eBay

autopiacarcare · ‎02-18-2019

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.

autopiacarcare · ‎03-06-2019

@gramophone-georg wrote:
Aren't they using USPS on the return leg of the fraud, though?

Yes....and no. Someone is using USPS for something. I can't prove that the someone I shipped something to in CA and the someone who shipped something from Orlando to my zip code have anything to do with each other. The only connection that exists is that the buyer in CA provided this tracking number to eBay for a return, which I have record of and have provided to USPS in the form of screen shots of the original order and the return case in eBay. However, I'm not sure that actually would meet any kind of legal burden of proof if it came down to it.

The person at the shipping address on the return package could be an accomplice and is associated with the scammer in some way. Or, the tracking number could have been skimmed/harvested from the internet, in which case the shipper on that package may not actually knowingly be part of the scam.

My gut instinct is that the first cases that had UPS tracking numbers were harvested and that this most recent one with the USPS tracking is actually part of the scam, but again, I can't prove it. I have provided all of the information I possibly can, including the original buyer's address, to USPS in my communications with them about this issue. At this point, it's in their hands.

Anonymous · ‎03-06-2019

@ste-9405 wrote:

@autopiacarcare wrote:

On the most recent case, unfortunately, the only information I have is the original buyer address in CA, which isn't connected in any way as far as I can tell with the return shipment tracking that originated in Orlando, FL.

I have neither the shipper's name/address or the recipient's name/address on that return package, which basically means in the eyes of USPS I have no connection to that package.

For all intents and purposes, I am just a stranger with a tracking number and a story, but no way to really verify any of it.

Your selling Address is A,

shipped to your Buyer at B.

The "return" came from C -- you are not that sender,

and was Delivered to D -- you are not that recipient.

You only have a tracking number for the C to D segment: But it is someone else's package. My postmistress says:

It's a federal violation to divulge the names and addresses on a tracking number that's not your USPS transaction.

So even though USPS can see the sender and recipient in WebBATS, they cannot give that to you, nor allow you to share it with eBay. While @Anonymous has said that it can be done, that's because crimes are committed every day without consequences.

Hi @ste-9405, USPS can provide documentation that does not violate any guidelines supporting the claim that the return was not sent to the seller's address. I apologize if there has been some confusion in this discussion, but we have received supporting documents that validated this kind of issue without a problem in the past, and are simply asking for the same now. No personal information needs to be divulged that would pose a security or privacy risk, simply confirmation of what the seller is describing.

autopiacarcare · ‎03-07-2019

I just spoke to the supervisor at my PO again. She said that she can't release the Intranet report to me and that eBay would have to contact her directly to request it. I told her I didn't think it was likely I could convince eBay customer service to do that.

I asked her instead to send me an actual letter on USPS letterhead with a signature simply stating the tracking number and confirming that the address on the package did not match (our address). She said she would work on it, so hopefully I'll have that in a couple of days.

She did let slip an interesting tidbit though.....apparently the from address on that package is the Big A, which happens to have a fulfillment location in Orlando, FL.

So, I'm guessing either this instance is also a case of a legitimate tracking number being skimmed/harvested from the internet or part of the scam is to purchase a cheap media mail item online and have it shipped to a random address in the correct zip code to obtain a "real" tracking number.

autopiacarcare · ‎04-01-2019

The scammer from the first 3 is back. New guest account, slightly different name, same address. Luckily we have put things in place internally to catch it because obviously eBay did nothing and Trust & Safety telling me they had flagged this user's address was just a lie.

abfabvintage · ‎04-01-2019

When you say you have made arrangements internally, what does that mean? Once you determine it is the same physical address and they are again using a guest account, can't you just report and block? New to this, so just asking...thanks for your help.

I ain't got the brains to make this up (Fantastic Beasts)

floundertheclown · ‎04-01-2019

Sorry to hear I have also experienced this in the past. I have changed my settings to 5 or more positive feedback and paypal only. It has slowed this down quite a bit for me.

autopiacarcare · ‎04-01-2019

@abfabvintage wrote:
When you say you have made arrangements internally, what does that mean? Once you determine it is the same physical address and they are again using a guest account, can't you just report and block? New to this, so just asking...thanks for your help.

The scammer is using different email addresses and guest accounts for each order. That means that the Block Bidder List doesn't do any good, because it is a different user ID each time.

We are a large company and process thousands of orders a week from multiple websites and marketplaces, hundreds just from eBay alone. To handle that kind of volume, our operations have to be very automated. Orders come into the system, get printed in the warehouse, packed and shipped very quickly.

Ebay could prevent this scammer from placing orders in the first place, by doing what Trust and Safety said they would do which is to flag that address and shut down any accounts that try to use it. They apparently instead have refused to take responsibility for the security of their site and protection of their sellers, so we have had to put measures in place in our internal system to catch any orders to this address and prevent them from being shipped out.

We will also continue to report and block each new guest account as they come through, even though eBay clearly doesn't care to take any action to stop this fraud.

autopiacarcare · ‎04-01-2019

@floundertheclown wrote:
Sorry to hear I have also experienced this in the past. I have changed my settings to 5 or more positive feedback and paypal only. It has slowed this down quite a bit for me.

@floundertheclown- How do you do that? In the Buyer Requirements settings, I only see an option to block buyers with a negative feedback score.

myangelandmyprincess · ‎04-01-2019

@autopiacarcare wrote:
@floundertheclown wrote:
Sorry to hear I have also experienced this in the past. I have changed my settings to 5 or more positive feedback and paypal only. It has slowed this down quite a bit for me.
@floundertheclown- How do you do that? In the Buyer Requirements settings, I only see an option to block buyers with a negative feedback score.

You can’t you can only block multiple purchases from one user that way.

“Birth certificates show that you were born. Death certificates show that you died. Photographs show that you have lived.” -Unknown

autopiacarcare · ‎04-01-2019

@myangelandmyprincess wrote:
@autopiacarcare wrote:
@floundertheclown wrote:
Sorry to hear I have also experienced this in the past. I have changed my settings to 5 or more positive feedback and paypal only. It has slowed this down quite a bit for me.
@floundertheclown- How do you do that? In the Buyer Requirements settings, I only see an option to block buyers with a negative feedback score.
You can’t you can only block multiple purchases from one user that way.

Thanks @myangelandmyprincess , that's what I thought.

gramophone-georg · ‎04-01-2019

@autopiacarcare wrote:
The scammer from the first 3 is back. New guest account, slightly different name, same address. Luckily we have put things in place internally to catch it because obviously eBay did nothing and Trust & Safety telling me they had flagged this user's address was just a lie.

Ask them to pretend that this is a SELLER and to apply THOSE linking protocols. Good freakin' grief. How much smoke can this company blow, anyways? Is anyone in charge or are the scammers just openly running the joint now?

If, as you say, you have a presence all over the www and are processing thousands of orders a week from all over... if I were in your shoes I'd be asking myself if the constant aggravation here is even worth it- I already know that eBay is your most problematic venue because nowhere else do these things happen like this. Sellers are just sitting ducks, and any eBay protestations to the contrary appear to just be shining us all on.

I wish I could give you helpful advice but it seems eBay is simply not interested- or is incapable- of putting a stop to this or any of the other serial scams that sellers seem subject to.

Wow. Just WOW. Seriously SMH here. The arrogant incompetence just grows in the night.

Chaos is NOT an "industry standard".

threshold.sales.group · ‎04-01-2019

OP,

IMO, at this point its time to switch the approach. I'd try to determine who the real person(s) behind the scam and have an attorney send a cease & desist letter. Copy eBay's legal department.

autopiacarcare · ‎04-01-2019

@gramophone-georg wrote:
Ask them to pretend that this is a SELLER and to apply THOSE linking protocols. Good freakin' grief. How much smoke can this company blow, anyways? Is anyone in charge or are the scammers just openly running the joint now?

If, as you say, you have a presence all over the www and are processing thousands of orders a week from all over... if I were in your shoes I'd be asking myself if the constant aggravation here is even worth it- I already know that eBay is your most problematic venue because nowhere else do these things happen like this. Sellers are just sitting ducks, and any eBay protestations to the contrary appear to just be shining us all on.

I wish I could give you helpful advice but it seems eBay is simply not interested- or is incapable- of putting a stop to this or any of the other serial scams that sellers seem subject to.

Wow. Just WOW. Seriously SMH here. The arrogant incompetence just grows in the night.

Thanks @gramophone-georg - Unfortunately I'm in a bit of a catch 22 here. I was hired specifically for my previous ecommerce/eBay experience because this company wanted to bring this marketplace on board. I have other responsibilities here besides just the eBay side of things, but for better or worse, this marketplace is basically my baby. My efforts here over the last year have been paying off and our eBay business is growing. Obviously, it is in my best interest to keep that going and in all honesty I do still see being on eBay as an over all net positive for our company.

You are correct though that we don't struggle this much when dealing with support from any other marketplace and it does make my job much more difficult when I am constantly having to explain/defend why eBay does so poorly in dealing with these situations.

be_4101 · ‎04-01-2019

@floundertheclown wrote:
Sorry to hear I have also experienced this in the past. I have changed my settings to 5 or more positive feedback and paypal only. It has slowed this down quite a bit for me.

You should check again @floundertheclown those buyer requirements were removed in June last year and are no longer available:

http://offer.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?BuyerBlockPreferences

mediafirstnj · ‎04-30-2019

JUst read all seven pages. I am shocked about how unhelpful Trinton and ebay are. In fact, reading the messages from Trinton, I couldn't figure out what he was saying the seller had to submit. Which company's letterhead? Just wondering if the seller was able to get any resolution to the latest fraud attempt. I would hope there would be a written policy page to address this.

Would this 4x buyer be considered an abusive buyer?? per newest seller update