Scamming seller used fake tracking number, PayPal automatically sides with scammer, twice.

Dimeron
Contributor
Contributor

Here is what happened. eBay seller sends out a fake package with speedpak tracking number. The item is send to my city in Canada, but not to my address on file. I have confirmed this with Canada Post. I open up a claim, and after few days, I was informed PayPal ruled in favor of the seller. Apparently, according to PayPal agent, as long as there is a tracking number that shows something has been delivered to the same Canadian city, PayPal will automatically side with the seller. Actual address is NOT checked, item is considered delivered as long as it is the same city. So I appeal, and provide my communications with Canada post, along with explicit request to get proof from seller that the item is shipped to my PayPal address on file. 12 hours later, I got the exact same message again, PayPal ruled in sellers favor because tracking shows the item has been delivered to my city. There are no new seller response in the case, and apparently none of my messages or evidence is even looked at. Now I need to spend even more time to call up paypal tommorow, and possibly just have the same thing happen again. (I.e have my evidence ignored and case automatically dismissed). How do I deal with this? Can I get someone at PayPal to actually look at my evidence and get proof of correct delivery from the seller, or should I just go do a credit card charge back. Thanks.

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158 REPLIES 158

Julieross64
Contributor
Contributor
Think this is going to happen to me and if paypal have the fake tracking which i think it is because its from another company whose supposedly been the company i am going to the bank. Heard nothing back from paypal decision is today!! The Hermes tracking advice looks genuine but i havent received the parcel normally send an email to say ita been delivered ive received nothing for 23rd June. Only when i escalated the claim did the tracking advice appear which is odd in itself i filed claim on 8th July and was suppposedly delivered on 23rd June. Emails back and forth asking me to be patient etc!!! I have definately been scammed!!
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Ckhriz
Member
Member
My situation was identical... It is so upsetting that they help these criminals steal our money and get away with it.
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ToneGrail
Contributor
Contributor
My situation is also identical. However I used my credit card as a funding source for my PayPal transaction. I have already filed a dispute through my credit card company after complete exercise in futility of trying to resolve it through PayPal.
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F0l2saken
Contributor
Contributor

They should arrest everyone in upper management at Paypal.  Thousands just got ripped off over black Friday by people who setup sites to do this very same t hing.

 

Paypal has known of this scam for years and done nothing, and by ruling with the scammer, they are helping commit international fraud.   They should all be incarcerated and held with no possible bond until trial. 

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pohaku
Contributor
Contributor

This happened to me as well and it seems to be a common tracking number loophole in PayPal that scammers are taking advantage of.  I'm happy to say the PayPal representative I Just talked with today reversed charges for me and are now fully away of this fraudulent scheme.

 

Hopefully going forward, PayPal will implement blocks to stop sellers from using the shipping (near you) scam. Apparently this is (was) a widespread problem.

 

This may help if this happens to you:

  • File a PayPal dispute right away if the purchase seems suspicious (i.e. no email response from seller, undeliverable, website shut-down, etc.) This will put the payment on hold right away and the scammer will not get paid until resolution - in which will be in your favor
  • When the scammer issues a tracking number, call/contact the mail service (i.e. UPS, USPS, etc.) to confirm that the tracking number is being delivered to your address. As stated in this thread, scammers will send a fake package to somewhere in your city/town, but not to your address. Shipping company policy will not tell you the exact address, but will definitely tell you if it is shipping to "your" address or not. Use Chat/message systems to send transcript of this to Paypal
  • Let PayPal know that tracking number is not going to your address as they are now aware of this scam

 

 

 

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Anonymous_User
Not applicable

This exact same thing happened to me. I filed and refiled the claim several times with Paypal and it was denied each time.  They had told me that if I got proof of where the package was actually delivered, then they would expedite my refund immediately.  So I got the proof, an actual image of the shipping label, complete with the exact tracking number and the address it was delivered too.  Still Paypal denied the claim.

I have researched this extensively and concluded that Paypal has known about the scam for a long time, but they continue to let their customers get ripped off.  Why?  Are they involved in this is some way?  Paypal is suppose to give consumers piece of mind with online purchasing and denying these claims go against their policy.  Having this loop hole for the seller to only have to prove that the item was delivered is absurd and this could have easily been stopped by Paypal if they wanted to do it.  

So the question has to be asked.  Could Paypal be involved with these types of company's to run a scam that protects both Paypal and the so called seller from prosecution.  I think this is plausible and deserves legal investigation.

 

 

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kernowlass
Esteemed Advisor
Esteemed Advisor

To submit an appeal on the dispute that was closed, PayPal asks that you obtain a detailed report from the shipper (on their letterhead or some other form of official stationary) that includes the address the seller gave them for the shipment or that includes a statement mentioning your address and saying the item was delivered to a different address.

 

When you have that, contact PayPal via phone (log on to your account and click Contact at the bottom of the page), 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.


Advice is voluntary.
Kudos / Solution appreciated.
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ToneGrail
Contributor
Contributor

I asked UPS for exactly that. Their reply was that they will not release the destination address for privacy reasons being that the tracking number is for someone else since it was a previously used legitimate tracking number that was fraudulently used by the shipper.

 

So the only recourse I had was to file a dispute with my credit card company, which I used as a funding source. I ultimately came out on top but if I didn't use my CC as a funding source I would have been **bleep**.

 

PayPal was zero help.

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I recently had a seller just send me a box of broken glass- and not even close to what I ordered, what I ordered wasn't glass and had no glass parts. I filed a not described claim and showed pictures of what I received and what I ordered. Paypal denied the claim because they said the item was delivered (from the tracking number the seller gave). I wrote to them saying did they even look at the pictures of what was in the box I received, I didn't say I didn't receive anything but it's not what I ordered.  they honestly can't think someone would buy garbage and they said the same thing it was delivered. So I guess now people can even send anything to your address (not just your city) and paypal will still side with them. I used a bank card so I don't think there is anything I can do. Though, even with a CC when you dispute with a credit card they dispute with paypal and paypal can say it was delivered and even win with a CC dispute.

 

I think for now on unless paypal is the only option with a trusted person I'll just buy directly with a credit card

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ToneGrail
Contributor
Contributor

Your credit card company will always credit you as long as you provide documentation proving that you've been scammed.

 

At that point the dispute is between your credit card company and PayPal. 

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