eBay

hells_kitchen · ‎01-18-2021

Ok, I am an idiot. I received a change of address request from a different account shortly after the buyer paid for the object (a camera).

I did not pay attention, changed the address and shipped it. Only silver lining is that USPS is taking so long to deliver the package that I have been able to initiate a "package intercept request" to return it to me. But I bet they either lost the box or just did not record the actual delivery to the scammer.

So, I get it, it's all my fault, I will refund the real (?) buyer.

But here is the thing: I called ebay and the operator, other than lecturing me that I should have been more careful, it should serve as a lesson, etc... he told me that recently the scammer account that sent me the address change request was suspended.

So, my question is: wouldn't that be a case where the seller is somehow protected by Ebay?

Or, at the very least: why they don't send an automated email saying: "look, we just suspended this account because of fraudulent actions. Our records show that they contacted you recently. Do not send any package to his address and if you did try to intercept it"

What do you think?

silverstatetreasureboxes · ‎01-18-2021

@hells_kitchen.

Hmmmm read your 1st sentence again. Why oh why did you do that? I sure hope you get that camera back.

janet9988 · ‎01-18-2021

Since ebay policy already states that you need to ONLY ship to the address provided with payment I don't think sending emails for all suspended accounts regarding messages really would make any difference.

Lift your left leg at midnight to start off on the right foot. Happy new Year!

fern*wood · ‎01-18-2021

That's really a shame. I hate reading when things like this happen, so I sincerely hope you can get your camera back.

One basic rule that ebay has made clear is to never change an address from the ship to address in order to have protection. This even applies if you got the message from the real buyer. So I don't know if more warnings would help that much if this rule was ignored. It sounds like it would have needed to be a really fast suspension to save you from shipping to the wrong person.

hells_kitchen · ‎01-18-2021

Thanks for the polite (er, most of them, at least) answers.

What's incredible is that I suspected something was not right and I even googled the name of the scammer, if only I googled the new address, here you go...

https://www.bbb.org/us/de/wilmington/profile/mailing-services/inex-group-llc-0251-92002123/customer-...

Ok, I have been naive, whatever, beat me. I still hope that at least the thread helps other people. (maybe about using the possibility to intercept the package, I didn't know that it was possible with USPS first class)

pburn · ‎01-18-2021

@hells_kitchen wrote:

What's incredible is that I suspected something was not right and I even googled the name of the scammer, if only I googled the new address, here you go...
https://www.bbb.org/us/de/wilmington/profile/mailing-services/inex-group-llc-0251-92002123/customer-...

That's the address of a legitimate freight forwarder. They provide shipping services for thousands upon thousands of overseas buyers. Many eBay sellers have reported perfectly satisfactory transactions involving freight forwarders in a number of locations around the country.

Eleven customer reviews on the Better Business Bureau website are hardly representative of the business these freight forwarders conduct. In fact, the BBB is probably a darn sight less reliable than freight forwarders.

Keep in mind that, just like these discussion boards, people rarely post about the problem-free transactions they experience. They only post about the unsuccessful ones--just like you did.

P.S. I sure don't see any responses on this thread that were impolite.

kensgiftshop · ‎01-18-2021

@hells_kitchen wrote:
So, my question is: wouldn't that be a case where the seller is somehow protected by Ebay?

No.

Once you changed the address, you lost what little seller protection there is.

Have a great day.

futuremarine2011 · ‎01-18-2021

more than a few times ive had a buyer email me after a sale and state that they just recently moved and if i would please send the purchase to their new address . i cancel the sale immediately. then i email the buyer and tell them to get with ebay and paypal and correct their address on file as thats the only one i mail to.

lunarlullababies · ‎01-18-2021

Shipping is taking forever so thats a plus, your item will probably be intercepted and returned. So try not to stress too much. I did this once too, thankfully person was honest but realized I shouldn't have done that.

jayjaspersgarage · ‎01-18-2021

"Keep in mind that, just like these discussion boards, people rarely post about the problem-free transactions they experience. They only post about the unsuccessful ones--just like you did."

Just like my not so recent sales job. The boss never really thanked me for increasing sales in my territory by 33% over the previous salesperson, but when one detail of a complicated $350,000 sale was overlooked you would think the sky was falling. That was more important than never firing the two people who were drinking on the job for the past ten years and cost the company thousands of dollars in profit.

If we posted about our successes there would be no time to work.

aldente28 · ‎01-18-2021

I hope you get the package back. That would be wonderful. I think there's a good chance you will. In my experience, the most likely scans you're going to get are delivery. It's the stuff in the middle that tends to get messed up. A few days ago I had a month long delayed package delivered. Last tracking showed a distribution center in the Midwest. Then suddenly it was out for delivery on the West Coast, after nothing for 3 weeks. The tracking was updated "delivered" the instant it was dropped off.

So...

1. You understand the error, which is good. My standard reply: "To prevent fraud, ebay warns sellers not to change addresses post sale. If you like, please feel free to cancel the order and place it again after updating your ebay address."

2. I could do without the lecturing, as I presume could you, but I think sellers are only protected if they ship to the ebay verified address. I'm guessing all bets are off when you change it. I assume that's what the Terms of Service will say because ebay isn't going to leave themselves open by not saying it.

3. I think the only warning you're going to get from ebay is the one about not changing addresses. They don't typically give out any more information about their internal decisions on particular accounts than they have to, which is almost always none, in my experience.

4. The company you link to is likely a legitimate freight forwarder, and the bad reviews are from people who got ripped off by someone overseas who used this legitimate business in the commission of their fraud. In my view it's unlikely that the company itself is the fraud, just an unwitting victim. Maybe they could do more to vet their clients, maybe not, I don't know the business at all.

So I hope they intercept the package. If it were me, I would remain hopeful.

Posting ID

a_c_green · ‎01-18-2021

@hells_kitchen wrote:
Only silver lining is that USPS is taking so long to deliver the package that I have been able to initiate a "package intercept request" to return it to me. But I bet they either lost the box or just did not record the actual delivery to the scammer.

Maybe; maybe not. How long ago was the most recent scan recorded, and where was that? Some high-volume reshippers may have special sorting/handling arrangements at their local PO that could preclude direct scans of packages going there, in which case the Intercept alert could go unnoticed. It might be good to try contacting the PO serving the reshipper's address, state that you have an intercept request filed, and mention the destination address to which it's going.

hells_kitchen · ‎01-20-2021

And you were right.

I made the intercept inquiry online.

After that, the package showed up finally in the radar, and it was in the Wilmington, DE Distribution center.

So, not yet at the post office.

Next day I see it show up at their post office (so despite the intercept it's going in the direction of the scammer...)

I called the PO, to make sure they understood they were not going to deliver it; they reassured me it was going to be sent to the sender.

Today I got the notification it was delivered (yesterday) to the scammer address.

I am still trying to contact the freight forwarded in the small hope it's a legitimate business and could take care of it, but I doubt I can get anything out of it