Wow my first ebay seller scam.

I had a case where I bought a one-ounce gold coin, the seller said they shipped, they provided a tracking number -- and I watched through that tracking number as the package moved from its origin address in California, through another facility in California, and eventually to its destination, also in California, marked as "delivered".

I'm in North Carolina. I opened a case, and got my money back promptly.

More recently, I "bought" two graded pre-1933 US gold coins, watched the tracking, and received an envelope filled with newspaper and nothing else. This time, eBay required me to report it to my local police (what would THEY have to do with mail fraud, perpetrated by someone on the other side of the country?), and send in a copy of the police report. I still got the refund, but the prospect of having to go through that again had a profound chilling effect on my willingness to buy high-value commodity stuff through eBay.

 

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I live in Michigan, and on numerous occasions, I have had mail stuck at the Detroit Distribution Center for days, before it was finally delivered.

 

Believe me I always give the benefit of doubt to the seller. I'm also am a very small ebay seller of electronic laser modded toys so I know the feeling.
One example I had waited 14 days for a coin package stuck in limbo at the PO right before my local office that does the deliveries. Other items past right by and were delivered. This time I did contact the PO and I believe the PO manager went himself to sort it out as my item was in my mail box after I happened to check at 11:00 AM before the regular mail came, as the normal mail comes around 5:00 or 6:00 PM.
Long story short.....I am very understanding and certainly not the first one to wait and have this issue but this seller now has listed the same coins for ""$2.30"" more each and has some on auction which he never did before, plus ad in the sly remarks back i'm thinking foul?
Iv'e asked sellers before when something is late and they always seem to tell me to keep them posted.
In the end it will work out, but if it shows up I put my foot in my mouth

 

Here’s a recent example, I put this package in the outgoing bin on April 30th, no scans in my own state of Michigan

 

Yup, 7 days with no tracking. It is tough out there for USPS.
I always give the post man a Christmas gift money and lately some Dunkin Donuts cards every now and then. Come this Christmas a little more thats for sure.
I tried giving gifts at the PO counter workers and they can't except anything.

 

I just received a delivery from Abilene, TX to Michigan that only took three days. Seems like it's one extreme or the other.

 

Sounds like it lucked out and hit every PO on the way at the right time.
Even before this COVID issue I would have package sent from the East coast go all the way to CA before it came to me in MA.
I stopped buying from one seller because the last 2 items got stuck for at least 10 days in the same distribution center. No fault at all from this seller.
I guess its not fair of me to stop buying because of the current situation but he is a big seller and won't miss my little purchases.

 

I've had some interesting experiences @ ebay.

2 most expensive purchases - $700, and $16,005 , both had a glitch. Then my acct once got hacked, and I found out I had sold over $300,000 worth of cars one month.

Didn't take much phone time to fix all 3 .......

 

WOW!
I use a prepaid debit card for all online purchases. I ad only what I need.
I use to electronic transfer from my bank account but stopped and and got a new debit card.
Whether that helps much from being scammed?? I hope so

I put some things for sale on the local on line adds about 2 years ago.
I actually got one of those fake checks for $3400!! saying it was a mistake on their part "on a $200" item.
The ones were they want you to put it in your bank account.
The person covered his bases well from text's, to emails, to pre paid phone's etc..
I knew it was a scam from day one and did play with the person but in hind sight I really shouldn't of pushed it.
The check envelope was from a bakery in Brooklyn NY, and was from a Law firm in PA and the check was from a Florida bank.
I did try to tell the authoritys thinking it was the right thing to do but there was really nothing they could do.
Still have the check somewhere for the fun of it..

 

I had the same scam. A $2800 check for a $1200 car the rest was supposed to be cashed and given to the shipper. I knew it was bogus so I strung them along awhile

 

Too funny, I also played with them.
I got the "I'm in trouble with my firm because of the check mistake so if you have like $700 pocket money you can send me for now I will give you a extra $100 after you cash the check"..
All the email messages were in broken English...............till I finally called them a ***t head and told them I have been playing with you...
The last email from back from them was "I know where you live HONEY..
Perfect English this time.. LOL.

 

I've been in the process of selling my family collection since April and I ship out of my local rural Post Office outside Lincoln, NE. I've sent out hundreds of different sized mailers both first class and Priority during this time. I haven't had one "non-delivery" situation. I have had about 7 that had some strange routing that resulted in a delivery taking 7 days. I always hand my prepaid packages to the clerk and I stand there until she scans them all. I then follow up with a message to my buyers letting them know their coins were dropped off at my PO. Later in the day I check tracking to make sure initial tracking is showing up. I've had a couple of instances where it took a day to show up. Once I do see tracking I send a follow on ebay message to the buyer to let them know tracking is now visible. So being in Nebraska things are probably a little easier for shipping versus the larger cities. But so far my buyers are pretty satisfied with my shipping. So I'm glad I'm not seeing some of the issues you folks are reporting.

 

^^^^^Very Nice^^^^^ and good for doing it proper. You also cover yourself and having good communication is key..
I sell once in a blue moon on ebay, not coins but always check tracking and ask the buyer if the received it even when it shows delivered. Iv'e had some go to the buyer's neighbor before but they were honest and brought to the buyer.
This one guy i'm having issues with just got a negative feedback for suppositly shipping a empty package..

 

To avoid problems, present your mailpiece & buy postage from a window clerk during business hours - you'll receive a dated receipt with the zipcode of the mailing address on it plus a tracking number if you buy that service - without tracking, you at least have a printed record of mailing showing date and destination zipcode. If you want a more official document, buy a PS form 3817, Certificate of Mailing, for an additional $1.50 - keep that and/or the counter receipt for your records.

 

That's all well and good during normal times, but the last place I want to be is standing in line in a busy city post office waiting for a scan in

I would suggest everyone look into GoPost as most highly populated areas have one somewhere where you can basically get a free PO box and contactless scan ins to ship

 

When I handed over a package with pre-printed (via eBay/PayPal) postage, they still gave me a receipt with the timestamp, point of mailing, and tracking number. So you apparently don't need to pay for postage there. (I don't know if you could get this service if you brought in a package with stamps, and it didn't already have a tracking number.)

 

I saw the same ad on ebay. I learned not to buy coins by the roll after two in a row were worthless. I don't know if many of you have noticed but the scams are getting worse online at many sites including ebay?

 

Your package/letter has to have some sort of tracking number to get receipts. If it just has stamps they'll postmark them and throw it in the bin and thats it and there really no reason to bring those to the counter

 

Iv'e come in time to see coin sellers buying from other coin sellers "In the feedback" of all places. It's not hard to catch on and see what they bought and will use the coins to put together rolls of " So Called Unsearched Rolls" to sell. Or buy a roll of Mercury dimes to sprinkle in pennie rolls they sell for the "Un searched" wow factor..

On my original post I was on the phone this morning for a while with ebay to open a claim, they told me by this Thursday they will start the money back process and tell the seller. Suppose to be done and over, then I see the seller just sent the same tracking number again?? and now it's just slowed down the process??
I have no clue what to make of it and I hate calling ebay again because I have to explain everything again..

 

I printed my label on eBay so it proves that I bought it but this guy thought I just didn't mail it for some reason. I know you can take it to the window and ask them to scan it in but I honestly didn't expect a problem.