Can a USPS Label be created a month before an order is placed?

[jvilla007]

Hello,

I purchased an item from a Buyer which took a couple of days to post a tracking number. Upon having to email him twice asking for a tracking number he provided a USPS tracking number which has a "Label Created" status. The interesting part is that the label creation date is 1+ month before the order was placed? I asked him about the discrepancy, and he is stating the USPS reuses tracking numbers which are not used and that I should get a tracking update once it gets to my destination.

Is this right, or am I being scammed?

Thanks,

[jaja_2942]

B.

Your "Buyer" will provide an additional tracking number later showing Delivered, but you didn't get anything. Frantically, you start an Item Not Received case, which you lose because tracking shows delivered. Then the posters here will advise you appeal to get a courtesy refund from eBay, while your "Buyer" keeps your payment and gets away,

[buyselljack2016]

USPS may recycle the tracking #'s, but it is not going to happen in 1 month.

Not sure what this seller is up to, but something is amiss.

[aldente28]

If USPS reuses tracking numbers, they're going to be ones for which packages were shipped and delivered. They're not going to reuse one that is a month old and has yet to be tendered to USPS.

I don't see any reason why printing a shipping label a month before shipping is necessarily bad. Stamps are good forever, and USPS sells "forever postage".

All this aside, I wouldn't feel particularly good about buying from your seller. Not that anything you mention necessarily indicates a scam, but if it were me, I'd prefer to see a shipping label created, then a USPS arrival scan soon after. Anything less makes me anxious.

Only time will tell what's up.

[tev4all]

Can a USPS Label be created a month before an order is placed?

Yes, but only if the sender knows the address he/she is sending to.

File the INR as soon as delivery date is past.