USPS Intercepted

[colonial*md]

I just lost a charge-back due to an unauthorized purchase on eBay.

PayPal email:

“We are writing to let you know one of your buyers opened a case for this transaction. The buyer stated that they did not authorize this purchase.”

Checking the tracking info the item was intercepted, which has never happened to me before, using USPS anyway.

USPS tracking note below:
“This item has been intercepted on September 30, 2019 at 11:37 am in TOOELE, UT 84074 and redirected as requested by the sender.”

It says it was intercepted and redirected by sender.  It was shipped through eBay, and it not being on my USPS account you would think only eBay could intercept/redirect it.   I am confused about this whole thing and how it could happen.

Maybe someone here can shed some light on it.

Thanks……………

[myboardid]

eBay only prints the labels, you are the sender.  Obviously you didn't re-direct the package, so the buyer must have claimed he was you and had it re-directed.  A scam, surely, you never had a chance. 

[thehonorabletrader]

I would call USPS. I would ask to see if they know exactly where it was asked to be intercepted (meaning what physical machine in their system...was it a machine in buyers area, was it a machine in sellers area, was it online? was it through an app? )

Then I would provide eBay with the information if there is a way they can call USPS to verify this information. This is how it works with their eBay Money Back Guarantee. I am not sure this would help in that case, but this is what I would try. I am not sure how it will work on a Payment Dispute.

[reda3615]

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@thehonorabletrader wrote:

I would call USPS. I would ask where it was intercepted

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I would read the PayPal user agreement again.

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@thehonorabletrader wrote:

Then I would provide eBay with the information

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I would read the OP again.

[thehonorabletrader]

@reda3615  Thanks lol. I guess speed reading I skipped about 5 words that changes the context completely.

I would still find out where it was intercepted at. I would report IC3 if you didn't change the intercept and it wasn't authorized. I guess that's all you can do.

[myescape]

No tracking updates since then?

You need to contact usps if you did not authorize an intercept

[nc-daydreamer]

For USPS to intercept a package, there is a fee - almost 15$ if I recall correctly. Someone had to pay this fee - maybe the culprit can be traced that way? If worth it, if the Postmaster in your local office won't help, maybe the one at the federal level will.  If you have a lawyer you can speak with (if the effort is worth a "free consultation" - perhaps they can advise you.  It's scary to me that someone without ID proof can just go against federal regulations and reroute the mail.  Maybe a letter to your state attorney general's office might be appropriate?

• Report offender to their state Attorney General’s office: http://www.naag.org/
• Internet Crime Complaint Center (FBI):
  http://www.ic3.gov/
• Government Resource Center https://www.usa.gov/

Good luck. 

[nc-daydreamer]

Out of editing time! Sorry, I despise when that happens!

Just wanted to make note that when my order's exceed 20$, I will email the buyer to say thanks and to confirm shipping address as well as authorization of the sale.  So far, customer's seem to appreciate the extra security and I've not had one unauth transaction nor nondelivery since starting this practice.  

Just an idea... 

[7606dennis]

If you, as the sender, did not authorize the redirection, you need to file a report of mail fraud with the USPS Postal Inspectors.  You should probably file with other agencies as well.

Under PayPal's seller protection you should be able to be able to keep the money from the sale provided that you can prove that you shipped the item to address on the transaction.  Delivery confirmation is not required.  However, I'm not sure how the redirection will affect the case. 

[dtexley3]

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@colonial*md wrote:

I just lost a charge-back due to an unauthorized purchase on eBay.

PayPal email:

“We are writing to let you know one of your buyers opened a case for this transaction. The buyer stated that they did not authorize this purchase.”

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@colonial*md 

Did you put the tracking information into the UA charge-back case on Paypal?   All Paypal requires the seller to do on a UA is supply proof of SHIPPING, delivery doesn't matter.  As long you you have proof the item was shipped you are covered under Paypal's Seller protection.  CALL Paypal and open an APPEAL.

None of the rest matters because this was a UA case, not an Item Not Received or Not as Described.  However I would open a mail fraud complaint due to the inappropriate redirect.  Doesn't matter for you, but if the buyer does this to others they will get on UPSP's radar.

[colonial*md]

I added the tracking number, but really didn't have to since it was shipped through eBay/PayPal and they already had it.  I called PayPal yesterday and the women I spoke with, who was very nice, said PayPal is still fighting it with eBay.  And, even though the email I received from PayPal, several days ago, said they sided with the buyer and $126 was deducted from my account, there has been no such deduction from my account.  It wouldn't be the first time I received an email from PayPal that was sent by mistake.  Maybe that is why the women I spoke with said it is ongoing. There has been no decision.  She told me to call back in a few days.  And you are right dtexley3, intercepted or not, it is not my fault the account was hacked.

[colonial*md]

I called several times............. it just rings and rings and rings

[colonial*md]

PS:  I did call the local post office involved and the phone just rings and rings and rings.  

[nh7235]

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@colonial*md wrote:

I called PayPal yesterday and the women I spoke with, who was very nice, said PayPal is still fighting it with eBay.

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Once a case is opened at PayPal, any ongoing case at eBay is closed, as the matter has moved up to the payment processor. The pecking order is eBay, then PayPal, then a credit card chargeback. So PayPal "fighting it with eBay" is not likely.

Also, the PayPal policy states:

If you originally ship the item to the recipient's shipping address on the transaction details page but the item is later redirected to a different address, you will not be eligible for PayPal Seller Protection.

So to grant you PayPal Seller Protection for an unauthorized transaction claim, PayPal will

1. FIRST look at tracking (if it's still online) for Proof of Delivery,

2. BEFORE falling back to look at your Proof of Shipment.

And you would lose, as the former clearly shows a REDIRECTION, regardless how it happened.

[no_zero369]

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@colonial*md wrote:

PS:  I did call the local post office involved and the phone just rings and rings and rings.  

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Novel idea.... go to the Post Office & talk to a supervisor or the Post Master.

I have found that showing my smiling face (or grumpy as it may be) gets decent results.  I smile nicely, ask follow up questions when I get a stupid answers and politely insist they get to a solution.  Sometimes demonstrating you aren't going away gets them to do their job.  All fwiw.