Hi,

I just sold a star wars set worth a few hundred dollars (I would prefer not to state which set or the price).  However the buyer has zero feedback and a very unusual username, like random characters.  Would you be concerned about shipping the item to them?  Are there any precautions that you would take?  I'm thinking of the shipping insurance, or maybe requiring a signature?  Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Robert

Nope, you have it covered. Insurance is a must, might as well add confirmation 

you don't have to worry so much about the way there, its when they get it and file a SNAD and then send it back to another address in your zip code.  Had it happen last week on a DS.  New scam going around.  Pretty genius actually as its almost impossible to prove.

Buyer opens a case but then uses his own tracking.  Waits for about 2 weeks and calls ebay and says he used his own tracking and gives it to them.  They see it says delivered and refund the guy over the phone and close the case in there favor.

You call ebay and ask how that is possible seeing the tracking doesn't show anything.  They say he provided his own tracking. 

You then do research on it and see it was shipped from a different state hundreds of miles away.  Then call the post office and they can only tell you if it went to your address.  They tell you it did not.  Now you ask where it was sent to and they say its a privacy issue and cannot give you that information.

You then contact your local post office for help and they give you a little more information saying it indeed was not a 21lb DS but a 1lb package and it was not delivered to you but to another address on another route but still within your postal zip.

Again very hard to get documentation or proof as its not returned in your name or address and privacy issues fall into place again.

Luckily this time after a few phone calls ebay is reversing it but I would expect others to see this scam soon.  

It can't be tracked back to the buyer as it was sent probably by a friend in another state and you can't prove what they sent you as you didn't get it.  Makes for a fun day of phone calls and wasted time.

 

An ebay username with all those random letters and numbers is from a guest account.  I've had many and never had a problem with them, though I can see why you'd be sketched out by it.  Just be sure to fully insure and track and you'll be covered.

you don't have to worry so much about the way there, its when they get it and file a SNAD and then send it back to another address in your zip code.  Had it happen last week on a DS.  New scam going around.  Pretty genius actually as its almost impossible to prove.

Buyer opens a case but then uses his own tracking.  Waits for about 2 weeks and calls ebay and says he used his own tracking and gives it to them.  They see it says delivered and refund the guy over the phone and close the case in there favor.

You call ebay and ask how that is possible seeing the tracking doesn't show anything.  They say he provided his own tracking. 

You then do research on it and see it was shipped from a different state hundreds of miles away.  Then call the post office and they can only tell you if it went to your address.  They tell you it did not.  Now you ask where it was sent to and they say its a privacy issue and cannot give you that information.

You then contact your local post office for help and they give you a little more information saying it indeed was not a 21lb DS but a 1lb package and it was not delivered to you but to another address on another route but still within your postal zip.

Again very hard to get documentation or proof as its not returned in your name or address and privacy issues fall into place again.

Luckily this time after a few phone calls ebay is reversing it but I would expect others to see this scam soon.  

It can't be tracked back to the buyer as it was sent probably by a friend in another state and you can't prove what they sent you as you didn't get it.  Makes for a fun day of phone calls and wasted time.

 

Was it a buyer with low or no feedback rating?

yes 0 feedback brand new account just recently

*crosses fingers*  Thanks guys for the good advice... hope I don't get into one of those DS fiascos.

An eBay buyer is in the middle of trying to pull this scam on me, 0 feedback, brand-new account, weird username.  He or she will lose.  The item I sold was, you guessed it, a Death Star.

Edited August 18, 201510 yr by Jackson

An eBay buyer is in the middle of trying to pull this scam on me, 0 feedback, brand-new account, weird username.  He or she will lose.  The item I sold was, you guessed it, a Death Star.

without giving away user Id's did they happen to be in VA or NY?

without giving away user Id's did they happen to be in VA or NY?

New York.  Seems like a lot of scammers use New York shipping addresses.

 

New York.  Seems like a lot of scammers use New York shipping addresses.

mine was sold to VA, sent back from NY.   

An eBay buyer is in the middle of trying to pull this scam on me, 0 feedback, brand-new account, weird username.  He or she will lose.  The item I sold was, you guessed it, a Death Star.

What steps did you take to make sure they will lose the case?

Also, can't the seller just send them pre-paid return label?

What steps did you take to make sure they will lose the case?

Also, can't the seller just send them pre-paid return label?

you could but they dont have to use. That is the point.  They are picking a random address in the sellers zip and sending a 1lb priority package there

What steps did you take to make sure they will lose the case?

Also, can't the seller just send them pre-paid return label?

The case is still open, but the scammer will lose because I will be relentless.  There are too many indicators that eBay can verify to increase the likelihood to nearly 100 percent of this case being a scam.

This is all very unsettling to hear. I really hope the case works out in your favor. I hate scammers. F-ing scum of the earth!