Dealing With a Legitimate Fraudster

[egarchow89]

I am friendly with 3 other sellers who have been victims (or at least were attempted to be made victims) of fraud by the same buyer. That buyer is now trying to scam me out of $800. One seller's experience:

"I mailed the package. I checked the status a few days later and it said the package was undeliverable. I tried contacting the guy multiple times with no answer. After about 3 weeks, I got back the package in the mail, but it was totally empty. I had to fight with USPS for months to finally get them to cover it with the insurance."

My package went out for delivery on the 24th of April, and then "disappeared." Not sure how the buyer is managing to game the system, but at this point I have zero doubt that I am dealing with a legitimate criminal (and I have no use for the one in a billion possibility that THIS time the buyer is being honest). 

I looked up reporting mail fraud but it seems like that is for things where I am the recipient. Obviously short of a videotape of a buyer brutally beating a seller eBay is going to side with the buyer. I have tried several times over the past few days to contact the buyer's post office but they don't pick up the phone at any point during their business hours. Should I call the buyer's local police department? 

[bonjourami]

Why would you call the police for a lost pkg? All deliveries are running late due to the pandemic,I know mine are.

[egarchow89]

Because this "buyer" has already attempted to defraud 3 people I know. Highly unlikely this is merely a lost package.

[ed8108]

Can you get thru to USPS 1 800 customer service to email the local PO related to the issue ?

[orangehound]

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@egarchow89 wrote:

That buyer is now trying to scam me out of $800.

My package went out for delivery on the 24th of April, and then "disappeared."

 I have tried several times over the past few days to contact the buyer's post office but they don't pick up the phone at any point during their business hours. Should I call the buyer's local police department? 

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Has the buyer file an INR claim?

My first two steps:

1. Go on-line and file a search for the package.  I just did this last week, and I got a phone call from the USPS within 24 hours ... package was located in 2-days and delivered on day 3.  (And this was for a $10 item in a small 4 ounce bubble mailer shipped First Class Package).
2. Go to your local post office and speak with the postmaster.  They have access to tracking data that is more detailed than what is posted on-line, and they can give you more information.

[egarchow89]

The buyer has filed 30 INR claims for the 31 items that were in the order (I already had to refund the first one before eBay stepped in) I've already talked with my postmaster (well, the supervisor on duty), and she said as well that the last time the item was scanned was when it was out for delivery on April 24. I have already a request in progress online. The supervisor gave me an additional phone number for the "buyer's" P.O. and I will call soon after they open (it's in california)

The address given by the "buyer" was in a neighborhood with a homeowners association, and I contacted the manager of the association who says that there is no residence at that address, (which confirmed suspicions I had after thoroughly searching for it on Google.) and there is no person with the buyer's name within the association.

It's not so much about the package anymore, I have been helped a lot by people already, so thanks for the additional advice and I suppose that is in the hands of the USPS claims department. I am dealing with a bona fide criminal. A fraudster. Obviously eBay will not help even though I can demonstrate that the buyer had me ship to a fake address, and I have screenshots from other sellers who have documented his attempts to defraud them. This person has attempted to defraud sellers and the USPS of at least $1500, and that is only what I am aware of. I want to know what to do about that, to both protect myself financially and to stop this person's blatantly fraudulent activity.

[paradiso*bella*a*venire]

How many reports to Ebay was made on this person?

[egarchow89]

At this point it's been 5. One of the other sellers fell victim to the same scam I did; item goes out for delivery and then disappears. Buyer files INR as soon as he can, with minimal other communication, and forces a refund. Two other sellers had the buyer claim his son used his credit card without his knowledge (even though it's all for the same card game), and the other seller is the one whose story I shared in the OP.

Meanwhile, my local PO has given me 4 separate numbers for the buyer's post office. 2 of which are apparently the postmaster's numbers. Zero pickup. It's been literally 15 calls, letting the phone ring until the call times out or whatever.

[edwedw8383]

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@egarchow89 wrote:

Meanwhile, my local PO has given me 4 separate numbers for the buyer's post office. 2 of which are apparently the postmaster's numbers. Zero pickup. It's been literally 15 calls, letting the phone ring until the call times out or whatever.

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Is it caller ID, shows your name (from the package, the insurance claim) and city, state? Try calling from another area code: Get a Google Voice number, etc.

[egarchow89]

I was trying to call the post office, not the buyer. Or are you saying the PO is screening my calls? lol that would be about right for this whole thing.

[njdiscgolfer]

Ebay is a company where their customers basically have to do all the work. They generate over 10 billion a year, yet only have about 14,000 employees. That is a ridiculously low amount of employees for a company this large and profitable. Yet their support system is as minimal as possible and currently the only support is via email. It is a shame they force their customers to do all the leg work and side almost entirely with buyers. But they make money off you selling so siding with the buyer forces the sale at your loss where they can still charge their fees. If they sided with the seller, no fees would be able to be charged. So why have support for sellers when it would mean more employees that ultimately would reduce revenue if they actually did look at the situation and rule in favor of the seller like any reasonable person would in the majority of cases?

[avalon3]

Have you tried contacting the Postal Inspectors?

[egarchow89]

Filed a report on Friday, so it will probably be awhile before hearing back, if ever.

[bonjourami]

"At this point it's been 5. One of the other sellers fell victim to the same scam I did;"

Your post clearly shows how much stock Ebay puts in buyer reports...Ive seen horrendous buyers right here on the boards who were reported multiple times and Ebay did nothing. 

[paradiso*bella*a*venire]

Well, then, There you go! Buyers are free to do whatever they want and Ebay does nothing!  No sense in having a report  buyer link because Ebay does nothing! While they're  at it, dispose of the non paying buyer strikes and bring back alllllllll those imaginary buyers who got kicked off here after having been reported because Ebay does nothing when reported.

Sorry sellers! Its official. Your reports to Ebay does nothing. May as  well abandon any hope of ever using that report function ever again because Ebay hasnt ever done anything with those reports as those 5 reported instances shows. Ebay has been fooling  us all along.....pffffft, non paying buyers strikes...Ha! buyers buying limits...Ha!.....account suspensions...Ha!.....Its all been just an illusion  🙄

Why anyone would discourage reporting is beyond me

and no, that post certainly does not show  how much stock ebay  puts in reports. There is always three sides  to every story...

His...hers....and then there is the truth