iPhone and Royal Mail Scam

[cheapreturns_uk]

Hello, a 2 week ago I sold an iPhone 17 Pro to a buyer with 0 positive reviews. He purchased it from me at a collection point. At first, I thought he was a normal person, not a fraudster, but I was wrong. He received a new, unopened iPhone 17 Pro and collected it from the collection point. The next day, he opened the case and said that the iPhone would not turn on, and he attached a black photo. I wrote to him, "The iPhone was brand new and factory sealed. The photo you sent does not show any issue. Please provide a short video showing it not turning on  (including pressing the power button) and a clear photo of the box label with the IMEI or serial number." He did not reply. After a few days, eBay said that he had to send the iPhone back to me. They provided him a label ,paid for with my money, sent it back but changed the address on the label. The tracking number showed that it had been delivered. It was a tracked 48 return, but there is no photo confirming delivery to me. For five days in a row, I contacted RM, from the manager to the RM branch that delivered the parcel in my town, they cannot find where the parcel was delivered. I contacted eBay, but they only told me that they could report the buyer, and without any evidence that the parcel was not delivered to me, I cannot appeal the decision to return the "non-working iPhone " based on a black photo. Before anyone can say how you know that the information on the label was changed, I have read many threads about this scam, plus during an open case with a refund, the same buyer was selling an iPhone 16 Pro Max with a fake proof of purchase, which I found on several of his listings from different locations (Glasgow, London, Erith). So, a lesson for all sellers if you have such a case, accept the return and provide your own label, preferably to a collection point, because either way, eBay will decide for you without proof that the phone "does not turn on" and will provide a label to the worst service, which is Royal Mail. Thanks.

 

 

[brainuk]

Or... better still....don't be stupid enough to sell an iPhone 17 pro to someone with no feedback.

[pegr-834437]

When you contacted Royal Mail 5 times did they never give you the GPS location that the parcel was scanned at? Every PDA when scanning a parcel as delivered will record the exact location, sometimes its not (for some reason) saved on the Royal Mail website but once you speak to a human in either customer services or the depot they can see the location. That way you can find exactly where it was last scanned, thats how everyone else knows they have changed the label as the GPS scan for delivered is either in a city close by (same delivery depot) or a different house on the street but they never actually send the phone back. 

[cheapreturns_uk]

Everyone started from 0, so you shouldn't reject anyone and think that they are a fraudster or will try to cheat you. I have sold many valuable items to people with 0 feedback. Think about it, if eBay had better security system, verified and checked cases, there would be no such fraud. Since fraudsters know that eBay allows them to do so, they continue to cheat, and you can't do anything about it. They could have 200 positive feedback ratings and still cheat in the same way.

[cheapreturns_uk]

Immediately after checking that the parcel had been delivered and there was no courier, I went to the Royal Mail branch (Saturday, 11 October). They told me to come back on Monday because their courier had not returned yet and they are open until 12, so I went back to them on Monday, gave them the parcel number and asked why there was not even a photo in the tracking system. They did not know why and gave me the number of the branch manager, who was only available the next day from 6am to 11am.So I called the next day, gave them the parcel number and said that I hadn't received it. He said that it was marked as delivered and that he would look into my case and call me back. He didn't call back, so I contacted them the next day and heard the same thing. so I called customer service, gave them the parcel number, and they said the same thing, that it had been delivered and that I should go to the Royal Mail branch. I went there the next day and heard the same thing: "There's nothing they can do because the parcel is marked as delivered and they don't know why there is no delivery confirmation." I should add that my branch is open from 8am to 10am and from 4pm to 6pm Monday to Friday, and from 8am to 12pm on Saturdays. Below is a photo. Every time I used Tracked48, there was a delivery confirmation photo... but not this time.

 

[papso22]

An item of that value needs to go by a signed for service.

[cheapreturns_uk]

Of course, you're right!

eBay, without my consent, provided him with a label that he falsified. If their internal system was based on the seller's interest, they would at least check the case and request confirmation that the phone does not turn on, but they ignored it. Such large companies count their profits and do not care about small companies/individuals who sell. The buyer will always have more rights because they cannot replace the buyer, but they can replace everyone who sells with Chinese items or large corporations from which they will profit. Such large companies/corporations will not care about £1,000, and the buyer will always return to this platform (eBay) to buy something because they know that eBay's system and policy will be on their side. As a seller, I have to provide a lot of evidence that I did not receive the package, but the buyer did not have to provide any evidence that the phone does not work and did not have to provide confirmation that he sent the phone back with the label provided. Of course, someone might say that I could have provided my own label. I could have provided it, but I was hoping that with such a purchase amount, eBay would verify whether the phone actually does not turn on or is damaged etc. , because that is why they require photos.