Good Luck Story with ebay scammer

Cachufleta · #1 04-19-2009

This was an international sale, as you know such ones are even more risky to scams... why? most of the time you ship unregistered b/c of costs...you have to compete with local listings and offer reasonable s/h so you lower all costs..

So NO tracking # most of the times..

anyway the girl buys about 85$ in goods, after 1 month I receive the Non received claim and she immediately scalated to dispute... now I knew she received it b/c never contacted me, not even a word... she just saw the package w/o tracking # and gave it a try at paypal..

OK THE SAME DAY SHE FILES DISPUTE I RUN TO MY PO with an empty envelope addressed to her (sent under a diff. name than previous package.. just in case).

AND SENT IT REGISTERED... so NOW I HAVE A TRACKING NUMBER !!!

I wait an extra week (giving time 4 envelope to cross countries), go to paypal and counter the dispute with my fresh tracking # and the following tale:

"Package sent 01-Mar. We received package back in origin due to: NON-CLAIM on date 02-Apr - Cause: Destinatary not in home. We have re-sent the package on the same day 02-Apr. Tracking #: xxx.

Please allow some extra time for arrival and make sure to check your inbox this time. We appreciate your extra patience on the matter, have a good day"

Soon she got our letter, received it (thus validating our new tracking #) and a few days after paypal ruled to our favor (now tracking # shows in USPS as DELIVERED :D).

By the way, the envelope wasn't totally empty, had a short *printed* note to persuade the buyer in case paypal was slow: "We were informed by post office that your package arrived safely. It is a felony to report as non-received for items that you have with you. Desist of your dispute, or we will be forced to report you to authorities..".

(I bent the note inside the envelope in such way that, if seen through light, you can not suspect under no circumstances that a money bill can actually fit that size. OTHERWISE THE LETTER WILL BE STOLEN IN THE MAIL BY EMPLOYEES THINKING THERE IS CASH <fact>)

Cost to send a registered envelope w/tracking # to defend my 85$: 2.97$ usd

Thought I had to share this, specially for ppl that ships internationally, we are so much exposed to these threats!!

good day,
X=D

NO ID · #2 04-19-2009

Sweet, you scammed a scammer, but don't think you can do this here

oompaloompa · #3 04-19-2009

excellent strategy, say package received back and resent with tracking

slightly different, I had someone say envelope was empty when I had sent with tracking, paypal backed me up on it. So tracking is the magic key!

I always send everything over $40 with tracking, or I specify insurance optional on cheaper stuff.

Werfella · #4 04-19-2009

Wow- nice move. The letter was a nice touch. Thanks for the info.

Cachufleta · #5 04-19-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by NO ID

Sweet, you scammed a scammer, but don't think you can do this here

You mean if thes seller and buyer are US? why couldn't you adapt my tactic?

My buyer was in U.S. !

X=D

Cachufleta · #6 04-19-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by oompaloompa

slightly different, I had someone say envelope was empty when I had sent with tracking, paypal backed me up on it. So tracking is the magic key!

Great oompa, I always wondered what to do if someone claims something like that. So how did you prove paypal your package wasnt actually empty, did they requested any extra info from you or buyer?

bigpoppa911 · #7 04-19-2009

Excellent strategy thumbs up. Scammers get under my skin!

lakeman · #8 04-19-2009

This is some smart thinking! :D

Hopefully the buyer really did get the item or that really sucks for her.

Allurre07 · #9 04-19-2009

LOL. Very clever of you bro.

Good job. I can make good use of this tactic.

**aspkin** · #10 04-19-2009

Excellent stuff, good read!

NO ID · #11 04-19-2009

What happened to me was I didnt have tracking as a new seller a long time ago. My buyer left good feedback about my item so I knew he had it.

He then filed not received in paypal.

I sent him another package [empty] with tracking and paypal sided with me

Jonas · #12 04-20-2009

Cachufleta said the buyer waited a month so I'm pretty sure Cachufleta already shipped the item.

Question to Cachufleta, how did you get a registered mail envelope sent that cheap? Usually registered mail adds $12 onto the price.

oompaloompa · #13 04-20-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cachufleta

Great oompa, I always wondered what to do if someone claims something like that. So how did you prove paypal your package wasnt actually empty, did they requested any extra info from you or buyer?

Well, no they didnt ask me to prove anything, how could i anyway. They said they requested info from buyer and very quickly they wrote me that the SND dispute was in my favour.

It gave me my only glimmer of respect for paypal. I was a completely new seller on that account at the time, and this buyer had lots of 100% feedback, however he may have tried this before and paypal saw he was a bad apple, dont know.

I just think tracking is essential or you are left exposed.

Is registered mail that expensive in US, here any envelope with tracking added costs .75p or $1.50 extra, and gives you £36 compensation if lost.

Cachufleta · #14 04-20-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonas

Cachufleta said the buyer waited a month so I'm pretty sure Cachufleta already shipped the item.

Question to Cachufleta, how did you get a registered mail envelope sent that cheap? Usually registered mail adds $12 onto the price.

Of course the item was shipped immediately. I know that if there was a real issue I should have gotten the package back by then, and I did not. And if it was lost in the mail (which happened 1 or 2 times in 8 years) at least the buyer should have spoken a bit with me. That did not happen. Also I thought of delay, in case the buyer got the package in between, well my printed letter wasnt at my name nor referred to her by name... so in case her claim was legit she couldnt associate it directly with my transaction. In my country the envelope Intl. is very cheap, prices jump when you switch to package.

X=D

Lyda · #15 04-20-2009

Hey Cachufleta, very smart move on your part! Thanks for sharing the info. What country are you from, BTW? Unless you have a special reason for it, maybe putting your flag up wouldn't hurt so we don't have to ask..

waterproof · #16 04-20-2009

Good stuff! Quick to think!

EbayFreak · #17 04-20-2009

Nice idea, got the same problem a couple months ago. 2 different buyers in Italy same city. But i agree with Lakeman, this is only fun if you know for sure the customer got his items.

bend_over_ebay · #18 04-29-2009

when shipping from the US we just use the number on the custom's ticket and it works as delivery confirmation. if you didn't print it at home it's usually on the receipt from the usps. ...for the US folks that didn't already know.

Cachufleta · #19 05-02-2009

An update on this, as expected the buyer leaves NEG after pp sides with us,

"Sent Wrong Item No refund Very rude Even threatened me if I made claim! BEWARE!!"

Is there a realistic chance I can get this removed?

Considering that PP sided with us and that buyer claimed NON-RECEIPT with paypal but in her negative (lying) mentions SNAD problem...

anyone got ebay consider the removal when pp favors you in the claim?

X=D

ebaykilla · #20 05-04-2009

nope...just move on

bend_over_ebay · #21 05-04-2009

You are telling yourself they are "scamming" you but you really don't know if they received the package or not. So really it boils down to who scammed who. A lot of customers go straight to paypal when they haven't received their items. sometimes feedback revision works. Using the "insurance required" option could be helpful to avoid situations like this. If I get a neg for an unknown reason, i usually ask upfront if they would consider changing their feedback if I offer some sort of refund. If they agree then I'll proceed to the revision request because you only have so many. next time play kiss ass and you won't get a neg. but if you do, and they won't budge, i'm sure there are a lot of mailing lists and telemarketers they would enjoy reviewing offers from. You gotta ask yourself if that amount of money worth the negative feedback and potentially jeopardizing your seller status. Sometimes it's the cost of doing business.

Cachufleta · #22 05-08-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by bend_over_ebay

You are telling yourself they are "scamming" you but you really don't know if they received the package or not. So really it boils down to who scammed who. A lot of customers go straight to paypal when they haven't received their items. sometimes feedback revision works. Using the "insurance required" option could be helpful to avoid situations like this. If I get a neg for an unknown reason, i usually ask upfront if they would consider changing their feedback if I offer some sort of refund. If they agree then I'll proceed to the revision request because you only have so many. next time play kiss ass and you won't get a neg. but if you do, and they won't budge, i'm sure there are a lot of mailing lists and telemarketers they would enjoy reviewing offers from. You gotta ask yourself if that amount of money worth the negative feedback and potentially jeopardizing your seller status. Sometimes it's the cost of doing business.

I know they received the package not only b/c she went directly to a claim in ppal, but also she never answered any mail just sit waiting in hope pp gave her a freebie.
She didnt even bother to simulate angry for non-received package, never answered. The other clue is that, after she lost the dispute, in her neg, the reason was "sent wrong item", which was different to her initial claim. Also my registered letter to the person arrived in less than a week.

Pretty silly scammer, may I say.

I do sometimes go with the partial refund tactic to avoid the neg but in this case she didnt give place for it, she went all in !!

I agree with you in part, Before, I would have avoided the neg at all costs (partial refund, etc), but frankly now, I don't give a... Buyers will keep buying anyway, the neg now is devaluated, it's not the same as a neg before... just follow up the neg with a professional response and continue selling.

Besides, having many identities makes receiving a neg less personal, it hurts less. Dont you think? I remember going through a traumatic situation back when I got my first neg on a 100% 8 years +1500 fb account. It felt like a heart stab.

X=D