Sorry for the lengthy post but I just found this article from a year ago: A new scam involving fake tracking codes and delivery mix ups is hitting online shoppers this holiday, according to an alert from the Better Business Bureau. "Con artists are exploiting a PayPal policy and deceiving online shoppers into paying for goods that don’t exist," according to the BBB. Here's how: The consumer shops online, finds a deal on a brand name gift. You decide to buy and the site instructs you to pay through PayPal, which should provide extra security. After the checkout, you get a confirmation email that contains a tracking number from UPS, FedEx, or another shipping service. Again, all seems legitimate so far. But no package arrives. So after a few days, you log onto the site and see that your package has been delivered. OK, you ask, where? It's not been delivered to your house. "You call the shipping company, and they confirm that the package was delivered … but to the wrong address," according to the BBB. Yet this isn't a simple mistake. You'll soon discover that the e-commerce site doesn't even list any contact information or no one will return your calls or emails. Also read: Consumers lose thousands to fake credit repair scheme "Some scam victims report filing a claim with PayPal because their protection promise says you can open a dispute if your order never arrives," the BBB said. "But because the scammer technically shipped the package and the tracking number marked it as delivered, PayPal rejected their claims," according to the BBB. One consumer reported to the BBB Scam Tracker: “PayPal denied my claim because the seller showed the tracking number as being delivered. I even had UPS send PayPal the proof that I didn't receive my package, but all PayPal required is a tracking number loaded and shows delivered.” PayPal said it takes such matters seriously and encourages customers who think they have an unauthorized or unsatisfactory transaction to submit a Customer Service request in their PayPal account or to contact Customer Service directly. "Scam attempts can take on many forms — while we are aware of this particular situation, it’s not an issue we’re seeing more broadly," according to PayPay. "Nonetheless, we encourage customers to always be vigilant online and to thoroughly research the merchants they are buying from." PayPal's customer service team also can help buyers understand its purchase protection policies and the process for submitting disputes or claims. "Purchase Protection covers all eligible purchases where PayPal is used, as well as payments made through our website," the company said. In general, shoppers in a rush may not take time to review every detail on an e-commercial website. But unfortunately, you must take your time and study the site. You'd want to review where something will be shipped from, how long it will take to get there and who you'd call to complain. The reality is things don't always just work out. Consumers be warned: You won't be protected or guaranteed a refund no matter what. Sure, it's the holidays but scammers are never particularly giving.
