Sellers beware of a return scam - changing delivery address on returns label

[fos1133]

We have had two buyers try to scam us recently using eBay returns. It appears that they open a return as normal on eBay and obtain their Royal Mail Tracked Returns label. However, the item is returned to a different address delivered by the same Royal Mail delivery office, so it appears that it has been delivered and eBay will accept it as delivered. Both times that this happened I know that the address was somehow changed on the returns label as I know where it was delivered to and it was not us, although I do not know what was actually returned as I didn't see the parcel (it could be an empty box - the first time it happened I was told it weighed 200g when the item should have been around 8kg). Both times I contacted eBay customer support and after investigating the buyer, they closed their accounts as there must have been a pattern of similar behaviour.

[your.home.consoles.world.ltd]

There is definitely something going on..
About 10 years on ebay, 7 years of selling, and something similar happened to us recently, new account, normal purchase, return after 2 weeks, package delivered to a place over 100 miles away from us, Royal Mail confirms that the package was sent to a different address which matches the address on the shipping label. Even ebay behaves differently, this is the first return that immediately lost buyer protection..
First time I've encountered something like this..

[martmarg41]

I'm sorry to say this but I think these and the many other related posts could actually be helping the scammers.

They too can monitor the forum posts where all manner of scams are discussed and then put them to use for their own benefit.

Just a thought but may be worth considering.

[ninja-gadgets]

Hopefully ebay does something about it quickly then 

[meadowsweet1012]

Hi,

This is currently happening to me too. After reading the responses here I contacted Royal Mail who have verbally confirmed the parcel was not delivered to the address I provided (I used the eBay generated RM 48hr tracked returns) though I don't have this in writing yet (they are still investigating) and I logged a case with Action Fraud.

I contacted eBay CS ready to give my Action Fraud and RM case numbers but was told my case is against RM, not with eBay? Is this correct or is the eBay CS representative just trying to pass me over?

RM have told me I need to file a lost item case with them, but for that I need proof of postage..which I won't have because the buyer posted the "item". Is the original postage label and tracking history enough?

Looking for some advice - item was worth around £130, which isn't a massive amount to some people but I'd still like to try fight this.

Also I refunded the buyer myself, rather than eBay stepping in - will this mean I don't have a case? I was away on holiday when the item was delivered, so had to refund in good faith as I won't be back before the 2 days deadline (buyer made it clear they were not willing to wait for me to come back else they'd have eBay step in)

Any help appreciated

[ninja-gadgets]

[edit I have re-read your post and you do not appear to have the issue that people in this thread have. You will need to claim back from Royal Mail. I would have let eBay get involved, because on your side you can see that it has been delivered. I do not believe there is much that you can do now you have given a refund]

You have 30 days after a dispute is closed to get the money back from eBay.

You need to go to your local post office and ask for the GPS where the parcel was delivered. You will need proof of your address, and proof the item was returned (with the tracking number etc) I just showed my eBay app and showed it was marked as delivered. Doing this was as fun as pulling my own teeth out. 

Your local sorting office will then need to send you an email with a screenshot of the wrong location the item was scanned and delivered to, and a message saying it was delivered to the wrong address. You then need to get eBay to call you saying that you have evidence that your parcel was not delivered to the correct address, and that they modified the printed label eBay provided!

You can press "print" on the email you received, and save this as a PDF. You can upload this PDF to the uploader that the eBay resolution centre person should be able to provide you with.

The issue with this scam is that it could easily be avoided, if eBay required the item to have a photo taken. My local sorting office said that they have the ability to do this, but for some reason they have not enabled it. This would prove that it was not delivered to the correct address. It could also be prevented if the local post person did not read what was on the package, but instead read what was in their hand held device (but they are busy so it's easy to not do this).

Hope this helps! 

[meadowsweet1012]

Thank you @ninja-gadgets looks like I might not get anywhere  but I'll try see where I can get with RM (I won't hold my breath!)

[stephenjames_1234588]

This has happened to me multiple times over the last 4 months,

i had one yesterday morning and immediately knew i was scammed as it was tracked as delivered back to me at 8am, (our post never comes before 12). The delivered scan never shows a picture or the location unlike other returns.

anyway after becoming aware this is a scam through these forums i contacted eBay. They advised me to complete a form as they agreed it looked like fraud, i completed the form and sent it back to them and the case was awarded in my favour and problem resolved.

The buyer then contacts eBay and provided a post office receipt which only contains my post code (no other information) and eBay reverse the decision and i have had to refund the buyer after receiving no return. The reason being the receipt shows the buyer shipped it to the correct address (even though it only shows the postcode and from what i have read regarding this scam is the postcode is kept the same but its the rest of the address that's modified) 

I also had 2 other returns arrive yesterday and they arrived at the correct time (mid-day) from the same postal office. If this was a one off i wouldnt bat an eye lid but going from never happening before to 4+ times in the last 3 months something is clearly up and eBays protection for sellers is non existent. 

[bmann-2000]

Thanks for sharing your experience Stephen, this will help others understand how the scam works in practice.  

If you look back at message 26 of this thread (from 4_bathrooms) , you will see there is an option to allow the seller to add an RMA number to the return. 

The way to defend against this scam, is to prevent the buyer using Royal Mail for the return.  

It would be useful if someone could confirm this RMA options does indeed allow you to specify a different courier for the return.

[davrman]

---

@bmann-2000 wrote:

It would be useful if someone could confirm this RMA options does indeed allow you to specify a different courier for the return.

---

No, there's just a single text box to enter the RMA number.

[4_bathrooms]

---

@bmann-2000 wrote:

It would be useful if someone could confirm this RMA options does indeed allow you to specify a different courier for the return.

---

It does. Ticking that box prevents eBay automatically generating a return label; eBay always uses RM Tracked if the stated package size and weight is within the limits of RM Letter, Large Letter or Small Parcel. 

With the RMA box ticked the seller still needs to provide a tracking number if they receive an INAD return but they can upload a tracking number from any carrier, not just Royal Mail.

[4_bathrooms]

---

@davrman wrote:

---

@bmann-2000 wrote:

It would be useful if someone could confirm this RMA options does indeed allow you to specify a different courier for the return.

---

No, there's just a single text box to enter the RMA number.

---

That page appears to have been updated since I initially posted. You also need to ensure any "Return automations" such as "eBay Auto Approve" are disabled:

[bilhus-37]

Hi 

If you call eBay and say that of any one opens up a return they can only use a label provided by you and then all you need to do is upload a return label for any courier service apart from Royal Mail so if a return is opened you are notified you have 2 days to upload yo or own label of your choice and they can only use that label to send something back and then don’t use Royal Mail for returns 

[4_bathrooms]

---

@bilhus-37 wrote:

If you call eBay and say that of any one opens up a return they can only use a label provided by you and then all you need to do is upload a return label for any courier service apart from Royal Mail 

---

All the options are on that page - if a return label has been automatically generated as a result of the settings on that page eBay won't cancel it. I have never had eBay automatically send a return label as a result of the settings on that page.

The page has changed at some point since I first posted. As well as disabling any automatic return label options you also had to check the RMA box to completely prevent eBay automatically creating any return labels. I'm not sure if that is still the case - the text that appeared next to the RMA box on the original version of the page has disappeared. Still, it wouldn't hurt to ensure the RMA box is ticked as well as ensuring any automatic return label options are disabled.