Fake tracking number scam - zxyings

[jcardstore]

Not hobby related but still something worth knowing about.

Purchased an item in December from zxyings store. Honestly, probably should have done like slightly more due diligence because this just screams scam but it is what it is.

The item was marked as shipped with no tracking. A week or so later, out of the blue, the seller messages me and says there is some sort of issue with shipping and they are working to resolve. (In retrospect this was probably a tactic to prevent me from opening an item not received case).

Well that did the opposite because now I'm suspicious and pretty certain it's a scam so I open a case with ebay as soon as I am able. Seller messages a couple times before I can escalate with ebay saying the same thing. Some issue with shipping they will take care of it blah blah blah.

As soon as I escalate the case with ebay a tracking number magically shows up and it shows that it was delivered a few days prior.

It was a UPS tracking number that was scanned as "Met Customer". At that point I already knew it was a scam but ebay automatically closed the case because the number showed delivered.

I left a negative feedback but they somehow got ebay to remove it as well.

Called UPS and it was an Amazon package. The other key piece of info they couldn't fake was the package weight. The package weight of the "delivered" item was 19lbs and the item I ordered was 31lbs.

I submitted an appeal and Ebay ended up ruling in my favor.

Either way, something to watch out for. Watch out for sellers from China uploading fake tracking numbers to win ebay cases automatically.

[DynaEtch]

On tracking, was the package delivered to your zip code?

[jcardstore]

Originally Posted by DynaEtch

On tracking, was the package delivered to your zip code?

It was, yes. Which is why eBay closed the case when I escalated it

[DynaEtch]

Originally Posted by jcardstore

It was, yes. Which is why eBay closed the case when I escalated it

Just trying to figure out what that would be. So you’re saying *some* package was sent and delivered in your zip code, from the tracking. I mean where is that being delivered, and what is that, I wonder.

[jcardstore]

Originally Posted by DynaEtch

Just trying to figure out what that would be. So you’re saying *some* package was sent and delivered in your zip code, from the tracking. I mean where is that being delivered, and what is that, I wonder.

I called UPS and they told me it was an Amazon tracking number and that’s it. My assumption is that they have tracking numbers they’re buying from somewhere

[DynaEtch]

If you look at the seller’s ebay store, it’s pretty clear it’s just a storefront for Amazon sourced products (brand new items such as ones you’d find on Amazon, shipped from US even though seller’s profile is listed as China). Therefore the Amazon package tracking wouldn’t be unique to your situation or necessarily a reason to believe it’s fake…it’s likely how all their products ship.

To form a more complete picture of what even is going on here would need more specifics. It would be somewhat surprising a seller is purchasing/using random unrelated tracking numbers that delivered to your zip (from an Occam’s razor standpoint), but I guess it’s possible.

[jcardstore]

Originally Posted by DynaEtch

If you look at the seller’s ebay store, it’s pretty clear it’s just a storefront for Amazon sourced products (brand new items such as ones you’d find on Amazon, shipped from US even though seller’s profile is listed as China). Therefore the Amazon package tracking wouldn’t be unique to your situation or necessarily a reason to believe it’s fake…it’s likely how all their products ship.

To form a more complete picture of what even is going on here would need more specifics. It would be somewhat surprising a seller is purchasing/using random unrelated tracking numbers that delivered to your zip (from an Occam’s razor standpoint), but I guess it’s possible.

Well even if this was true

1) the package was marked as “met customer”

2) the package weight was half of what it should have been

3) the item was marked as shipped with no tracking for 2+ weeks before any of this even happened

Whatever tracking number they added to the order (which wasn’t even added until after I escalated the case with eBay) was delivered somewhere in my zipcode but it wasn’t to me and wasn’t even what I had purchased in the first place.

The package weight, the “met customer”, the tracking that was added the day I escalated the case, the refusal to refund, all together are quite the coincidence but I suppose it’s possible that the wrong item was shipped to the wrong place

As I’m typing this out, I see that it could be that they are trying to arbitrage prices from Amazon by selling on eBay and just buying on Amazon after completing the eBay sale. But with eBay fees they’re probably losing money and just asking for problems like this one. I still think this seems unlikely and it just feels like a scam

eBay ended up refunding me regardless and the seller kept their money so the only one who lost here was eBay

[BostonNut]

It’s called drop shipping.

Most likely once the seller got the tracking number from Amazon they added the wrong one to your order. Probably had more than one going to your zip and switched them.

[jcardstore]

Originally Posted by BostonNut

ItÂ’s called drop shipping.

Most likely once the seller got the tracking number from Amazon they added the wrong one to your order. Probably had more than one going to your zip and switched them.

If it was simply a case of switched tracking numbers why didnÂ’t I get any package at all? ItÂ’s not like I mistakenly got someone elseÂ’s order

And why would someone “drop ship” a product that’s being sold on Amazon for the same price on eBay just to lose money on every order they do that with?

Either way it doesnÂ’t matter because I got my money back regardless

ItÂ’s either a scam or an idiot seller. Best to avoid either way

[DynaEtch]

Originally Posted by jcardstore

Well even if this was true

1) the package was marked as “met customer”

2) the package weight was half of what it should have been

3) the item was marked as shipped with no tracking for 2+ weeks before any of this even happened

Whatever tracking number they added to the order (which wasn’t even added until after I escalated the case with eBay) was delivered somewhere in my zipcode but it wasn’t to me and wasn’t even what I had purchased in the first place.

The package weight, the “met customer”, the tracking that was added the day I escalated the case, the refusal to refund, all together are quite the coincidence but I suppose it’s possible that the wrong item was shipped to the wrong place

As I’m typing this out, I see that it could be that they are trying to arbitrage prices from Amazon by selling on eBay and just buying on Amazon after completing the eBay sale. But with eBay fees they’re probably losing money and just asking for problems like this one. I still think this seems unlikely and it just feels like a scam

eBay ended up refunding me regardless and the seller kept their money so the only one who lost here was eBay

And that last part is something I’m totally against ebay doing. Since if this was a scamming seller, no way should ebay be covering anything and the seller should be out the money. Just imagine how much this happens in volume on ebay every day- and our high seller fee money is helping pay for it. Im paying for some seller out of China to scam?

I’m just trying to understand what even is going on above, with some package delivered in your zip code. It’s hard to say without more specifics…item? When it sold? How you know how its exact weight? When did the tracking first show movement and was it shortly after you bought it? This would be much easier to resolve exactly what’s going on if UPS would just take pics of the delivered package- I thought UPS did do this.

To the person who said mixed up tracking #’s…seems rather unlikely since they have like 20 ebay sales since November….not great odds there at all, there’s over 40,000 zip codes in the US, for two recent buyers to happen to be in the same zip. It’s possible they ship from other sites besides ebay too, but still, seems like super long odds. Just curious what exactly is that package that went to OPs zip code and where it went

No question something is fishy with the seller, like a third of their feedback says problem with shipping and never came, but was refunded promptly, oddly left as a positive. I wonder why in your case they didn’t just refund promptly? Heck leaving ALL the fishiness aside, it still makes sense to just buy it direct from Amazon anyway if prices are about the same.

[Bosoxfan5990]

Not eBay related, but sounds like a similar scenario.

Back in December, my wife ordered a winter coat (~$40) from a super sketchy site that was purposefully trying to imitate Dick's Sporting Goods.

The shipment originated in Hong Kong/China. There was a random tracking number provided and it was marked delivered in our town, but was never delivered.

Because it was a sketchy site and she paid with a debit card, there's nothing we could really do for recourse.

[jcardstore]

Originally Posted by DynaEtch

And that last part is something I’m totally against ebay doing. Since if this was a scamming seller, no way should ebay be covering anything and the seller should be out the money. Just imagine how much this happens in volume on ebay every day- and our high seller fee money is helping pay for it. Im paying for some seller out of China to scam?

I’m just trying to understand what even is going on above, with some package delivered in your zip code. It’s hard to say without more specifics…item? When it sold? How you know how its exact weight? When did the tracking first show movement and was it shortly after you bought it? This would be much easier to resolve exactly what’s going on if UPS would just take pics of the delivered package- I thought UPS did do this.

To the person who said mixed up tracking #’s…seems rather unlikely since they have like 20 ebay sales since November….not great odds there at all, there’s over 40,000 zip codes in the US, for two recent buyers to happen to be in the same zip. It’s possible they ship from other sites besides ebay too, but still, seems like super long odds. Just curious what exactly is that package that went to OPs zip code and where it went

No question something is fishy with the seller, like a third of their feedback says problem with shipping and never came, but was refunded promptly, oddly left as a positive. I wonder why in your case they didn’t just refund promptly? Heck leaving ALL the fishiness aside, it still makes sense to just buy it direct from Amazon anyway if prices are about the same.

Ok so I went on UPS site with the tracking number the seller provided in the eBay case.

It said it was delivered to my zip code as “met customer” (which doesn’t have a picture) and it listed a package weight. When I called UPS they said it was an Amazon package and if there was an issue I needed to contact them and that was it.

Other than the weight and zip code I have no idea what it could be

To your last point, I agree but don’t have an Amazon account lol so I may as well

[DynaEtch]

Something else I just remembered- UPS generally gives you email updates about the status of an incoming package to your address, don’t they? “Package was shipped to you”, “Package is out for delivery today”, etc. So I guess you would expect that if indeed it was sent to your address.

I think package delivery locations might be able to be more locally pinpointed as well, either by the tracking or just clicking on the order status through Amazon (for ones bought on Amazon).

Originally Posted by Bosoxfan5990

Not eBay related, but sounds like a similar scenario.

Back in December, my wife ordered a winter coat (~$40) from a super sketchy site that was purposefully trying to imitate Dick's Sporting Goods.

The shipment originated in Hong Kong/China. There was a random tracking number provided and it was marked delivered in our town, but was never delivered.

Because it was a sketchy site and she paid with a debit card, there's nothing we could really do for recourse.

Sounds fishy just like OPs…as a long odds chance I guess it’s possible it was just delivered to a different address by mistake near by? I mean it’s happened before, but you’d think that person would drop it off though.

I just want to know how these sellers are doing this with the same zip code thing, if it really is a scam.

[Crosby 87]

Originally Posted by DynaEtch

Just trying to figure out what that would be. So you’re saying *some* package was sent and delivered in your zip code, from the tracking. I mean where is that being delivered, and what is that, I wonder.

You care way too much. If the OP was made whole , what does that matter where the package was delivered and what was inside.

[DynaEtch]

Originally Posted by Crosby 87

You care way too much. If the OP was made whole , what does that matter where the package was delivered and what was inside.

Trying to figure out how he’s being scammed, if he’s being scammed? Why do you care how much I’m interested.

[Crosby 87]

Originally Posted by DynaEtch

Trying to figure out how he’s being scammed, if he’s being scammed? Why do you care how much I’m interested.

i care because theres no I in team.