Fraudulent Tracking Provided - Please Help

dm_1976

Hi guys, thanks for reading.
I won't go into full details as this could end up in court, but will summarise the issue/scam:


Very expensive item purchase on eBAY BIN., paid via PayPal (not linked to a credit card).
Item then removed, after payment sent.
4 days later seller emails advising posting that day, will be with me the next day.
Next day, stay home all day, nothing. Transaction on ebay/PayPal then updated with tracking number which states item received 3 days ago, I was not home. Signature is unreadable, no name on the proof of delivery (Special Delivery). Nothing received at my address.


Item not received case raised with ebay, many calls to ebay for hours. Nothing heard from seller for days. Then he pops up, submits bogus tracking info on ebay resolution centre, sends case to review right away, ruling immediately given in sellers favour. No consideration of the circumstances whatsoever.


Royal Mail do not currently have evidence of where said item was delivered, or what it was. They're now investigating.


Case raised with ActionFraud (there are other signals which I can now see which lead me to believe this is fraud).
EBay have totally let me down as of now.
Claim now opened with PayPal.
Complaint letter sent to eBay.


Should this go against me, my question is, what else can I do?


Thank you.

theonlywayisup

Can you clear up a few things please:

Item then removed, after payment sent - what does this mean?

Is the tracking on the case the same as the tracking number updated with paypal?

Do both (if not the same) tracking show what depot/delivery office or area the item was delivered from.

Did you have a claim open with Ebay for INR? Do you also have one open with Paypal? If tracking shows as delivered you will lose. You also can't have two claims open for the same case.

dm_1976

Thank you, please see below:


Item then removed, after payment sent - what does this mean?
Ebay removed the item, I called them to ask why, no reason given.

Is the tracking on the case the same as the tracking number updated with paypal?
Yes.

Do both (if not the same) tracking show what depot/delivery office or area the item was delivered from.
Yes, it IS my local office. Investigation there in progress.

Did you have a claim open with Ebay for INR? Do you also have one open with Paypal? If tracking shows as delivered you will lose. You also can't have two claims open for the same case.


INR case was with eBay (they advised me to do this on the phone), and as you say, was automatically closed in sellers favour (clearly knows the process).
Claim opened with PayPal subsequent to that being closed.

theonlywayisup

dm_1976 wrote: »

Thank you, please see below:


Item then removed, after payment sent - what does this mean?
Ebay removed the item, I called them to ask why, no reason given.

Is the tracking on the case the same as the tracking number updated with paypal?
Yes.

Do both (if not the same) tracking show what depot/delivery office or area the item was delivered from.
Yes, it IS my local office. Investigation there in progress.

Did you have a claim open with Ebay for INR? Do you also have one open with Paypal? If tracking shows as delivered you will lose. You also can't have two claims open for the same case.


INR case was with eBay (they advised me to do this on the phone), and as you say, was automatically closed in sellers favour (clearly knows the process).
Claim opened with PayPal subsequent to that being closed.

You bought an item and then ebay removed it? I'm not sure I follow. Did you buy it away from ebay?

A seller with tracking showing delivered will ALWAYS win a claim for INR.

There is no other evidence ebay or paypal need.

It seems you have done most of what you can for the moment. Lodge a complaint with your local delivery office regarding the delivery of the item and wait to see what transpires. Is there a name with the signature on the tracking?

Was the payment funded via your paypal funds or via a debit/credit card (you say there is no card linked but that doesn't mean you didn't pay that way).

You say you suspect fraud, but without more info (and I understand you don't' want to give any more) it looks like an item has been sent, delivered by your local DO but you don't have it. The only odd bit is the item being removed from ebay…….if you buy it, and it was a one off, it does disappear from ebay….the only other way it would be removed post-sale is if it breached policies.

I take it the seller is unwilling to assist?

dm_1976

It's not uncommon for items to be removed by ebay, after a transaction has taken place should it breach their guidelines or they have suspicions about a seller etc. This is what happened.


No name is on the Special Delivery tracking information, only an unreadable signature.


The whole nature of the seller, (new member, lots of identical feedback being posted the same day, suspicious listing being removed (as in ebay have obviously removed it for a reason), no help whatsoever or contact since this happened, the email from him saying he was posting 3 days after tracking says item was sent, and a few other things) lead me to now believe it's fraud. I don't want to post here what I believe he's done, as it'll give an instruction manual on how to defraud someone successfully.


I'm currently waiting for the case to be investigated by my local delivery office. That outcome should assist my case.


I'm just considering my legal options now, as it's a LOT of money involved.


My PayPal account is funded direct from my Bank, PayPal Smart Connect.

bxboards

I'm not getting why you think the tracking number was fraudulent or bogus?

What does it show when you type the details into https://www.royalmail.com/trackdetails

Ebay do remove items, so it completely disappears and the number doesn't show up - while a strong indicator of fraud, Ebay do it for other reasons.

theonlywayisup

bxboards wrote: »

I'm not getting why you think the tracking number was fraudulent or bogus?

What does it show when you type the details into https://www.royalmail.com/trackdetails

Ebay do remove items, so it completely disappears and the number doesn't show up - while a strong indicator of fraud, Ebay do it for other reasons.

No me neither. The SD was delivered by the buyer's local DO.

theonlywayisup

dm_1976 wrote: »

It's not uncommon for items to be removed by ebay, after a transaction has taken place should it breach their guidelines or they have suspicions about a seller etc.

Or the seller hasn't paid his account, has fallen below standard etc etc. It doesn't mean it is fraud. Coupled with the fact the item was sent (or something was) at Special Delivery cost and to further compound the issue, was delivered by your local delivery office.

I understand you don't want to give any specifics, but you need to concentrate on finding the parcel. The best bet is your own RM delivery office. You will need to wait for their findings.

dm_1976

bxboards wrote: »

I'm not getting why you think the tracking number was fraudulent or bogus?

What does it show when you type the details into

Because I haven't received or signed for anything, and I live on my own. I was NOT in when it was signed for.


It shows an unreadable mess of a signature.

theonlywayisup

dm_1976 wrote: »

Because I haven't received or signed for anything, and I live on my own. I was NOT in when it was signed for.


It shows an unreadable mess of a signature.

Have you checked with the seller it was sent to the correct address? What address did you give at Paypal checkout?

The fact something shows as delivered and you don't have it, isn't fraud. There could be any number of explanations.

As asked, what does the full tracking say. Can you post a screenshot?

dm_1976

My PayPal address is fine, I've been using PayPal & eBay for over 10 years without issue.
I can't post any screenshots here, it shows locations which I don't want to divulge here.
Sorry.