My sister got scammed on ebay

musicman

My sister got scammed on ebay. She sold some gold coin jewelry and the buyer claimed getting an empty box. Paypal clawed back about $850. The package was insured but the PO is disputing the value BTW thebuyer had perfect feedback of over 200. Scary!

PayPal has a policy to automatically side with buyer whenever an empty envelope claim is made, even when USPS delivers the parcel without a damage/open package notice, and even if there's evidence attached to the claim that clearly reveals that a buyer has received the item.

A quick Google search confirms policy and it seems to be a problem Ebay wants to avoid discussing. I always thought with a signature receipt you were OK.

Matrix1980

That would for sure suck that is why I no longer sell on Ebay just purchase to many trying to take advantage...never happened to me but stopped before it could have!!

Bochiman

Something that happened to me, once, was that I received a package at the PO (I had to go sign for it) and there was a very slim slit in the back of the manila envelope. One wouldn't notice it without moving the envelope a bit or, like me, once I opened it and noticed a coin missing.
Luckily, for me, I opened it WHILE at the post office and immediately showed it to the gal who had handed me the package. There was no problem for the seller to get reimbursed, nor for him to reimburse me.

What sucked was I wanted the coin more than the money back...was a really nice (going by the pics I had seen) large cent.


All that just goes to say, I understand how "scam" is the first thing that comes to mind, but bear in mind that something may have happened and the buyer REALLY did not get the items.

After what happened to me, whenever I ship anything, I use the brown paper tape (the type used for registered mail) on the vulnerable spots of the package. If using a box, I tape all the seams/corners. If using an envelope, I use the tape on the flap as well as the back of the envelope so no one can slit it and not have it noticeable.

AUandAG

Tell your sister that it's a Federal Offense to steal from a postal package and that she
should tell that to the buyer. And that she will have the postal inspectors get involved.

Should they find it, by chance, they should contact her immediatley so that she can have
the investigation stopped.

That usually gets the job done, and I hope it will.

bob

Matrix1980

AUandAG

I agree this is good advice!!!

RichieURich

One suggestion is to always tape whatever you are shipping to the inside of the box. This way someone cannot remove your items by making a small slit in the package.

If you are shipping a box within a box, so much the better. But even better is a box taped inside another box.

savoyspecial

her receipt should list the shipped weight....perhaps this can work in her favor

johnny9434

<< <i>That would for sure suck that is why I no longer sell on Ebay just purchase to many trying to take advantage...never happened to me but stopped before it could have!! >>

you and many others have stopped selling just because of that. the bummer is its widespread ot other places as well thats thats happening to

LindeDad

<< <i>Tell your sister that it's a Federal Offense to steal from a postal package and that she
should tell that to the buyer. And that she will have the postal inspectors get involved.

Should they find it, by chance, they should contact her immediatley so that she can have
the investigation stopped.

That usually gets the job done, and I hope it will.

bob >>



Actually make the report if it was stolen in-route may be the cause it's not a eBay problem it's a shipping problem.
Link to the USPS Imspector General office.

Edit to add...Blaming eBay is not going to get anywhere this stuff has been going on since the days of the Sear-Roebuck catalogs throwing a postal thief or scammer in the slammer every once in awhile keeps the system running pretty smoothly.

robertpr

<< <i>Tell your sister that it's a Federal Offense to steal from a postal package and that she
should tell that to the buyer. And that she will have the postal inspectors get involved.

Should they find it, by chance, they should contact her immediatley so that she can have
the investigation stopped.

That usually gets the job done, and I hope it will.

bob >>

illini420

<< <i>her receipt should list the shipped weight....perhaps this can work in her favor >>



then all the scammer has to do is claim that the seller sent them a box with a rock in it

Swampboy

<< <i>One suggestion is to always tape whatever you are shipping to the inside of the box. This way someone cannot remove your items by making a small slit in the package.

If you are shipping a box within a box, so much the better. But even better is a box taped inside another box. >>



Good advice to remember and now I know why one of my favorite dealers employs this method.

savoyspecial

<< her receipt should list the shipped weight....perhaps this can work in her favor >>



>then all the scammer has to do is claim that the seller sent them a box with a rock in it>



yes, but that is in stark contradiction to the original statement that the box was empty.....in other words, at that point you would KNOW you were dealing with a liar (for what that is worth, which in this case might not be much)

braddick

On expensive purchases I remind the recipient with the invoice, I package the winning eBay auction lot in front of my local Postmaster (and advantage of living in a sleepy little coastal community- everyone knows everyone else...) so as to protect the buyer (and, really- me!).

I've yet to have a claim.

roadrunner

<< <i>Tell your sister that it's a Federal Offense to steal from a postal package and that she
should tell that to the buyer. And that she will have the postal inspectors get involved.

Should they find it, by chance, they should contact her immediatley so that she can have
the investigation stopped.

That usually gets the job done, and I hope it will.

bob >>




No way to know. There are lots of crimes that are federal offenses against the USPS that don't gather much excitement. The postmaster will have you post it on the "internet crimes"
website and there they tend to linger. I was ebay scammed by a buyer several years back who sent nothing to me after I sent them a $2100 check via the US mail. It wasn't even a
question if they sent it or not. They just didn't send it but my check was cashed. Someone had copied another auction and posted it as their own. The only sympathetic ear that I
received was from the police where my PO Box is located. No help from state consumer protection, AG's office, local police, the perp's local police, Ebay, or the USPS. If you want true
protection then do what Braddick recommends or something similar to it. While my local PO is a small, sleepy community as well, they basically have dumped all their claims work on
the internet where faceless investigators look at the case. Some USPS internet crimes investigators are gung ho and some aren't. The one that covered the Union City, Atlanta area
where my issue occurred, couldn't have cared less.

lkeigwin

If it's a valuable coin I always ship box in a box, or envelope in a box. With the parcel inside securely taped to the outer box.

Another good idea, though it costs a little more, is to use large a box. Much harder to hide in one's jacket or pants.

I too like the registered mail tape. I have a dozen rolls of the stuff. It's a little more effort but worth the peace of mind.
Lance.

morgansforever

Sorry your sister has to go through this BS.
Good advise about taping the item to the inside of the box and using a box
within a box. I often will ship a coin in a padded envelope, but this can be easily
concealed and stolen, guess I've gotten lucky. Form now on the padded envelope will
be sealed and taped to the inside of the shipping box. Sure would be nice if everyone shot straight,
then we wouldn't have to take all these precautions.

holdtheline

<< <i>One suggestion is to always tape whatever you are shipping to the inside of the box. This way someone cannot remove your items by making a small slit in the package.

If you are shipping a box within a box, so much the better. But even better is a box taped inside another box. >>


Great Idea, I've received several coins in the mail taped inside the box.

piecesofme

Tell the buyer that she has video of herself packaging the items and the weight from the receipt should help prove that what was purchased was in fact in the box.
That might persuade the buyer to think about it a little more.

eBay having this policy is a complete joke and should be challenged in a court of law.

OPA

On expensive items, like your sisters, after you print out the shipping label, cut of the top & bottom eBay and PayPal reference, especially when there is a Signature Confirmation. Not doing that, is an advertisement to..."steal me."