How do Chinese scammers get the USPS to mark items as delivered?

[mccanlessdesign]

It's happened twice now, and PayPal has denied my claim each time.  In both cases, I order an item (a Chinese vendor), and after the confirmation, no communication or tracking.  Typically I'll email the vendor a couple times; no response. 

After some weeks pass, I contact PayPal and open a dispute.  They contact the vendor, who quickly responds to them and provides a USPS (US Postal Service) tracking number.  When tracked on the USPS site, the tracking number shows that the item has been delivered to my roadside PO box a few days earlier.  My PO box is on a quiet street in a small town for thirty years - nothing has ever been stolen.

Then, because the vendor has supplied this USPS tracking number to PayPal, PayPal closes my dispute in the vendor's favor.

But, of course, I've never received the item in either case,.

Anyone have similar issue?  How does a vendor create the tracking number scam with the USPS?

I'm going to close my PayPal account.

[kernowlass]

@mccanlessdesign 

Maybe stop buying from these?

Chinese Web Sites or on Social Media ads easy to spot (once you know the below signs) so buyer beware.

1. No return address on the returns policy............thats because the site will look as if its in your country (where they despatch goods from) BUT they will ask for returns to go back to China (returns depot) at a shipping cost nearly always more than the item is worth.
2. No contact telephone number............if you click on contact the most you will get is webmail or an email address.
3. No company address information.
4. Great looking items at bargain prices that turn out to be tat.

As for your non receipt then...........

APPEAL

To submit an appeal on the dispute that was closed, PayPal asks that you obtain a detailed report from the shipper/courier (on their letterhead or some other form of official stationary) that includes the address the seller gave them for the shipment. Or one that includes a statement mentioning your address and saying the item was delivered to a different address.
Check tracking in below link to see where it went.
https://www.17track.net/en

When you have that, contact PayPal via phone (log on to your account and click Contact at the bottom of the page, however that may not be an option at the moment due to covid), or via Facebook (send a Private Message to PayPal) or via Twitter (send a Direct Message to @AskPayPal) and say you want to appeal the denial of the dispute based on the shipper saying the item was delivered to a different address. Once it's submitted (you will be provided with directions on how to do that), the dispute will be reviewed further and a determination will be made.

You also have the option to contact your card issuer if you funded your paypal payment that way and see if they will do a chargeback for you.

[mccanlessdesign]

Hah!  I did find out from my local Post Office that the USPS confirmation number that the vendor provided to PayPal (not to me) was valid - in that it was a delivery in my zip code - but not to me; was a few miles away. 

I went to the folks' house at the address related to the confirmation number, and they had correctly received something on that date that they had ordered from another, unrelated vendor, addressed to their correct names and address - it had no relation to me at all.

What I think happens is that scammers can somehow get info on USPS tracking numbers related to zip codes and dates - and just arbitrarily choose one, and submit it to PayPal as their "evidence of delivery".  If you don't go to the post office and get a printout of the delivery receipt "photo" taken by the mail carrier, and demonstrate to PayPal that it''s not your house, you're out of luck - PayPal takes the supplied confirmation number in your zip code in the right time frame as conclusive "proof" that delivery was made TO YOU and closes your appeal.

Cute!

[162Ryan · Accepted solution]

I don’t know how they’re doing it but I’ve won my dispute both times. My items ordered were over 30lbs each and they used a tracking number for an envelope. Easy win, in fact I saw the last one coming and checked the postage type and won before the ghost item was delivered. PayPal needs to tighten up their security.

[Kerry65]

I am dealing with the same issues!! Never received my purchase of a new pair of snowmobile boots and postal delivery shows that it was delivered to my address and after putting 2 and 2 together the delivery that they said I received matched up with an envelope that came to my girlfriend that shows it only weighed .30 of a pound!! Those would be some mighty light weight boots that’s for sure!!