02-18-2019 08:59 AM
We have been targeted by a malicious buyer who has purchased 3 times from 3 different guest account IDs.
Order # 1 - Opened damaged/not as described case claiming the cap of the bottle was cracked in shipping and product had leaked out. We processed full refund to close the case.
Order # 2 - Return was filed as "Doesn't match description or photos" with the comment " Nothings came whats going on." - Order was delayed by a day due to weather and was delivered the day after return was opened. We sent buyer multiple messages with tracking updates, but did not get a response. So, we approved the return on the last day possible to avoid getting a defect.
This return had a message on February 15th that said since the buyer had not provided tracking, we could call and have eBay close the case in our favor, which I did. I even received an email from eBay stating the case had been decided in the seller's favor, closed without a refund to the buyer, and that it would not affect our seller performance. However, after the case was closed, the buy provided a tracking number the next day and eBay reversed the decision, refunded the buyer, and is now showing this as an "unresolved" strike on our seller metrics.
Order # 3 - This return request came in just as we were putting two and two together and realizing this buyer was targeting us. Also filed as "not as described" saying he received the wrong brush. Buyer will not respond to messages asking for pictures or more details (I know he's not required to provide pictures). I reported all 3 IDs online and also called Trust and Safety. Trust and Safety advised me not to authorize this return. They said that in 3 days if I do nothing, it will escalate to eBay and they will close in our favor because of the fraudulent buyer activity.
However, when I called today to appeal the mark on our metrics for Order # 2, not only was I told they can't remove that defect because the buyer provided tracking, but I was also told that everything Trust and Safety said was wrong and that I do have to authorize the return for Order # 3. So now eBay is going to charge us $10.84 for a shipping label for a $10.99 product and all they can say is to call when we get it back to appeal that case and "maybe" get the return shipping refunded.
It is incredibly frustrating to get so much bad information when calling CS and that there is apparently no hope for getting actual help when we are being so obviously targeted by fraudulent return requests.
02-18-2019 09:09 AM
02-18-2019 09:55 AM
I hope you have placed this buyer on your Blocked Bidder List.
Are they a competitor?
02-18-2019 09:59 AM
How did you reach the conclusion that these 3 cases are the same buyer?
02-18-2019 10:04 AM - edited 02-18-2019 10:07 AM
3 different ID's , all of them guest accounts, so the block list doesn't really help. Also 3 different email addresses for the PayPal payments. Shipping addresses are the same, names basically the same except they changed a letter or two or swapped the first and last name around in order. It is definitely all the same buyer.
02-18-2019 10:35 AM - edited 02-18-2019 10:36 AM
If your #2 happened exactly as you stated ( I am NOT implying it didn`t) it should be an outrage to all sellers. We either have rules, procedures and time frames on this site or we don`t. Here is a link to the unwelcome/malicious buyer policy. I`d learn it and quote it to customer support. I`m assuming you have already blocked the user ID`s. https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/selling-policies/unwelcome-malicious-buying-policy?id=4375
02-18-2019 10:44 AM
It is not uncommon to have different buyers with the same address. Some are legit buyers, others are using this address so the tenants in that house serve as intermediates for reshipping purposes.
For the way they asked you the question, it seems they are foreigners or recent immigrants lacking the English language skills.
Block them, send them to your "mystery list of buyers"
But Ebay should not be giving you the square peg solution for a rounded problem.
02-18-2019 10:55 AM
@hillbillymedia wrote:If your #2 happened exactly as you stated ( I am NOT implying it didn`t) it should be an outrage to all sellers. We either have rules, procedures and time frames on this site or we don`t. Here is a link to the unwelcome/malicious buyer policy. I`d learn it and quote it to customer support. I`m assuming you have already blocked the user ID`s. https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/selling-policies/unwelcome-malicious-buying-policy?id=4375
I agree. Here we go with the policy being the policy unless it's not- yet AGAIN. Total anarchy.
Seems eBay WANTS sellers to get defects in the worst possible way and will move heaven and earth to help the process along.
02-18-2019 11:00 AM
@gramophone-georg wrote:
@hillbillymedia wrote:If your #2 happened exactly as you stated ( I am NOT implying it didn`t) it should be an outrage to all sellers. We either have rules, procedures and time frames on this site or we don`t. Here is a link to the unwelcome/malicious buyer policy. I`d learn it and quote it to customer support. I`m assuming you have already blocked the user ID`s. https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/selling-policies/unwelcome-malicious-buying-policy?id=4375
I agree. Here we go with the policy being the policy unless it's not- yet AGAIN. Total anarchy.
Seems eBay WANTS sellers to get defects in the worst possible way and will move heaven and earth to help the process along.
I'd also LOVE to know if buyers who *theoretically* have lost MBG privileges can regain them using a guest account. I've never gotten a straight answer to that one.
02-18-2019 11:01 AM
@Anonymous Looks like this seller is getting conflicting information.
#2 is especially concerning, the buyer failed to supply return tracking, the return was closed in favor of the seller. The buyer uploaded tracking AFTER the return was closed, so the SELLER received and UNRESOLVED return strike? WHY?
02-18-2019 11:57 AM - edited 02-18-2019 11:58 AM
@autopiacarcare wrote:We have been targeted by a malicious buyer who has purchased 3 times from 3 different guest account IDs.
....Order # 3 - This return request came in just as we were putting two and two together and realizing this buyer was targeting us. Also filed as "not as described" saying he received the wrong brush. Buyer will not respond to messages asking for pictures or more details (I know he's not required to provide pictures). I reported all 3 IDs online and also called Trust and Safety. Trust and Safety advised me not to authorize this return. They said that in 3 days if I do nothing, it will escalate to eBay and they will close in our favor because of the fraudulent buyer activity.
However, when I called today to appeal the mark on our metrics for Order # 2, not only was I told they can't remove that defect because the buyer provided tracking, but I was also told that everything Trust and Safety said was wrong and that I do have to authorize the return for Order # 3. So now eBay is going to charge us $10.84 for a shipping label for a $10.99 product and all they can say is to call when we get it back to appeal that case and "maybe" get the return shipping refunded.
It is incredibly frustrating to get so much bad information when calling CS and that there is apparently no hope for getting actual help when we are being so obviously targeted by fraudulent return requests.
So, now you have CS, who has a reputation of giving out wrong information, saying that Trust & Safety is wrong in the information they pass out. And it isn't even April Fool's Day.
Things that make one go 'hmmmmmm' in the night.
02-18-2019 12:19 PM
@hillbillymedia wrote:If your #2 happened exactly as you stated ( I am NOT implying it didn`t) it should be an outrage to all sellers. We either have rules, procedures and time frames on this site or we don`t. Here is a link to the unwelcome/malicious buyer policy. I`d learn it and quote it to customer support. I`m assuming you have already blocked the user ID`s. https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/selling-policies/unwelcome-malicious-buying-policy?id=4375
Yes, I have blocked the user ID's, but again because guest accounts, that isn't really going to do any good. on Order # 2, here is the exact chain of events.
Order was placed on 1/25/19, shipped on 1/28/19 with UPS ground going from one side of the country to the other (usually about 5 business days).
Return request was opened on 2/5/19 - Doesn't match description or photos -"Nothings came whats going on ".
Tracking shows "Recent weather has caused delivery delays. Recovery efforts are under way to deliver your package as soon as possible." We sent multiple messages to the buyer with the tracking info, alerting them to the weather delays and letting them know the package should be there soon.
Package was delivered on 2/6/19. We sent multiple messages asking buyer to confirm they received it and got no response.
2/7/19 - We authorized the return to avoid a ding for not responding, choosing the option to have eBay bill us for the shipping label. Then, we waited. No tracking number was ever uploaded in the return and there was no indication the item was on the way back to us. The return case showed that if we don't receive it by 2/15, we can call eBay to have them close the case.
2/15/19 - Called CS to have case closed (this was before we realized this was the same buyer, so reason for closing the case was just that they had not yet returned the product.) CS said they were closing the case in our favor and at 12:52 PM Eastern time on 2/15, we received an email from eBay stating:
We reviewed this case and have closed it without any refund to the buyer.
The case will not affect your seller performance. Any feedback left for this transaction will be removed. The buyer did not return the item to you within the required timeframe.
About an hour after that, we received the return request on order # 3, put things together and made a call to Trust and Safety as well as reported all 3 buyer ID's through the online "report a buyer" function.
We are closed on the weekend, so I didn't actually find out about this until today - Received a message dated 2/16/19 from eBay stating:
eBay Customer Support has reviewed the case and made a final decision.
We issued a full refund of $39.98 on Feb 16, 2019 to the buyer. As described in the eBay Money Back Guarantee, the refund includes the purchase price, plus original shipping. This amount will be deducted from your PayPal account or charged to your preferred reimbursement payment method.
Decision:
This case has been decided in the buyer's favor.
Comments:
Unfortunately, it looks like the refund you agreed to issue was never sent to your buyer. We've issued it and now need you to reimburse us.
When I called CS, they said the buyer provided a tracking number that showed delivery to us on 2/15. We don't have the package. The tracking number CS says they gave shows delivery to our zip code, but "left at front door", which wouldn't happen at a commercial business address. And I just now realized it shows being shipped from GA when the buyer is supposedly in CA. So, I guess it's time to call CS again.
02-18-2019 12:37 PM
@gracieallen01 wrote:So, now you have CS, who has a reputation of giving out wrong information, saying that Trust & Safety is wrong in the information they pass out. And it isn't even April Fool's Day.
Things that make one go 'hmmmmmm' in the night.
Correct. I don't know who to believe and today is the last day we have to authorize the return. So, do I go with Trust and Safety and not authorize it or do I go with CS and pay for a return label? @Anonymous What should I do?
02-18-2019 12:43 PM
Another fun fact about this situation - we now also have 3 marks on our service metrics pushing us ever closer to the dreaded "very high returns" 4% extra fees. Those are 3 marks that CS has said cannot be removed at all for any reason.
02-18-2019 12:43 PM