When you file a dispute and lose in the message there should  be an appeal button.  You have 30 days from losing the dispute to appeal, but in order to win you have to do some leg work.

 You will have to go to your P.O. or  a local UPS-FedEx store.  You need to bring a copy of your order details page which shows your address and the tracking number with you. If you bought using a phone or tablet, you can bring that to show the clerk the order details.

 You want to ask the clerk to check the label address against yours, and also to check the Package type/size weight info to see if was is appropriate for what you should have received.  If the info does not match up, you ask the clerk to write a note on Company stationary saying in general that the shipping label's address was not yours, and if applicable that the package type/size/weight was not right for what you should have received.  In your case have them also say the name on the address wasn't yours either.  Do not ask for specific address or package info, they cannot give it out.  Have the clerk sign and date the note.

 Once you have the note, you can appeal the dispute ruling, or contact ebay through their Facebook or Twitter social media pages. (links below) You can write out what happened and what you found out, and add a CLEAR photo or a scan of the note to an appeal or message.  If you go the social media route which is recommended, because the reps know about the fake tracking scams you will need to have the seller's username and the ebay item number. At the end of your message give them your real and ebay username.

https://www.facebook.com/eBayForBusiness

https://twitter.com/askebay

https://www.ebay.com/help/buying/returns-refunds/appeal-ebays-decision-return-missing-item-buyers?id...

[mam98031]

@Anonymous 

With the information / documentation that the PO gave you, you absolutely should be able to get Ebay to appeal this in your favor.  I don't know what method of contacting Customer Service you were using, but below are all the options.  I would recommend a Social Media contact with them.

I would also check online and see if you can file a Police Report in their local jurisdiction for theft.  If you can, do this before contacting Ebay again so you can give them the Police Report number.  It will help you with Ebay.

Also PLEASE report this buyer and here is the link for doing that.  It is important to do this too.  Just be factual and professional in your complaint.

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/resolving-buyer-issues/reporting-issue-buyer?id=4084

I would suggest that you contact Ebay for Business on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter for the better trained CSRs.

Here are your options for contacting Ebay Customer Service.  Please be aware that for social media CS, you send them a Private Message and briefly explain what your problem or issue is.  Feel free to leave your Name, address, phone number and/or your email address in this message.  It is private and secure and it may help to speed up the response for you.

https://twitter.com/askebay

https://www.facebook.com/eBay/

https://www.instagram.com/ebayforsellers/

Your options will be on the left.  If you use the link below you can only get to the Automated Assistant or Chat box type AGENT in the box and hit enter. You will then get more options.  Not all options are available 24/7.  It will depend on staffing available.  So sometimes you can request a call back and sometimes you can't.  Sometimes you have the Chat option available and other times it won't me.  If it is important to you to use one of those options, just try back later.

If you use a cell phone or other mobile device, you may need to turn off your Spam filter so that Ebay can call you.

If you are a seller outside of the US or Canada, you will need to use the Chat Option.

https://www.ebay.com/help/home

[mam98031]

@Anonymous 

On a completely separate note, watch you inventory better.  Filing those cancellations because you can't ship for whatever reason you have is the quickest way to damage the health of your selling account and potentially lose your ability to sell here.

[Anonymous]

I contacted them on Facebook messenger. And was told the case is closed 

[mam98031]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I contacted them on Facebook messenger. And was told the case is closed 

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I would try it again.  Are you attaching a copy of the documentation you got from the PO to show it was shipped to a different name and address?

But first, go and see if you can file that Police Report.  Honestly if you can get one filed and get the number it will help you with Ebay or so I have heard from several sellers over the years.

[Anonymous]

I want to know this.  When you speak to anyone it’s all recorded correct? I spoke to one person, who was one step up from a regular person, she wasn’t a supervisor! She said to me that if I can provide the proof that it was not delivered. I would get a refund! I forwarded the email that I received from the manager of the post office, and he said , there was no delivery scan what so ever. And he can confirm there was no delivery! His name and phone number is included in the email.  I responded and asked him if I could stop in and get a copy of the label on the box and he said yes.  So I have the proof.  I have pictures of the phone that doesn’t match what the buyer was supposedly sending back.   I have sent photos after photos ! The return label isn’t the one I sent the buyer.  I sent copy’s of the reports from the better business bureau with 11 complaints!  Pictures of the warehouse I found on the internet of the address and it a warehouse with an open dock with. Boxes and Boxes of stuff!  Someone is running a huge scam operation. I told eBay that they need to call the local authorities and the FBI to raid it.  I’m out 650 bucks. I just can’t believe with everything I’ve provided, and they still gave a scammer a full refund! I’m going to the better business bureau with this too. I really want to go to national media about this, a company can’t treat its customers with such horrible customer service! It’s not right, unethical , and dishonest! 

[Anonymous]

Yes  gave them everything! I was told on facebook messenger that my appeal was denied and that the thread on which we were communicating will no longer be monitored or answered.  Nice way to treat someone 

[mam98031]

Well when you do it on Social Media, it is all in writing, but yes if you call them it is recorded.

What is "I spoke to one person, who was one step up from a regular person..."?  What does that mean?

They gave the buyer the refund BEFORE you provided all that info.  They did it right when they told you the buyer was being refunded.

I don't think you will find anyone here that disagrees with you.  I completely understand and respect why you are upset and frustrated.  And I'm aware that the process of getting an appeal properly processed can be more than just challenging.

I still strongly suggest your try and file the police report and then contact Ebay again via whatever method you choose.  I gave you all your options in my earlier post.

Sometimes, for some unknown reason, it does take multiple attempts to get something done.  I know that isn't what you want to hear, but it is simply the truth of the matter.  It is likely Ebay will side with you with the evidence you have but unfortunately they are making you work far too hard to get it.

BTW, if the tracking does not have a delivery scan it makes no sense as to why the INR wasn't closed in your favor.  

If you wouldn't mind, would you send me a Private message with the tracking number.  You aren't suppose to post it in a thread, but I'd like to take a peek if you wouldn't mind.

[mam98031 · Accepted solution]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Yes  gave them everything! I was told on facebook messenger that my appeal was denied and that the thread on which we were communicating will no longer be monitored or answered.  Nice way to treat someone 

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Well that is simply rude.  There is no getting around that.  It was rude and uncalled for.  I'll help you deal with that after we do what we can to help you get your money back.

[mam98031]

I got the tracking number.  Something is way off here.  Ebay should have never refunded the buyer on an INR that has no delivery scan.

First go to the USPS website and call up the tracking number and review all the entries.

Second sign up for email notifications to any changes to the tracking.  Click on the down arrow to the right of "Text & Email Updates".  Fill in the info.

This serves to give you up to date info on the movements of the package.  It can be real handy if you end up closing the INR out and refunding the buyer because the item really was lost.  Then if the item gets delivered at a later date, you will be notified.  

Now you need to go and file for a TRACE on the package.

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

Just fill in the info they ask you.  You will need the buyers address, so make sure you have that info ready when you go to fill in the info.

Make a note of the Trace claim number as it could be handy later.

[dbfolks166mt]

     When I see cell phone and scammed in the same sentence or title it does nor surprise me in the least. They have to be one of the prime targets for every scammer out there especially foreign scammers. By "that place in Miami" I am going to assume this was a freight forwarder. 

     When the buyer initially complained was it through a message or did they actually open a request for refund or a NAD claim/case with eBay? How did you respond to that case? You probably should have denied the claim or refused the return. Based on eBay policy once the item reaches the FF your job is done although eBay has waffled on this from time to time and of course it doesn't protect you from a chargeback. 

     This is a pretty well known scam tactic and mam98031 has pretty much covered where you need to go from here. About the only thing I would add is that if you have the IMEI number for the phone you can report it to the IMEI blacklist and it will render the phone pretty much useless to the buyer/scammer. Chances are high that there is nothing wrong with the phone and the box/package they sent back which should have come through the freight forwarder contains nothing or a rock. 

[imapaqrat]

You need to appeal the return decision through eBay, not eBay FaceBook.

Appeal the outcome of a case as a seller

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/managing-returns-refunds/appeal-outcome-case-seller?id=4369

[Anonymous]

I’ve done all of that…it’s out for delivery in Miami…tell me this , is eBay that much out of control and to big to protect a consumer, either buyer or seller…there’s got to be away to improve on their way of doing this. This buyer that bought the phone, then sent me a different message after purchase, wanting me to send it to a different address, I called eBay and asked about it , they told me to send a buyer a message which I did and said I can cancel the transaction, and you can repurchase it and add a different address.  And there is a record of me sending that message, and I brought that up.   That immediately should have put up a red flag.  I guess what I’m saying is the way eBay seems to go at this of  not looking into transactions isn’t working.    They should have a computer program in place to send out alerts and stop it before it happens. And they need to have a team dedicated to just phones.