Pretty Sure I was Scammed--Not Sure How but Fascinating

[ACHiPo]

I was looking for a Ridgid blower to use with my 18V battery packs. I found one on Google, in stock, and about $40 less than other sources. I ordered, paid with PayPal. I received confirmation from PayPal, but nothing from the seller. The confirmation had Chinese characters as the seller, but no identification of the website I ordered from. This raised alarm since the seller's name was shown as a non-Chinese name in Houston, TX. I sent emails to two addresses associated with the PayPal confirmation and website.

When I didn't receive anything by the next day, I sent more emails to the seller's addresses. I also Googled the name of the site, and found a few sketchy reports of it being a suspicious site. I filed a claim with PayPal as I was pretty sure something wasn't right.

On Tuesday I received USPS tracking information showing that it had been delivered on my porch Monday. The package was supposedly shipped from SoCal. I hadn't received it, and sent another email to the seller's address with no response. When it didn't show up by Wednesday, I sent yet another email to the seller, again with no response. I got an update that PayPal received tracking information from the seller showing it had been delivered.

At this point it's my word against the seller's and the USPS. I've given up on getting the blower or my $50 back. I'm still a bit paranoid that somehow my PayPal has been compromised. I'm not sure what else I can do, but I'm guessing PayPal will rule that with the tracking info showing it as delivered, the case is closed. My only hope is that there are a bunch of other claims against this seller.

I can understand the bogus website. I can't understand how the seller got a tracking number that said something was delivered to me when it wasn't? Sure seems like mail fraud in addition to PayPal fraud?

 

[mcostello]

Had the same thing happen, went to Paypal and it took about 2 months of insisting I did not get it and got a refund. Have not got credit card statement to see if it actually happened. Google the name and address if possible. Mine came back 100% fraud site. Tell PP that also.

 

[pontiac428]

People are still surprised when too-good-to-be-true deals turn out to be too good to be true?

I've all but quit eBay. I still have an account in case I want to target something, but by trying to save a "free" buck by dodging brick and mortar businesses, you will nearly always end up mired in pasture grease. It's not worth a dollar or ten dollars of my time to cry at my work bench over getting scammed again.

 

[ACHiPo]

Had the same thing happen, went to Paypal and it took about 2 months of insisting I did not get it and got a refund. Have not got credit card statement to see if it actually happened. Google the name and address if possible. Mine came back 100% fraud site. Tell PP that also.

Thanks. Misery loves company I guess. The part that really stumps me is the USPS tracking info. I didn't have any packages delivered the day it was supposedly delivered, and no packages before or since with that tracking number. I'm thinking they must have hacked the USPS?

I did mention the fraudulent site info I got from Google search, but not the details. I tried to add info to the claim, but I can't.

 

[ACHiPo]

People are still surprised when too-good-to-be-true deals turn out to be too good to be true?

I've all but quit eBay. I still have an account in case I want to target something, but by trying to save a "free" buck by dodging brick and mortar businesses, you will nearly always end up mired in pasture grease. It's not worth a dollar or ten dollars of my time to cry at my work bench over getting scammed again.

Yeah I've beat myself up about going for a good deal, or not just buying from Home Depot or another seller. Cons work best on the greedy. Actually in this case it was only partly greed--my primary motivation was not doing business with Home Depot, and all other sources except this one were more expensive.

Education is expensive. This lesson cost me $50 and change.

 

[pontiac428]

I don't like doing business with Home Depot, because their business model is the same as Wal Mart's. But what if you want a place where you can take your leaf blower* back with your receipt for exchange or refund, same day, and get back to work again? Even if you bought the most factory defected leaf blower ever manufactured "as new" on eBay, you'd be screwed when you realized it's defective, because you didn't buy from an authorized retailer. It seems to me the outcome would not be as favorable compared to just going to Home Depot in the first place. You get your credit card protection, you get your receipt and warranty, you pay a little extra compared to eBay, but you don't have to cry.

* Leaf blower: No moving parts/never known to fail, eh?

 

[WesPete66]

You've said you received tracking information, but from whom? Have you gone directly to USPS website to verify that tracking info, by the tracking number they've shown? There's got to be a way to show it's not valid.

 

[mattthemuppet2]

that's a pretty common set up on Aliexpress - the shipping and delivery info is fake and let's them claim that they at least "tried" to deliver it, rather than simply running off with your money. Several times the seller claimed that it was returned as undeliverable or some similar bs. If you paid through Paypal, they should get you your money back. File a claim immediately. Hopefully you used your credit card so if Paypal brushes you off you can reverse the cc charge.

 

[Flyinfool]

Check the tracking number. And the address it was delivered to. What the scammers do is send one package to a city and then use that tracking number for every other package going to that city. Odds are it did not have YOUR address on it. The wife bought a coffee maker at a price to good to be true, we did receive a package from them, it was a small bubble envelope with a single infant size sock in it. I sent pics of the sock and the envelope with the shipping label and tracking still intact to paypal and they refunded the money. since the scammer sent PP a tracking delivery it is now up to you to show that the tracking did not go to your house.

OR the other possibility is you got hit by porch pirates.

There are vids on you tube of people in a truck following about a half block behind a delivery truck picking up the packages as fast as they are delivered.

 

[ericc]

I suspect porch pirates. But, the tracking can be wrong. I once ordered something and it was supposed to be delivered by Fedex. The tracking number said delivered at 2:00 PM, and there was no delivery. I called the vendor, and they told me that I probably live in a bad neighborhood, and they will just refund the money, but only this once. A week later, I received the item. I called the vendor, and I was told "too late, the final decision has been rendered in this matter; it was judged in your favor, so you should just accept the result." I asked what address can I send a check to, and they said "goodbye". I feel a little bad about it, but I still shop with that vendor. No problems since then. I called FedEx, and they said that the tracking information is "advisory" and should not be taken too seriously.