eBay - Is fraud on the increase?

[Lego Templar]

Tracking number matches delivery at the address you mention:

If your zip is not 33324, but something else, if you want to play by the EBay rules, you can just file an "item not received" case. But before you do, and since you've already spoken with the seller, have them send you anything that confirms the label and the destination address. They might need to go to their PO for this, just to have them extract the address details, because judging from the printed postage and the tracking number barcode this postage was purchased directly at the PO counter, not via any online service.
Should the seller not be able to provide this, I would inform them that you are going to claim "item not received" via an EBay case and then work it from there.
Now, there is a small change that the seller tried to pull a fast one on you (perhaps they oversold their supply?) - they found an address with the same Zip code in your neighborhood, sent an empty envelope there, then claim they sent you the item and rely on EBay/USPS to make it right. Not sure if and how that would work, but I would be on the look-out for something like that.

I'll do that. Yes 33324 is my zip code. The only thing that matches is city/state/zip.

[mrsl8r]

I did some research on this not that long ago based on a similar situation, and it appears that this is a scam.  If they ship it to an intentionally wrong address in your zip code, they can provide eBay with the tracking number when you file an item not received claim.   At that point eBay will either find in their favor, or worst case for them, refund you without taking away from the seller what you've already paid them.  Either way, they make out with the cash you paid for your item, all for the price of shipping to your zip.

Good on you for tracking down that package and taking a picture.  That will be helpful when you do file your claim, which you should probably do ASAP.  Most likely the legit looking account you bought from was a legit account at one point that was hacked.  

I'll admit I'm not an expert on this, so do with this info what you will, but it sounds very similar to a scenario I just recently heard about.  I hope it works out for you in the end, good luck!

Edited March 14, 2017 by mrsl8r

[Phil B]

45 minutes ago, mrsl8r said:

Good on you for tracking down that package and taking a picture.  That will be helpful when you do file your claim, which you should probably do ASAP.  Most likely the legit looking account you bought from was a legit account at one point that was hacked.  

 

Sounds to me like your detective work has paid off, @Lego Templar .... You have the smoking gun in your hands. Send EBay that picture of the envelope, and make sure you speak with an agent to explain the case. Check if the return address matches the seller's address before you do so. Then push hard for having the seller shut down for fraud. I don't think they counted on that envelope ever being found, and I think they deliberately sent it to a non-residential address, knowing that it would most likely get tossed out and not returned or anything else. Keep us posted on how you fare!

Edited March 14, 2017 by Phil B

[Darth_Raichu]

@Lego Templar I'd call eBay to explain the situation.  If you end up opening INR case, insist on getting full refund instead of replacement.  You were lucky you found the envelope this time.  

[Brickshopper]

I would say 100% the seller intentionally did this as others mentioned to get a delivery scan in your zip code. This is happening more and more as shady sellers learn the rules on ebay and how to "trick" the system...The buyer not receiving the package opens a not received case and loses because the seller has a tracking number to their zip code shown as delivered. If you are sure a seller is trying this scam you would have to open a not as described claim saying you received an empty box and return an empty box to get your money back.
This seller certainly did not mean for you to ever get this envelope which is essentially proof of their attempt at scamming you....

[I am Niko]

7 hours ago, Lego Templar said:

Ok. Not sure if this is fraud or what but it's fishy.

 

Let me start by saying I've had issues with my post office the past 2 weeks. My lego SDCC Jean Grey went MIA at the post office (finally found after 3 days) I have another package that shows delivered (was not I have cameras) and now once again I was expecting a SDCC exclusive and I see delivered. I'm like OMG here we go again...pull tape nothing (I'm off today and was home all day) I go to the post office quick and show them tracking. As usual they have an attitude for 0 reason and says "it went here this is what the person wrote to ship it to" I told them well it's from eBay so it's unlikely they would put a random address.

 

I look at the address on their screen and shows a country club that's about 5 minutes south of me. She calls the guy to go pick it up and bring it back here. With 0 faith in them I took the time to drive there and they didn't have anything with my name on it. They said I just missed the guy. So I started to drive around and actually found him. He got the call to look for it but couldn't find it so we both headed back to the country club to look. We go into the office and talk to the girl and said we only got 2 things today. One an invoice and one with nothing in it. She pulled it out the trash and the USPS guy looks at it and asks for the tracking number and sure enough it was my tracking number.

 

I'll post the picture of the letter at the bottom of this. It's odd. Handwritten letter to the country club with my tracking label on it. Top right of the letter has the date like 2/21/17 (I bought this 3/8/17) I'm confused to say the least. 2 options pop up for me.

 

1. The seller sent it and just found a random address near me (I found this unlikely do to their feedback/time on eBay)

 

2. Someone at the post office swapped the labels (on purpose or not I don't know)

 

I find it weird and why I don't think it's an accident is because in the actually package there was nothing...no letter no object just an empty envelope. Who would randomly ship an empty letter? I contacted the seller and he's confused and going to look into it.

 

Not sure WHAT could have happen much less what to do. Sucks too I got the item for a good price.

 

Do I contact eBay? Open a case?

 

 

 

This seems very intentional and you should file a mail fraud report:

https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/contactUs/filecomplaint.aspx

I'm pretty sure the seller went to the post office so the tracking couldn't easily be tied to the exact address (or possibly at all), as printing a label would have.

Also possible that the seller is a postal employee and had several of these envelopes ready to go, only addressing it after a sale is made. That would explain the old postal stamp date.

Edited March 14, 2017 by I am Niko

[Phil B]

1 hour ago, I am Niko said:

Also possible that the seller is a postal employee and had several of these envelopes ready to go, only addressing it after a sale is made. That would explain the old postal stamp date.

Would one be able to prepurchase those printed labels without envelope, given that it's a flat rate fare? Just curious ....

6 hours ago, Brickshopper said:

I would say 100% the seller intentionally did this as others mentioned to get a delivery scan in your zip code. This is happening more and more as shady sellers learn the rules on ebay and how to "trick" the system...The buyer not receiving the package opens a not received case and loses because the seller has a tracking number to their zip code shown as delivered. If you are sure a seller is trying this scam you would have to open a not as described claim saying you received an empty box and return an empty box to get your money back.
This seller certainly did not mean for you to ever get this envelope which is essentially proof of their attempt at scamming you....

You raise an interesting option. Instead of going the INR route, play their game and claim "Item not as Described". Have them pay for return shipping, then get your money back. I wouldn't even send an empty box back, just that envelope. However, that would not give you the option to have them shut down for fraud - so I would first call EBay to explain the situation and ask for their advice, then either go the INR + Fraud route, or IND route if EBay is being soft about it.

[meiamfan]

Ok. Not sure if this is fraud or what but it's fishy.
 
Let me start by saying I've had issues with my post office the past 2 weeks. My lego SDCC Jean Grey went MIA at the post office (finally found after 3 days) I have another package that shows delivered (was not I have cameras) and now once again I was expecting a SDCC exclusive and I see delivered. I'm like OMG here we go again...pull tape nothing (I'm off today and was home all day) I go to the post office quick and show them tracking. As usual they have an attitude for 0 reason and says "it went here this is what the person wrote to ship it to" I told them well it's from eBay so it's unlikely they would put a random address.
 
I look at the address on their screen and shows a country club that's about 5 minutes south of me. She calls the guy to go pick it up and bring it back here. With 0 faith in them I took the time to drive there and they didn't have anything with my name on it. They said I just missed the guy. So I started to drive around and actually found him. He got the call to look for it but couldn't find it so we both headed back to the country club to look. We go into the office and talk to the girl and said we only got 2 things today. One an invoice and one with nothing in it. She pulled it out the trash and the USPS guy looks at it and asks for the tracking number and sure enough it was my tracking number.
 
I'll post the picture of the letter at the bottom of this. It's odd. Handwritten letter to the country club with my tracking label on it. Top right of the letter has the date like 2/21/17 (I bought this 3/8/17) I'm confused to say the least. 2 options pop up for me.
 
1. The seller sent it and just found a random address near me (I found this unlikely do to their feedback/time on eBay)
 
2. Someone at the post office swapped the labels (on purpose or not I don't know)
 
I find it weird and why I don't think it's an accident is because in the actually package there was nothing...no letter no object just an empty envelope. Who would randomly ship an empty letter? I contacted the seller and he's confused and going to look into it.
 
Not sure WHAT could have happen much less what to do. Sucks too I got the item for a good price.
 
Do I contact eBay? Open a case?
 
 

 

I had this issue two summers ago where a seller sent a small box with a $0.99 activity book instead of an Ewok Village. I called up eBay customer service before anything and they opened up a claim for me. I sent photos of the box (super tiny compared to what it should have been for an Ewok Village) with the shipping label on it and had to sign an affidavit that eBay sent me. Relatively painless process other than that it took me forever to realize that the tiny box that I thought was a mistakenly sent package was actually the one I was looking for

[KShine]

Years ago, I had an "I received an empty envelope from china" issue (not a UCS set) - ebay required me to call the police, who had to come out to my home to file a mail fraud report.

If a buyer sees the tracking is to a different zip (post has been corrected, to fit in with reality) - I think that would be the easier way to go (item not received) 

Edited March 14, 2017 by KShine

[Phil B]

9 hours ago, Lego Templar said:

I'll do that. Yes 33324 is my zip code. The only thing that matches is city/state/zip.

10 minutes ago, KShine said:

Since the tracking you have shows the wrong zip - I think that would be the easier way to go (item not received) 

As Templar said, zipcode matches (that's the whole underlying thought of the scam).

[KShine]

1 minute ago, Phil B said:

As Templar said, zipcode matches (that's the whole underlying thought of the scam).

I am late with my 1st cup of coffee for today - I must have misread that.

[Lego Templar]

Thanks for the input guys! That's why I posted I knew you guys would have better insight on the issue. The guy has sold a good amount of lego in the past 2 weeks and people are leaving positive feedback. (Dates after my item was bought/shipped) he PMed be almost right away saying he was confused on how this could happen and his wife was the one who dropped off the stuff and would talk to her. I'll open a case today if I don't hear back.

Lol yeah my faith (lack of) in the post office is the reason I drove around like a mad man trying to hunt down this golf course/mail man.

Logically speaking I think it is fraud because at first I assumed the post office mixed up the labels but even if that was the case why would someone write up a package and have 0 content in the package? That's what makes me think this was intentionally done.

I'll keep you guys up to date. My luck with the mail in the past 2 weeks has really been awful.....

Thanks again guys!!

[minicoopers11]

5 hours ago, I am Niko said:

This seems very intentional and you should file a mail fraud report:

https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/contactUs/filecomplaint.aspx

I'm pretty sure the seller went to the post office so the tracking couldn't easily be tied to the exact address (or possibly at all), as printing a label would have.

Also possible that the seller is a postal employee and had several of these envelopes ready to go, only addressing it after a sale is made. That would explain the old postal stamp date.

Well, an employee of any company that has a Pitney Bowes machine. Probably not a postal employee, unless he/she works a second job. Note that visiting the post office isn't actually necessary. The machine generates the postage sticker and the tracking number labels can be ordered online or picked up in person (in advance of mailing).

This case is very intriguing, to say the least.

Edited March 14, 2017 by minicoopers11

[I am Niko]

3 hours ago, minicoopers11 said:

Well, an employee of any company that has a Pitney Bowes machine. Probably not a postal employee, unless he/she works a second job. Note that visiting the post office isn't actually necessary. The machine generates the postage sticker and the tracking number labels can be ordered online or picked up in person (in advance of mailing).

This case is very intriguing, to say the least.

Oops, didn't notice it was Pitney Bowes postage on my phone at 5am.  I take back the postal employee possibility.  But it still points to intentional mail fraud.  Out of all the cities in the US to mail an empty padded mailer to a random address, it just happened to be your exact zip code and somehow that tracking # just happened to get mixed up with yours?  Yeah sure, blame the wife.  And while he's gotten positive feedback for LEGO sales before and after your purchase, most of them are under $10 and not the big ticket items he's recently sold (yet).  There was a Funko seller who sold several rarer figures (with positive feedback) before and after he posted over 90 ZEA Batmans, which he obviously never had.  Then he opened up a new account and posted a bunch of another rare figure.  So it's not uncommon for scammers to build up some feedback with real sales, then suddenly go rogue.

[trstnkn]

Interesting case, Lego Templar.  Keep us posted on the resolution.  Sorry you are having to go through that.

Agree on the building up feedback before orchestrating a scam.  I recently purchased an item from a scammer.  Listing looked professional and legit.  Price was low but not a red flag as I track this set frequently.  Seller had enough good feedback as a seller to seem fine.  A day after I purchased I looked at the listing to see if the tracking # was uploaded.  No.  But lo and behold the person is now away until April.  But they marked my item shipped.  Fast forward 3 days and I get a note from eBay saying the listing has been taken down.  And BTW, if I happened to give the seller money, I need to wait around and see if it arrives.  If not, I can file a claim in a few days, etc.  As an experienced eBayer, I know the drill.  But if I was an occasional buyer, I would be livid about how flippant eBay was about taking down the listing and whether or not money had changed hands, etc.

I imagine being in fraud protection at eBay would be an interesting job.  But I'm sure it would wear on me to see what people will do...

[Lego Templar]

Figured I'd update you guys. Just got off the phone with eBay (after 20 minute hold) so pretty straight forward. I explained what happen and they made me go online and request a refund. They said I'll have my money back by the 20th. I told them I have a picture of the envelope and she said they may email me asking for an upload. I asked if I would be updated with what happens and she said no because it's confidential. I asked if this was being handled like fraud and she said yes so that's good. I used the examples you guys posted and she said she's heard of this a lot lately. I don't want eBay to take the hit for someone's fraudulent activities.

So I guess that's that. If anything else happens I'll let you guys know. Going to leave negative feedback now (for what that's worth)

On a side note the guy never PMed me back and it's been 36 hours since his first "idk what's going on" PM.

[Phil B]

16 minutes ago, Lego Templar said:

On a side note the guy never PMed me back and it's been 36 hours since his first "idk what's going on" PM.

I was going to say this earlier but that whole "oh my wife dropped it off I need to check with her" story reeked like a stalling tactic, just to make you not file an immediate claim (or perhaps hope you wait a few days and then contact them again, at which point they feed you another cock & bull story). Let's hope EBay really tackles this properly, with the proof you have in hand this would make for a very interesting case.

[Deeker]

Has anyone had an issues with ebay buyers that bought their first item from you?   I just sold a Haunted House and am very nervous with all the scams going on lately.  This person just created the account today.   

I have recently noticed a lot of high end items I have sold ( Super Star Destroyer, Tower of Orthanc) which have been sold and then zero payments and response from the seller.  It is like their accounts had been hacked and hoping for a person to ship without payment.  

[Pseudoty]

That is basically the only sales on eBay USA as of late on big ticket lego sets.  Buyer is either an Amazon drop shipper or scammer that signs up for an account the same day has zero feedback unless they have made other purchases the same day and those sellers have left immediate feedback.  They will have a strange looking email in eBay auto generated but everything looks good in Paypal (confirmed and eligible) so eBay just says ship it. 

[Lego Templar]

Has anyone had an issues with ebay buyers that bought their first item from you?   I just sold a Haunted House and am very nervous with all the scams going on lately.  This person just created the account today.   
I have recently noticed a lot of high end items I have sold ( Super Star Destroyer, Tower of Orthanc) which have been sold and then zero payments and response from the seller.  It is like their accounts had been hacked and hoping for a person to ship without payment.  

I don't personally do this but what you could do is require someone to have at least X amount of feedback before buying. If it's someone doing what you think I doubt it would stop them but maybe stop a few.

Even being on the buying side of this scam stuff is annoying and dedicate hours into it and ultimately end up with nothing but a headache. Just follow the guidelines through eBay/PayPal and be smart and you shouldn't have any issues. As of late I've seen a lot of issues with my mail which makes me even more nervous when I start selling expensive stuff. I'd recommend signature confirmation/insurance on sets 200+.

Cost a little more but you protect yourself and your money.

[redghostx]

18 minutes ago, Deeker said:

Has anyone had an issues with ebay buyers that bought their first item from you?   I just sold a Haunted House and am very nervous with all the scams going on lately.  This person just created the account today.   

I have recently noticed a lot of high end items I have sold ( Super Star Destroyer, Tower of Orthanc) which have been sold and then zero payments and response from the seller.  It is like their accounts had been hacked and hoping for a person to ship without payment.  

I sold about 5-10 items in the fall and winter (Christmas gifts and thanks Hatchimals!) to new accounts with no problems.  Just follow the seller procedure once the payment is cleared.

[Val-E]

57 minutes ago, Lego Templar said:

 

I don't personally do this but what you could do is require someone to have at least X amount of feedback before buying. If it's someone doing what you think I doubt it would stop them but maybe stop a few.

Even being on the buying side of this scam stuff is annoying and dedicate hours into it and ultimately end up with nothing but a headache. Just follow the guidelines through eBay/PayPal and be smart and you shouldn't have any issues. As of late I've seen a lot of issues with my mail which makes me even more nervous when I start selling expensive stuff. I'd recommend signature confirmation/insurance on sets 200+.

Cost a little more but you protect yourself and your money.

AFAIK the auto block system doesn´t allow you to set a minimum feedback number higher than .-1 so you would have to put it in the listing and say you would cancel the order. Then you are open to negs, paypal comms flat fees and even strikes from ebay if you are against their T´s and C´s.

I have all the buyer filters about non payment, non verified accounts etc turned to max and I demand immediate payment via paypal. I also restrict shipment to a handful of countries and never to PO Boxes. I think that´s about the best you can do unless anyone knows different.

[minicoopers11]

2 hours ago, Deeker said:

Has anyone had an issues with ebay buyers that bought their first item from you?   I just sold a Haunted House and am very nervous with all the scams going on lately.  This person just created the account today.   

I have recently noticed a lot of high end items I have sold ( Super Star Destroyer, Tower of Orthanc) which have been sold and then zero payments and response from the seller.  It is like their accounts had been hacked and hoping for a person to ship without payment.  

Just ship to the address provided by ebay and auto-generated on the shipping label --- and nowhere else.

[Alpinemaps]

I sold a Tumbler a couple times last month. First time, the sell happened on Friday and Monday morning, as I was getting ready to load it in the car, I got the note from PayPal saying - if you have t shipped it, don't. We are investigating.

Of course funds on hold and about a week later took the funds back and told me not the ship.

Second time it sold, it was again very fishy between feedback, address not matching PayPal etc. All the tells were there.

I called PayPal CS and told them what I suspected. They just said if I'm nervous cancel the sale. I sent the buyer a note and cancelled the sale. Never heard back from the buyer.

Finally sold it the third time I listed.

[Lego Templar]

I sold a Tumbler a couple times last month. First time, the sell happened on Friday and Monday morning, as I was getting ready to load it in the car, I got the note from PayPal saying - if you have t shipped it, don't. We are investigating.

Of course funds on hold and about a week later took the funds back and told me not the ship.

Second time it sold, it was again very fishy between feedback, address not matching PayPal etc. All the tells were there.

I called PayPal CS and told them what I suspected. They just said if I'm nervous cancel the sale. I sent the buyer a note and cancelled the sale. Never heard back from the buyer.

Finally sold it the third time I listed.

Between this and knock offs are back is really against the wall lol.....