zipcode scam

[KC_nyc]

After this happened to me, I googled and realized that it is a fairly common scam. Just wanna get the word out there so y'all are aware that scammers can easily get you with this scam.

I bought 2 things from the same Ebay seller. He had 120+ positive reviews and only 1 neg.
According to tracking, the item was delivered June 3 but I got nothing. I went to Ebay to contact him, only to realize that he was no longer a registered Ebay user. At this point I started to feel like this could be a scam.

I opened the case via Paypal - which in hindsight is dumb because I found out that I should have gone through Ebay first - and was denied because apparently Paypal only cares about matching the zip code.

So then I contacted the USPS and the guy on the phone told me that the seller had mailed a one-ounce envelope, which for sure verifies that it was a scam. What I bought should have been at least 1 pound because he says he shipped the 2 items together. The rep also said it was not mailed to my address. However, for privacy issues he wouldn't tell me what address it was mailed to. All he did was open a case for me.

Someone from the USPS called on Saturday morning and said he will email info to me, but nothing happened. I went in person to the local station today and was told the case was "under investigation."

Paypal only provides a 10-day window to appeal the case...  so there's a good chance I won't get the info I need before the deadline.

So frustrating.

Buyer beware.

From now on I will be very paranoid when buying online.

[sharpiemarker]

@KC_nyc 

Yeah, buying from eBay the order in which you dispute is always eBay first, then PayPal, then credit card chargeback or bank reversal.

Wait the 10 day out and hope that the info from USPS comes in within that time. If not, still wait for the info from USPS. When you have the evidence, all your ducks in a row, go back to PayPal and speak dispute rep to supply evidence. If that fails, contact your card issuer to dispute if you paid with card and supply all your evidence. Your credit card should help you get your money back.

[KC_nyc]

Unfortunately, the purchase was funded with my checking account. I rarely buy online and I sometimes use paypal to pay friends back and vice versa and I think using cc incurs a fee.
(After this, I have switched to using my cc)

Lesson learned. Too many crooks out there.

It's frustrating because the USPS already has all the info they need because the rep on the phone told me they already know where the package was delivered and the weight. They just won't tell me. The "under investigation" excuse is merely an excuse.

[KC_nyc]

A follow up on this.

I obtained from the USPS a scan of the envelope which proves that the package was addressed to the wrong address. I appealed the case and uploaded the doc, but was denied again!

I called and the rep says my evidence cannot be considered because the case was already closed. WHAT THE HELL??? Then what is the purpose of the appeal.

Does Paypal endorse scamming because this is what it looks like. I have irrefutable proof that shows the actual address but they still would only look at the tracking, which only shows the zip code.

[AkCA]

Lol, exactly the same happened to me. Paypal is useless. They promote scammers