Seller fraud & UPS tracking fraud

[Louise_Kaya]

I purchased a handbag for £700 on Depop & paid via PayPal goods & services, I did become suspicious of this seller fairly quickly. They attached false UPS tracking details to the PayPal transaction in order for the payment to be released to them as it shows as delivered. I confronted the seller via Depop messages about the tracking details & they came up with an excuse saying they were meant to be for someone else from the same area etc. I opened up a claim which the seller didn’t respond to for a week then apparently they provided a UPS shipping label showing my name & address with this tracking number on (completely fraudulent & illegal). Due to these fake documents my PayPal claim was refused as it showed as delivered to my address which is completely wrong. The tracking details showed as delivered to a reception & to a completely different name to me. I have contacted UPS directly & explained the situation & they’ve given me the address which it was sent too & it’s a business address which explains why the tracking shows as delivered to a reception & to a different name. They’ve emailed me this information which I’ve attached to my appeal. I’m worried as I was told I’d hear back from my appeal within 24-72 hours & it’s now been over that time & I still haven’t heard anything. I thought that once I had proof from the shipping company then I’d automatically receive my refund. I have also reported this seller to action fraud & sent a report to the fraud department at UPS. Has anyone else been in a similar situation to this? So much for buyer protection aye 😞

[Louise_Kaya]

I’m so pleased - I’ve just received an email saying that I’m being issued with a £700 refund. What a relief 😅

[kernowlass]

@Louise_Kaya 

Well done, so glad they saw sense, persistence sometimes pays out.......literally.  😁

[Temp20220413L]

This SAME WRONG has been done to me and PayPal has also closed my dispute in favor of the scammer!  I will NOT let this go and will look into the news reporting these wrongs are being done!  

The facts of my situation are as follows:

4/4/22 I made a purchase of a cedar storage trunk from a website selling furniture and paid using PayPal

4/4/22 After purchase was made and payment was confirmed as sent by PayPal, I never received a CONFIRMATION OF MY PURCHASE, so I emailed the Seller asking for confirmation - None was received

4/5/22 Sent a SECOND email to seller asking for CONFIRMATION and again NONE WAS RECEIVED

4/5/22 Contacted PayPal to begin a dispute and was told they would investigate

4/9/22 Received a message from PayPal saying they contacted seller and was awaiting a response -- later that same day I received this message from PayPal:  "The case was closed in the seller’s favor as the seller provided a valid proof of delivery.

In checking the Post Office Tracking with the Post Offic[Removed. Phone #s not permitted] I was told the tracking information was INVALID!  

WHY IS PAYPAL UPHOLDING FALSE INFORMATION AS VALID AND ALLOWING SCAMMERS TO ROB PEOPLE USING THEM AS THE FUNDING SOURCE?  This is FRAUD and I think enough people have complained and it could perhaps be time for a class action suit!

[kernowlass]

@Temp20220413L 

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

Paypal would not be able to check every individual seller / merchant / company in over 200 countries worldwide that adds paypal to their website to accept payments.

So they give some buyer and some seller protection. However that protection can never be a 100% coverall so you need to read it so you can risk assess your transactions.

They do stop bad companies from using Paypal when enough claims start rolling in.
However as they are in China (mostly) then its easy for them to just start over with a new name, so stopping them does not really do anything.

The best thing is to not buy from them in the first place, to recognise them -

1. No return address on the returns policy. 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 often 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. Rarely company address information.
4. Great pictures of items at bargain prices that turn out to be tat.
5. Fake reviews.
6. Google and you can often see previous company names as they change them once enough claims roll in and Paypal stop them using their services and start over.
7. Send fake tracking numbers to win item non receipt of item claims.

IF YOU LOST A DISPUTE BECAUSE OF FAKE TRACKING THEN.........

Firstly ring Paypal customer services and tell them that the number is fake or that the item was shown as shipped before you purchased it. With that information they may well just issue you a refund.

Secondly if they don't 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. THEY DON'T HAVE TO SAY WHICH ADDRESS IT WAS SENT TO, JUST THAT IT WAS NOT DELIVERED TO YOUR 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, 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?