I'm being charged by USPS for voided shipping label dating from December 2023?!?!?

[jdf_artist]

This is something I haven't encountered before in the 23 years that I have been selling on Ebay.

This week USPS charged me for 2 separate shipping labels that had been voided back in December of 2023.  Their reason was because the labels were used after they had already given me a refund...which is not true.  The labels were never used at all...but  for some reason the tracking numbers attached to the labels are showing that they were used for shipping in March of 2024.  I don't understand how that is even possible.  The labels were thrown away in December and never used...but the tracking is updating as if I mailed the packages out last week...which I did not do.

Is anyone else having this same issue?  I'm not even sure how to fight it with USPS and the only things that I can think of is that the tracking numbers are being recycled and someone else has shipped a package using the exact same tracking number...OR...it is a glitch with the USPS tracking system that is somehow providing false updates when nothing has actually been shipped.

[wastingtime101]

Hi kyle@ebay - can you make sure the shipping team is also aware sellers are getting hit with late shipping on their seller dash for these? Would be great if eBay could remove those late shipping hits. Thanks.

[lovey_to_meet_you]

@christworks ; eBay claims they are going to remove the defect but it was a frustrating few days of both phone and email communication.  So far, it hasn't been removed. 😑

[sunnypeach00]

I just got an email stating I am being charged for a label I got refunded for. Now, 2 months later they say my label is being used and went through Los Angeles. I live in Georgia. I called eBay and filed a dispute with USPS. 

[lovey_to_meet_you]

@wastingtime101 ; my voided label also reflects the same; created in February (by me) in California but no movement for two months and suddenly first scan in "METRO NY" on April 19.

There are also multiple tracking scans that follow the Metro NY scan including New Jersey and South Carolina until the alleged "delivery" scan.  That suggests to me it could be some sort of scam from within USPS or possibly an external hacker familiar with USPS tracking and creating a fake transit trail?  My buyer is also an eBay seller and was quite helpful with info...she said she received notification that another package was enroute but nothing ever showed up despite showing as "delivered".

[christworks]

@lovey_to_meet_you  

I reached out to both buyers. One responded quickly that they got their original order on time and did not receive any additional package, though they had been notified of another package en route recently.  Once I hear from the other buyer, I am contacting eBay.

Tomorrow, I am heading to my local USPS office. I'm friend's with one of the higher-ups there. She has been with USPS for over 30 years and worked in sorting facilities, local offices, and investigations, at some point in her career.  She is my go-to for anything USPS. I'm hoping she will be able to look at everything I've printed out and possibly confirm whether these scans are possible on USPS end or glitch on eBay's end.  My thinking is that this is all on USPS.  Either a glitch in their system, attempted fraud, or a hacker.  I'm not sure how any individual would profit from this.  The USPS as a whole profits, but even if some piece of crap working in a sorting facility could hack the system and create this issue, how are they making money? 

[christworks]

I want to add that not only are we being charged for labels that we did not use, we are being charged for more than what we paid for the label.  This means someone is actually mailing packages with the labels and taping over the original addresses. 

[silvergullwing]

The ebay website (not your personal account) was hacked in December and continues to be hacked, by an individual in New York City Metro area. This hacker is able to access the ebay database and download cancelled shipping labels. Labels that have been sitting in the system dormant and unprinted for months. This hacker then prints out the labels, put them on a small parcel and the drops them into the drop off box at the New York City Metro branch.  He does it for fun.  It is random.  He has done it to thousands of people.   Ebay was hacked and needs to refund members that were charged in full. Or there could easily be a class action lawsuit against ebay.

[cjsbargins]

I just received an email yesterday 05/01/2024 that I am being charged for 2 labels that I voided in January and February so it appears that there is still an issue.

[christworks]

@silvergullwing It's not just New York, I ran across another one of mine that entered the mail stream in Los Angeles. 

[508.josh]

update: ebay has refunded me after appealing defect 

[cjsbargins]

Please keep us updated with any  info your connection can give you. Thanks

[jdf_artist]

That's not true at all.  I've contacted the people that the voided tracking numbers went to and asked them if they received a second package.  All of them said no.

[jdf_artist]

To those of you following this thread, I just received a message from Ebay in my Messages inbox:

[thebargainprincess]

Update: I received notice from Ebay that my account was credited for back charge on the voided labels. 

Refund issued for USPS shipping label pricing error

Dear xxxxxx,

Due to a United States Postal Service (USPS) invoicing error, you were recently charged for some shipping labels purchased with eBay Labels that you had previously voided. We have resolved the issue with USPS and have credited your account. Thank you for your patience. As always, thank you for selling on eBay.

The eBay Shipping Team

[devon@ebay · Accepted solution]

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@crazyscientist wrote:

Same thing happened to me with a label printed with Paypal ShipStation - so it's not just an Ebay problem.  I think indeed someone is perpetrating fraud here by searching for USPS tracking, finding unused tracking numbers, then using that barcode with a different address on the package where it will ultimately get delivered at the originally purchaser's expense. 

Here's mine:

https://tools.usps.com/go/TrackConfirmAction?qtc_tLabels1=9400111206217842654535

The weird thing is that it was still delivered to my original customer in GA.  I just messaged him to find out what he got!

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Hey @crazyscientist! The Shipping team reached out and wanted to share an update with yourself and others: 

"Thank you for your report. USPS has notified us about an invoicing error where some customers were charged for shipping labels they had previously voided. We have resolved the issue with USPS and are issuing credits for impacted transactions. You can expect to see the credits in your payments account within the next 48 hours. You will also receive an email notification from eBay if you were impacted by this issue."