[Okami]

Hello guys!

Just wanted to give you guys some info on a seemingly new buyer scam popping up on ebay. Friend almost got scammed and i spent hours tonight getting it resolved. Note i understand some of it is a little confusing but i'm posting based on what i've seen. This seems like a new scheme as there are only a very few scattered post around the internet about it and it seem pretty recent.

First the biggest indicator.

[Buy offers to pay for 2nd/Next day service or pay for shipping when you mention free shipping in auction. They offer to use their own UPS accounts for the "discount" or "business expense purpose"]

The goal of these scams

1) Get your camera and their money back.
2) Get your camera while using a stolen account.

First scenario comes where they are using their own account or a family members account. Using their shipping label (usually send in PDF format) they put themselves as the ship to and return address and stick the ups contact number as your own. Also they leave out signature confirmation. This makes you ineligible for seller protection and also foots you for the bill if after receiving the package he points that you are responsible for shipping.. Then as soon as they receive the camera the immediately file a chargeback on their CC and paypal saying the camera never got to them.

Second scenario comes where they have stolen a paypal / ebay account and live in the vicinity of the buyer. They offer you using their shipping label and conveniently doesn't including signature confirmation and list the shipping + return addresses the same (sometimes only leaving your contact info as the ups call info line). By doing this they destroy any possibility of seller protection you have. Furthermore, they actually wait at the stolen paypal user's house during the day to try to intercept the package. Therefore getting the camera. Again as soon as the buyer files the stolen card claim at the CC or Paypal you are stuck without camera and without the money.

As everyone who has been a seller for awhile knows in this situation as with most there is a 100% chance that you will be out of the money and the item.

[JCSullivan]

Thanks for the heads-up.

[woof]

Thanks for the head's up. This surprises me not at all.

For quite some time I have used USPS exclusively and will not ship using any other method. I insure fully, and I add a delivery confirmation. I also send exclusively via priority mail which tends to protect goods since they are not in transit as long and this also tends to result in QUICK settlement of the whole deal.

Part of using USPS is that if anyone pulls any nonsense they are potentially up for mail fraud, ie: Federal charges. If I am offering free shipping anyway, frankly it's built into the price in some form or another (like I just don't care about 12.00 in the face of 400.00 or something), and I am certainly not going to "make" a few MORE bucks being greedy and giving up the one "stick" I do have with respect to the transaction.

woof