Fake tracking number scam with usps

[cbro46808]

So I purchased a Ghostbusters Movie Proton pack on 4-13-2023 on the 17th no shipping details and I messaged the seller.  I get a generic message stating it will update as soon as it is shipped.  Then 21st get notification my item has shipped but no tracking information or anything.  It goes passed the estimated arrival date via eBay so I click haven’t received item.  Which starts the 3 days for the seller to respond.  The last day they respond with a tracking number claiming item arrived on the 19th(4-19-2023). To same city and zip.  Item has never arrived and usps does not have a Time Machine to deliver packages two days prior to the item actually shipping.  So get email from eBay this morning 4-30-2023 1am that my case is closed and sided with seller due to shipping tracking being provided and delivered (fake tracking).  I submit appeal.  Then appeal came back siding with seller over same false information.  Here are screen shots of issue.  There seem to be a lot of sellers on eBay with same item with less than 100% positive feedback due to same issue.  A money racket between $15-$20 range.  Figure this will help someone in the future.  Tomorrow Monday 5-1-2023 going to post office to get their information on the tracking number to find actual address.  Also file police report with the Maize Ks police department on consumer fraud.  Also there feedback rating went back to 100% when I left a negative feedback.  

a few links in connection to ongoing issue.

https://abc11.com/tracking-number-scam-ebay-scams-shipped-to-wrong-address/11155897/

https://www.ecommercebytes.com/C/blog/blog.pl?/pl/2021/5/1621470440.html

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/One-after-another-scammer-from-Israel/td-p/32745280

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[campanaelia]

I saw some helpful tips in this thread on this topic

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/EBay-Please-Restore-Buyer-s-Faith-and-Trust/m-p/33543188#M43632...

[kensgiftshop]

Contact the carrier and find out where the package was delivered and if the package was addressed to you.
If they tell you it wasn't addressed to you, have them send you a letter stating that.
File mail fraud and a police report.

Use the letter and reports to appeal the case.

[cbro46808]

That’s clever.

[cbro46808]

 so just received this.  Here is problem.  Great I get my money back.  Still going to post office and still filing a report.  I have cameras and recorded footage from 4-19-2023.  As well as I work from home.  Ie run a business from here.  I will continue to post updates as it develops.

[12345jamesstamps]

It looks like some type of wrong address put on package on purpose. I saw San Francisco in it where I live and wonder why package went to San Francisco and back to Santa Rosa. As long as you get a refund that's great. But going above and beyond that will only waste your time. 

Depending how the negative feedback was worded...the seller or eBay can remove it for certain words or wording...such as "crook"..."scam"..."mafia" and so on in a sentence.

[cbro46808]

Honestly it said quote…… Never Received 

 

[nh7235]

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@cbro46808 wrote:

Honestly it said quote…… Never Received 

so just received this.  Here is problem.  Great I get my money back. 

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When you lose a case, regardless any appeal or courtesy refund 

-- feedback is blocked because you lost, or

-- any feedback already left is automatically removed.

On eBay, the seller has no @cbro46808 idea that you appealed or got a refund, as eBay pays out of pocket/our collective pockets for the "stolen during delivery" contrivance every time.

You got ... A courtesy refund.

Your seller got ... Away.

[cbro46808]

Exactly which is why I’m still perusing it.  And posting everything so people can be aware of what’s going on.

[yuzuha]

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@cbro46808 wrote:

Item has never arrived and usps does not have a Time Machine to deliver packages two days prior to the item actually shipping.

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A seller can mark an item as being shipped at any point during the actual shipping process-- see screencap. Doing so doesn't necessarily correspond with the actual date and time of shipping.

 

[mudshark61369]

@cbro46808,

Because ebay decided to give you a courtesy refund, because "the item was stolen" they also removed the feedback you left. 

Since you have decided to pursue this there is only one way left it can be done through ebay.  That is to get the info in writing from the USPS and report the seller through ebay's Facebook or Twitter social media pages.

When you go to the P.O. bring a copy of the Order Details page or if yo used a phone or tablet bring that to show the clerk the page which has your address.  Ask the clerk to compare the order address to the one on the label.  If the label address was not yours ask the clerk to write a note saying that on USPS stationary. Also ask the clerk to check the package type/size/weight. If it is not appropriate for what you bought ask them to state that in the note as well.  Because of USPS privacy policies, the clerk can only write in general if the address and package info don't match up. have the clerk sign and date the note.

You can contact ebay using one of the links below.

https://www.facebook.com/eBayForBusiness

https://twitter.com/askebay

When you do you will need the seller's username, the ebay and item number.  in your message mention filing the dispute and an appeal give them the case number, then mention that the appeal was originally declined, but was followed up with a courtesy refund. 

  You can add a clear photo or scan of the USPS note as well as the screen shot of the refund notice.   Tell the rep that even though your feedback was removed you wanted to report the seller for using the fake tracking number scam.  Do not expect a reply saying anything about what action ebay has taken.  At most about all they will do is give the seller a defect on their account.  

FYI, the links you posted are old ones the TV news, and ecommerce bytes ones are from 2021 when the scam was just taking off. The one from the community boards  posted 3/22 involves an international shipping partner which may not have been a scam. 

I have to ask why buy the Proton pack without a proton blaster?  You can't blast/trap ghosts without one.

[cbro46808]

Because I bought blaster from another seller.  In stores they sold separately.  Which is usually how they sell online as well.  Here are pictures of the blaster that I bought same day another seller that has been painted and hose attached to look 1984 gb1. 

 

[cbro46808]

 

 so here is additional proof.  Please see time stamps from my camera system.  My mail is delivered between 10a-1p depending if it my regular carrier or a sub.  Also I have regular contact with my carrier due to the business I run and the packages I receive.  In addition we have locking mailboxes and said item would not of been able to be placed in it.  So you see the time usps is delivering mail.  Now look at tracking photo provided at time the seller fake tracking says delivered.  I will keep you posted on information that I get from USPS this morning on address that was used versus mine.  Also just because the articles are from a year or so ago does not make them irrelevant.  The Amazon phone call scam is still going on and that one has been going for a couple years out of India.  I have done business as not only a buyer and a seller with eBay over a decade.  I like the platform.  But if I let this person get away with these deceptive practices what is to stop them from taking over the entire platform.  I wished I would of done more checking into their profile before purchase but I usually look at the review rating.  Which now is very deceptive.  I will post a link to in of their items if you would like to see for yourself.  I wished I would of seen the neutral one which explained everything.  

https://www.ebay.com/itm/314257582260?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=vy1g-rnjsa-&sss...

[cbro46808]

Spoke with post master and they verified Tha tracking number didn’t go to my address but to someone across town.  They are giving my information to that postal customer if they choose to contact me.  As privacy they could not give me their address.  I have since relayed this to eBay.  Also the dimensions for the pack versus the dimensions of the item they shipped on that tracking number don’t match as the tracking number package is significantly smaller and this was found out by eBay agent.  So this informs is being forwarded to their feedback department etc.  So my feedback will stay and their score will be affected.  Also they are investigating the person account for fraudulent activity.  At the end of the day it wasn’t about the $16 and change.  I am for accountability and the excuse well nothing you can do is **bleep**.  I am a military veteran who has fought in 3 tours. I don’t quit and never give up.  The mistake was they scammed the wrong person.  Also ebay should fit the bill for this scammer nor their reputation tarnished either.  My main goal was to stop this person or individuals from doing this to others.  I do hope this has helped you out.  You can call in actually through their Mobil assistant they will call you.  Any additional information I get will be posted to this thread.  Transparency is the only way.  Which is why I didn’t shadow any information like my name, screen name, city, state, or zip.  Thank you for your time and God bless!

Clint

[mudshark61369]

@cbro46808,

The reasons for bringing up the older articles are twofold. 1) People who go to TV news reporters and ecommercebytes, to complain about eBay scams,  often have not even read the Money Back Guarantee or didn't follow procedures in the first place. Yesterday the TV video wouldn't load, but it did this morning. The buyer in the video lost a dispute, but instead of appealing, filed with her card provider, which cancelled out her MBG protections (BIG mistake)  and was also denied because of the tracking.

2) The age matters because it took a while for the scam which became popular during the Covid lock downs, to be figured out and for ebay's social media reps to learn what info was available to buyers and how they have to get it.   It also took a while after that, for some of us to get and post the info on how to win an appeal or to post it in the social media sites.   Had you looked at the time stamps of when the community link was posted and looked for a newer one you may have run across several that have been posted more recently, in which myself and others give the instructions on how to get the info needed to win an appeal or social media claim. The link below for example.

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/Item-Not-Received-Tracking-Says-Delivered-FedEX-Buyer-What-Now/...

FYI. Several of us have tried to get ebay to post a solution to the fake tracking issue.  They have not chosen to do so, and the only reason I can come up with as to why they haven't is;  They are afraid of a law suit if a seller who goofed when shipping packages by putting the wrong label on the wrong package by mistake, were to be sanctioned by ebay for being a scammer.  I also have another reason in mind, but posting it on these boards, might get me in trouble.