Buyer scam? Undeliverable address

[texaco_tanker_man]

My buyer gave a bad address: Address on file is "3201 E RD ST". No such thing in that town, but there is a "3201 E 3RD ST".

So, honest mistake or some sort of INR scam?

I only noticed after shipping (and WHY does ebay allow printing of a USPS label with a bad address???!?- USPS won't allow that on their site!).

Now I'm off to the PO to do an intercept, because this and some other things are looking like red flags:

> Buyer doesn't respond to messages

> Buyer's name is not the ship-to name on record

> Buyer lives in a neighboring town, not at the ship to address on record (according to Google searches)

1. Is this a known scam?

2. Assuming the package is returned to me, either as a successful intercept or due to "undeliverable", will I be able to cancel the sale and do a clean refund on ebay?

3. If the PO does try to figure it out and does deliver to E 3RD ST, can the buyer claim mis-delivery/INR?

4. I'm a small seller so I have time to chase this...how about you? If I was busier, not sure I'd be able to manage it!

p.s. I chatted with an ebay agent who says I'm in the clear, as I shipped to the address on file. But I'm still leery of an INR claim...

[wastingtime101 · Accepted solution]

Looks like a typo to me and nothing malicious. I might give the buyer a heads up and suggest they contact their local PO, asking them to hold the package for pickup since the address had an error.

Intercept will cost approx $20 if successful and you'll be responsible for refunding the buyer in full, including original shipping.

Let the package travel its natural course and that changes things. If package is returned due to a bad address you won't be out all that shipping and intercept money.

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This is my standard advice for RTS (returned to sender) packages. Take the parts that are relevant to your situation.

You have a few options. You should decide which route you'll be taking and communicate with the buyer, but wait until the item is returned (and delivered) to you before you take any of the following actions.

• You can refund the buyer the item cost minus original shipping and minus a portion of your eBay fees (fee credits are prorated on a partial refund so you won't get back fees on the shipping amount you withhold). Go to your orders page, find the transaction and select "send refund." On the next page enter the amount. After that, relist the item and if you still want to work with this buyer you can tell them to repurchase it with the correct name/address.
• Have the buyer sort out their address issue then pay for re-shipping. Send them an invoice through PayPal or give them your PayPal e-mail. This is post-sale so it's OK to exchange e-mail addresses. It's also OK to ship to a different address because it's technically not tied to the original transaction. You would not purchase the shipping label through eBay or upload tracking to the transaction. You would purchase it from an alternate site like pirateship.com or paypal.com/shipnow and you can send the buyer the new tracking # through e-mail or eBay messages.
• A different way to accomplish buyer payment for re-shipping is to create an eBay listing for the shipping cost (bumping it up to factor in eBay fees) and having the buyer purchase it, entering their correct address at checkout. You could purchase a shipping label through eBay for that transaction.
• You can cancel the transaction "problem with address" which will trigger a full refund to the buyer and your FVF would be credited.
• You can do nothing. The buyer's MBG protection is voided when there's a package delivery attempt. I don't recommend this because even though you'll win an INR (item not received) claim on eBay, there's nothing stopping that buyer from going to their credit card to file a dispute and why deal with all that? I also think handling it before it gets to this stage with a partial refund is the "right" thing to do if you're not going to make reshipping arrangements.
• You might also want to direct the buyer to this page so their address is updated for future purchases: Account Settings: Addresses

[simba6]

Some people have used the wrong address for years.  It's up to the local postmaster if they will deliver to an address that is not in the official book.    When on line postage labels first came out, that happened all the time.  People would say they used that address all the time and never had an issue.  Never knowing it was the " in the  book " that way.

[kensgiftshop]

Buyer could be like me and sometimes their keyboard doesn't work right and miss a number or letter.

I'd let it go and see what happens.

[12345jamesstamps]

I match the eBay address on eBay with the payment address in my "inbox" of emails. I usually go with the addresses in my inbox and not eBay site. International addresses are a little incorrect on eBay site but correct on payments in my inbox of emails. Need to cross reference both addresses...and not just assume printing an eBay shipping label will be correct.

[texaco_tanker_man]

Hmm, consensus seems to be "let it ride".

Well my hand is forced- tried to do an intercept on line with USPS, system didn't work. Went to the local PO, they said "can't help", I have to do it on line! 

We'll see... delivery is supposed to be this Saturday, and I'm getting all the tracking updates.

[texaco_tanker_man]

The receiving post office did the right thing and is returning the item to sender (me). I'm happy they didn't try to interpret the incomplete address on the label, as I still suspect that could have been used in a scammy way.

Now hopefully the return trip is uneventful!

[2tots_treasures_and_more]

I don’t have answers, but I literally just had this happen this past week. Tracking says “no access to delivery location”. I’ve made multiple attempts to contact t buyer, and no response. I’m heading to Po in the morning to see what’s going on. 

[wastingtime101]

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@2tots_treasures_and_more wrote:

I don’t have answers, but I literally just had this happen this past week. Tracking says “no access to delivery location”. I’ve made multiple attempts to contact t buyer, and no response. I’m heading to Po in the morning to see what’s going on. 

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No need to go to PO @2tots_treasures_and_more . Plus POs are closed tomorrow for Presidents Day.

If delivery was attempted on a Saturday it could be a closed business. PO will attempt to redeliver on Tuesday when they reopen. Could also be a mailbox blocked by snow, or dogs in the yard or any number of issues. PO will attempt to redeliver and if they can't then eventually the package will be returned to you. If that happens, see my post upthread on how to handle that.

[texaco_tanker_man]

End of story (I hope):
After listing the package as undeliverable/return to sender on Saturday, the local PO went ahead and delivered it on Tuesday. No idea if they figured it out on their own (RD ST could only be 3RD ST), or if the recipient went to the PO to plead for it. 

Either way way, buyer acknowledged it as delivered. Good thing I didn't issue a refund early!

[wastingtime101]

Good to hear it worked out without much hassle.

[staticfrost]

Any updates?

[a_c_green]

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@staticfrost wrote:

Any updates?

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That poster has not returned here since the day they posted that reply nine months ago, but I think it's safe to say that a "no access to delivery location" will sort itself out pretty quick, as it means that the USPS tried to deliver the mail that day but could not. The recipient would most likely have noticed rather soon that they weren't getting any mail (at all).