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

[Dimeron]

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.

[RevolioClockJr]

This is still happening in January 2022. I ordered a product from a website and use PayPal and I didn’t hear anything from them no confirmation email no tracking number despite sending them several requests.

after two weeks of dark, I filed a dispute with PayPal and it was resolved almost immediately in the sellers favor as they provided a tracking number that when I first checked said it was delivered. But when I checked it directly from the website it was some entirely different Australia tracking number that has still been waiting for the initial shipment. So they hide a link and the tracking number that goes to a fake website that says it’s delivered. But if you go to the post office website and then check you’ll see that it is a scam.

    Here is the good news however. I went to PayPal > contact us > webchat. it was after hours so I simply left a chat message saying I filed a dispute but the tracking information was phoney. Because PayPal already decided against my initial dispute I couldn’t do anything at the resolution center. I sent the message and They said somebody would get back to me within 24 hours but when I woke up that morning I had already gotten the PayPal refund. Seems like they’re being pretty responsive to this type of scam now.

[Just_A_Name_123]

Seems like PayPal still wins, from all the people who sourced from a bank account,

without credit card protection.

What paypal COULD do is set up a system with the major carriers to verify the address.

That is, with an API ask the question "is this tracking number to that address" "yes or no"

[Travel4nutin]

Seems to me if they where getting responsive to this scam they would use their AI to weed out scammers in the first place. They just allow anyone on their system as a vendor then simply side with them immediately, forcing customers to jump through hoops to get their money back. This is all stupid and PayPal should do better. I'm willing to bet good money a few years from now the truth will come out about PayPal's negligence or culpability in all of this crap.

[Jstarr2]

I actually solved my issues with PayPal. My credit card information expired and I did not update so I have  permanently voided any transaction using PayPal and I’m sure they will survive without my business. Adios.

[Orangeweezie]

This exact thing happened to me!! I tried to reach out to PayPal, but they side with the scammers just because they provided a bogus tracking number. PayPal sides with scammers and we all pay for it!!! I will never use PayPal for another transaction, EVER!!

[buenoshun]

Someone needs to start a class action lawsuit against both paypal and ebay. Or even the shipping companies, as they refuse to provide delivery address and item weight on the tracking.

The claim would be: they help criminals to victimize their customers. Failed to perform a duty to protect their customers, by easily doable steps.

How they help the criminals: by refusing to verify delivery address and weight on package tracking. Verifying city is not sufficient, customers don't own the whole city.

What ebay, paypal fedex, usps and ups have to do, or pay millions: provide exact address on tracking, and check the address for delivery verification.

So the scam works like this:

1. Someone hacks a seller account and starts selling items and taking money. Or a scammer opens an account and gets fake reviews through more brushing scams.

2. Sell expensive items.

3. Ship small envelopes with freebies to random strangers in same town at a cost of few dollars. This generates a tracking history and a "delivered" note. Known as brushing scam.

https://abc13.com/package-scam-scams-delivery-amazon/9937597/

4. Buyer does not receive the expensive large package, but has no way of proving that the package was sent to a different address and the package was much smaller weight (few oz instead of a 50LB product ordered)

5. ebay and paypal does not refund as they are too lazy to check deliver address and weight.

[Travel4nutin]

@buenoshen, You're absolutely right. A class action lawsuit is most likely the only way to get these companies to do what they used to do, by tracking down the details of orders

[jasonsele]

You can welcome me to the club. Ordered a product from a website. Was sent a confirmation email and tracking number. Tracking showed delivered but I did not receive the item and my post office confirmed nothing was received at that location for the tracking number. When I looked at the details of the tracking number it showed my same zipcode for delivery but was shipped 4 days before I even ordered the product so I knew immediately it was a fake tracking number. I submitted a claim with paypal and it required 20 days and a response form the seller which was ignored. I didn't bother waiting so I contacted paypal on their facebook page and was able to chat with a real person about the case. They had me confirm my identity, email and other information and then sent me an email confirming that the case would be escalated for review. The next day the case was close with a notice that my claim was denied for me and approved for the seller. The denial says the seller provided a confirmation that the shipment was delivered. They obviously didn't even read my information where I showed them it was shipped before I ordered the product.  I am now contacting USPS to get a confirmation that the address it was shipped to was not mine and will try to get the claim reviewed again but I can see it's not likely that having obvious proof makes any difference to paypal. They don't care and just support these **bleep** scammers. My next step is likley going to be small claims court but what a waste of time. I've already concluded whether I get my money back or not that I will never use paypal again. They do not represent the protections they claim they offer. You cannot count on them for anything. It's also completey rediculous that I have to go to a facbook page to escalate the case.  Why wouldn't that be an option on the paypal site for you to choose those options? It's because they want to give you the runaround until you give up. They don't care. They'll get the cut of the sale even if it's a scam.  WARNING! WARNING! WARNING! Do not use paypal.

[RevolioClockJr]

I’m sorry that you got scammed. Were you able to contact PayPal by phone? Even though it’s usually inconvenient I would ask that you do not give up. It’s important to show PayPal and scammers that we’re not gonna take a loss and settle on this.

You can contact your bank or your credit card company  to see if they can help you. But I would try to keep talking to PayPal as well. I think the only way to get a reasonable response as to reach a person. It’s not that they don’t care as much as all their systems are automated and they don’t have the time or manpower to devote to resolving these kind of disputes.

so in a way they don’t care, but if you are able to get to an actual person,  The scam is pretty obvious and the problem is usually quickly resolved once you reach a person.

[kernowlass]

@jasonsele 

Paypal is just a payment processor that gives you 'some' buyer and 'some' seller protection.
So disputes for non receipt of item are mostly automated. Seller provides tracking that shows delivery = seller wins.
So then its your turn to do some work to assist Paypal in recovering your purchase price from your seller.

DO NOT rely on call centre agents, sometimes I think they just say anything to get you off the phone !!

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?