Tis the season - The old "can you change the address to" switcheroo

[parts_and_diecasts]

FYI

I received two common fraud scheme within the last 24 hrs, one from a UK based buyer on a diecast toy worth CAD$18 and the other from a Canadian (NB) based buyer on a Blood Pressure Monitor worth US$70.00.

I didn't fall for them as I was well aware of that switcheroo trick where the buyer pays, ask after the fact an address change (different than the one on file) then will be quick to file an INR on you claiming they never received the item at the address on file; there is no seller protection if you fall for that, just wanted newer sellers to be aware as they will target primarily sellers with low # of feedback.

Always the same modus operandi, prompt payment through Paypal followed by a message through eBay (within minutes) to change the address on file to [insert new address].

In the case of the toy, I decided that it's not worth the hassle and will sell locally on eBay-owned Kijjiji. In the case of the BPM, I relisted it but lost my 15 watchers (it is the best selling listing in that category). 

Good luck to all and remain vigilant, tis the season!

salim_bfb

[parts_and_diecasts]

also make sure to add the buyer's username to your block bidders list afterwards

[clemowbooks]

Always a useful warning.

Sellers can cancel these sketchey sales as "Problem with address" without worrying about a Defect.

BTW, watchers watch. While having a lot of watchers may be indicative of interest, most never buy.

If you Relist the cancelled item, your watchers may be notified, which will not happen with Sell Similar.

[electronicifycanada]

Honestly, anything I send untracked I do listen and change the address.

I haven't yet had a problem with it but I only sell to Canada and people are generally pretty good. I knock on wood though. 

If your sending it untracked, the buyer can just say they never got it anyways and you will have to refund. It would be easier for them to just buy the item and claim they never got it then to bug you to change the address.

That being said, a $70 item would be getting tracked and I would say no and cancel the order if you didn't ship it yet.

[parts_and_diecasts]

I agree, definitely tracking on the US$70 item.
These 2 occurrences are new to me, I had heard about them in this forum but it's the first time I experienced them first hand, within 24 hrs on top of that.

[parts_and_diecasts]

I agree with you about Watchers.
In this particular case, it is because it was the last of 25 items that I sold over the past 12 months (I was selling one every 2 weeks on average), hence the #1 ranking, the positive feedback on purchases that shows within the listing and the 15 watchers. That's a bummer to lose that just because of a scammer wasting my time. But no $ loss on my part, that I am thankful for.

[ricarmic]

Different categories experience different levels of fraud, in my (stamp) world, I've always (last 20 years) just changed the address as they request. Often it is kids buying stuff for pops/moms birthday or Xmas.

So far, although saying it out loud means tomorrow I'll have a claim, I've never had an INR claim against the adjusted address.

The funniest was a case where the fellow was from overseas and wanted me to send it to an address here, as he was visiting relatives travelling across the country!!! He changed the address if I recall 3 times before we found one that I could get it there in time for him to also be there, and it worked out in the end! (I'd never agree to that again, it was a big hassle).

[darak10]

I encountered a new fraud situation this xmas season, it is apparently called a "pickup" scam...this guys ebay id is in the US on the other side of the continent from me and he says he is here in the same city as me in Canada (during a pandemic....nice try) and wanted to buy $400 worth of stuff, all high end stuff with major resale value to someone in a major US metro area like this fellow.  And he wanted additional discounts even with a 20% off boxing week sale I was running.   He said he wanted to pick up the stuff here as he didnt want to pay for "shipping etc etc".  Apparently what these cons do is take advantage of folks good nature and arrange for a stooge of theirs or themselves if they have adequate brass to pick up the stuff locally, then they make a PayPal claim that they never received the items or an INR claim that the items weren't received.  I ended up just blocking the guy.  

There are many honest people who have honest reasons for wanting to switch addresses but we need to be mindful that there are folks like the dude I just described whose intention is to rob sellers.  

[ricarmic]

For certain the more "resellable" and valuable an item is, the more caution one has to use regarding flexability around buyer requests.

Even in my "safe" stamp world a few years ago when China stamps were worth their weight in gold, and stuff was selling 2 minutes after listed, the fraud rate regarding INRs etc was high everywhere, fortunately the values have calmed in the last few years and selling them is much the same as anything else....

I wouldn't be doing what I am doing if I was selling cell phones, computers etc...

[retroman_studios]

Anything that is local pickup when sold via eBay has zero protection as eBay officially no longer supports cash transactions except for a few specific cases like real estate I believe, so you are required to have a digital payment setup. So the crooks will do this then claim they never got it and you have no proof and lose