TEMU drop shipping scam

[dolls_house_days]

Hi All

I would like some advice I am a small UK business  and recently sold an item, the buyer was a new account with zero feedback which raised alarm bells, they were also located in Canada. The invoice had a UK delivery post to  address. 

With a bit of investigation I found my Item that i design and make myself on Temu with 1 sold. They have even used my photos and my description which states that it is made by my small company.

I sent the item and it was delivered.

I have now had a refund and return request (1st one ever),  something is being sent back to me but i know i am not going to get my item back. I have read they usually send back a pen or some other random object.

I believe this is a triangulation and refund fraud scheme operating via the Temu platform

In regards to Temu i have reported the IP infringment, and i have tracked down the company selling it to a UK address and have emailed them a CEASE AND DESIST NOTICE.

is there anything Ebay will do? i know this is a scam before it is complete.

[dolls_house_days]

I have been monitoring the Temu listing and they have just sold another one of my items. so i am expecting another sale on Ebay from a zero feedback account.

I assume i can cancel the order  once it comes through? or do I just delist these products so the Temu seller cannot buy  and then return nothing for a refund? 

has anybody else had this issue? and can offer some advice?

[**peaseblossom**]

If you can end the listings temporarily that would be one option but you can certainly cancel a suspicious order.   Use the reason "Problem with buyer's address".   That's the nearest we have and won't harm your account.   

[papso22]

Ebay are not going to do anything about the drop shipping buyer. 

[dolls_house_days]

The 2nd order has come through today for the item sold on Temu. it has the same post to address as the 1st order, but is a new buyer account with zero feedback.

i will cancel the order as suggest above (thank you) 

i dont really want to have to take down 2 of my high priced items.

Surely there is somebody i can report this to?

[john1297576]

“have now had a refund and return request (1st one ever),  something is being sent back”

You do not say whether it was a proper Ebay return, or just advice from buyer.

Only a proper return through ebay is enforceable by ebay. Any other return it would be up to you how you deal with it.

It is unfortunate that you can do nothing about buyers with 0 feedback, but we all started with 0, and many scams are made by members with false feedback scores (brushing scams) ,or hacked accounts, so basically feedback can mean very little whether 0 or 10000.

[dolls_house_days]

Hi yes it was a proper Ebay return.

I have reported it to action fraud this morning as i now have 2 invoices both with a different overseas buyer address but the same uk delivery address.

I have cancelled the order and blocked the buyer, but as they need this item to fulfill their Temu order I suspect they will try and order it again from a different account.

is there anybody at ebay i can flag this up to? 

[dolls_house_days]

Just a bit of further information.

This isnt a randon buyer.

I have looked up the Temu seller  and they have a registered UK business with an address in the UK on companies house, which has been reported to Action fraud. 

They are using my photos and my description which states on their listing that it is designed and made by me.

[dolls_house_days]

UPDATE: a third order didnt come through!

The reason being TEMU found both of my  ip infringment reports in my favour and banned the seller .

So i guess they had more to worry about.

The next task is to deal with Ebay and this fraud return, I dont think ill have much luck but ill update you as I'm sure other people will face this issue in the future.

[dolls_house_days]

Final update: The return was an enverlope containing a toe seperator, instead of my small parcel.

Ebay: i requested a call back, explained the situation and ebay put the refund on hold. They emailed me a link to upload my evidence. 

They found in my favour and the funds will be returned to me within 24-48 hours.

This was never about the funds but the moral aspect of scamming innocent sellers.

Document and photograph everything.

I hope this helps somebody in the future. 

[*vyolla*]

It's an amazing scenario, in over a couple of decades I've not come across such a weird case. I'm both glad and surprised that Temu acted to quickly, and good that you were able to use that to get eBay to take note too.