Ebay, Buyer Beware

[OceanAnnie]

I bought something recently from Ebay. The seller sent me an empty envelope! I couldn't believe it! I was shocked actually. It couldn't be a mistake, the item I bought wasn't weightless. I received the flat envelope stamped from the Post Office, "Received without contents". The envelope has not been opened. It's taped shut. No indication that it was opened at all. Mailed First Class, with delivery confirmation. That's a lot of trouble to trick someone.

So the person can say the "envelope" reached it's destination and try to keep my money. Oh that just burns my cookies! I have tried to reach the seller (no response from seller) and I put a claim in with PayPal.

I hadn't sold anything in awhile. I thought I'd just buy some stuff now and then. I don't know about buying from ebay now. It's a lot of hassle, I'd rather find items elsewhere without the BS. Anyway, beware. People are getting clever with trickery.

 

[Traveliz]

I bought something recently from Ebay. The seller sent me an empty envelope! I couldn't believe it! I was shocked actually. It couldn't be a mistake, the item I bought wasn't weightless. I received the flat envelope stamped from the Post Office, "Received without contents". The envelope has not been opened. It's taped shut. No indication that it was opened at all. Mailed First Class, with delivery confirmation. That's a lot of trouble to trick someone.

So the person can say the "envelope" reached it's destination and try to keep my money. Oh that just burns my cookies! I have tried to reach the seller (no response from seller) and I put a claim in with PayPal.

I hadn't sold anything in awhile. I thought I'd just buy some stuff now and then. I don't know about buying from ebay now. It's a lot of hassle, I'd rather find items elsewhere without the BS. Anyway, beware. People are getting clever with trickery.

The post office most likely taped shut the envelope - and then stamped it received without contents -- which means the contents fell out somewhere along the way. It does happen unfortunately. I wouldn't necessarily think the seller is trying to scam you by sending out an empty envelope, hoping the post office equipment thinks its seal has broken en route and will stamp it.

I have had this happen before - not in an Ebay situation but I sent out 20 invites to a Christmas party this year and over 1/4th of them did not reach their destination (same town). A couple were ripped, one had the invite gone but had been taped shut (like yours) with the stamped message and a couple never ever got to their destination.

Liz

 

[OceanAnnie]

The post office most likely taped shut the envelope - and then stamped it received without contents -- which means the contents fell out somewhere along the way. It does happen unfortunately. I wouldn't necessarily think the seller is trying to scam you by sending out an empty envelope, hoping the post office equipment thinks its seal has broken en route and will stamp it.

I have had this happen before - not in an Ebay situation but I sent out 20 invites to a Christmas party this year and over 1/4th of them did not reach their destination (same town). A couple were ripped, one had the invite gone but had been taped shut (like yours) with the stamped message and a couple never ever got to their destination.

Liz

Well, the weight was stamped on the package upon receipt. It is not what the item would have weighed. I don't think I'm assuming anything.

 

[lbgraves]

I have heard of difficult sellers sending out a box full of trash or balled up paper again with DC. The last thing we bought was from a newer seller who did not know the rules of Ebay. It was a side bumper for a car. After winning the auction he emailed that the shipping would be an additional $20. No, I don't think so. You can't change the terms of the auction after it ends. So the seller wrapped the bumper in saran wrap of some sort and shipped it out. The UPS driver told me that he refused to deliver it to me because of the damage that it ended up happening to it. Paypal was easy to file and the rep I talked to after reading the emails the "kid" sent through ebay laughed and said that case would be a no brainer.

 

[toledo13]

OH gosh I just bought a food dehydrator from Ebay- I hope it gets to me!! GEEZ!!!

 

[Traveliz]

Well, the weight was stamped on the package upon receipt. It is not what the item would have weighed. I don't think I'm assuming anything.

The weight stamped upon receipt or when they went to the post office and had it mailed - I know I go to the Post office to mail something, they weigh it, stamp it, and off I go. I leave there and it gets thrown into a machine or a basket or whatever and off it goes to its destination. Along the way the envelope is opened (either mistakenly by a machine or whatever) and the contents come out. It arrives at its new destination and the post office there find the open, empty envelop and they stamp it, tape it and deliver it to you.

It does happen.

I am not saying you were not blatantly ripped off but there may be another story here.

Liz

 

[CyndiLooWho]

I'm so sorry you didn't get your item. I've gotten things that way before (not from eBay), usually when the items were not packaged well or when the envelope had not been licked.

On a positive note for other eBay buyers, I've bought 2-3 items per month for the last few months, and everything got to me in perfect shape. Some of the stuff was from sellers with less than 10 feedbacks (got those supercheap, cuz no one was bidding on them) and others from power sellers. They ranged from kid's clothing to trading pins to accessories.

 

[OceanAnnie]

The weight stamped upon receipt or when they went to the post office and had it mailed - I know I go to the Post office to mail something, they weigh it, stamp it, and off I go. I leave there and it gets thrown into a machine or a basket or whatever and off it goes to its destination. Along the way the envelope is opened (either mistakenly by a machine or whatever) and the contents come out. It arrives at its new destination and the post office there find the open, empty envelop and they stamp it, tape it and deliver it to you.

It does happen.

I am not saying you were not blatantly ripped off but there may be another story here.

Liz

I'm not sure I'm following you, isn't what you describe one in same? Packages have to be weighed in order to know the proper amount to charge before sending. It was mailed First Class, the weight is on the package with the send date. How else would the PO know what to charge? The weight upon mailing was not what the package should have weighed. The reason the package was stamped "Received without contents", is because the weight is exactly what an empty envelope weighs. The Post Office masters know the weight of envelopes.

I'm all for giving the benefit of the doubt when there is missing information. That's not the case here. There is no mistaking this scenario.

I'll agree to disagree with you.

I didn't know about this kind of scam. I thought I'd pass it on for people to beware.

 

[livndisney]

I'm not sure I'm following you, isn't what you describe one in same? Packages have to be weighed in order to know the proper amount to charge before sending. It was mailed First Class, the weight is on the package with the send date. How else would the PO know what to charge? The weight upon mailing was not what the package should have weighed. The reason the package was stamped "Received without contents", is because the weight is exactly what an empty envelope weighs. The Post Office masters know the weight of envelopes.

I'm all for giving the benefit of the doubt when there is missing information. That's not the case here. There is no mistaking this scenario.

I'll agree to disagree with you.

I didn't know about this kind of scam. I thought I'd pass it on for people to beware.

I think what the OP is saying is when the envelope was mailed it weighted 1 ounce (example). But the item in the envelope SHOULD have weighted 10 ounces (again example). The stamp on the envelope shows the 1 ounce vs the 10 ounce, so the envelope was mailed WITHOUT the 9 ounce item.

Or I am totally wrong and feel free to ignore me LOL

 

[HM]

What was the cost to the sender as shown by the stamp on the envelope?
Was it just the amount for the envelope?
I take it your item had some wieght to it, and would have cost more to send than what it showed on the package stamping? right?

 

[kinntj]

Thanks for the warning. I haven't bought from Ebay in 2 or more years. Everything has gone without a hitch, but there were more complaints I've heard from people I know and on here/internet boards. Just because someone hasn't had trouble doesn't meant it couldn't happen.

I agree that if the item had some weight to it, then it would show on the package or you could tell by the amount paid. I agree with you in this case and think it was meant to be a scam.

 

[kc10family]

I am so sorry to hear this, I do hope it works out for you.

I get wacky when things don't come on time, or the package is damaged. I am waiting for one today infact (glow sticks for our next trip) and they can't come soon enough.

 

[OceanAnnie]

What was the cost to the sender as shown by the stamp on the envelope?
Was it just the amount for the envelope?
I take it your item had some wieght to it, and would have cost more to send than what it showed on the package stamping? right?

To add insult to injury, I paid $4.99 for shipping of a 9 oz envelope. The amount charged is not shown on the envelope (just the weight, First Class, and Delivery Confirmation). Yes, the item would have weighed more, but I don't think it would've cost the $4.99 I was charged. That's neither here nor there. I agreed to it, because I wanted the item.

An empty envelope weighing 9 oz. would probably cost a little more than a standard envelope. Let's just say $1. Then add delivery confirmation (of the empty envelope), what's that charge? Around .45 or so? Total for the seller to send given the weight when mailed was about $1.45 give or take. That total is much, much, less than what I paid.

If the seller was in the process of making an honest mistake, the feel of the package should've been a red flag. It's flat. The cost of shipping would have been a red flag for a 9 oz. item, as my item would have weighed considerably more. So, there you have it.

 

[OceanAnnie]

Thanks for the warning. I haven't bought from Ebay in 2 or more years. Everything has gone without a hitch, but there were more complaints I've heard from people I know and on here/internet boards. Just because someone hasn't had trouble doesn't meant it couldn't happen.

I agree that if the item had some weight to it, then it would show on the package or you could tell by the amount paid. I agree with you in this case and think it was meant to be a scam.

You're welcome. It's a new one on me. I've been with ebay for 10 years. Never had anything like this happen. That's a long time. I'll probably continue to buy some here and there. Maybe after some time has passed. I'm T.O.ed. And I want this resolved.

 

[pilesoflaundry]

To add insult to injury, I paid $4.99 for shipping of a 9 oz envelope. The amount charged is not shown on the envelope (just the weight, First Class, and Delivery Confirmation). Yes, the item would have weighed more, but I don't think it would've cost the $4.99 I was charged. That's neither here nor there. I agreed to it, because I wanted the item.

Was it shipped at the post office or was it an online label? I ask because at the post office they will not put delivery confirmation on any package that isn't at least an even thickness through out AND 1/4" or larger in thickness. If they mailed it at home, no one is there to check it but if they mailed it at the PO, it's very possible something really did happen in transit. I'm sorry it happened, either way.

 

[pixiewings71]

Most eBay sellers pad shipping charges, they should actually be called shipping & handling not just shipping.

OP I'm sorry that happened to you, I hope you get your money back quickly!

 

[OceanAnnie]

Was it shipped at the post office or was it an online label? I ask because at the post office they will not put delivery confirmation on any package that isn't at least an even thickness through out AND 1/4" or larger in thickness. If they mailed it at home, no one is there to check it but if they mailed it at the PO, it's very possible something really did happen in transit. I'm sorry it happened, either way.

Well, I guess the seller must have mailed it from home. It does have, "a preferred shipping service on ebay" on the package.

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

It's not a new scam at all. This has happened on ebay for years and usually the seller gets away with it because as long as they have a Delivery Confirmation number then they can "prove" to paypal that they sent the item. I usually hear of this happening when a buyer is doing a return to the seller. They mail back an empty package - or one stuffed with paper - and file with paypal for a refund. As soon as they give the DC# to paypal they get their money back AND get to keep the item. The seller is out the item and the original shipping charge.

 

[FergieTCat]

You can always file a complaint with the Postmaster General of the shipper's hometown. It's a federal offense and fraud.

 

[TXmom2princesses]

I have bought and sold on ebay for 7 years and never had a problem until...last month I ordered my daughter a quilt set to match the one she has now for her trundle bed. After waiting a month I never received the set. I kept asking the seller when she mailed and conformation information. She said she didnt buy the conformation...needless to say I got my money back from paypal. Well I decided to try one more time and bought this set that was described as perfect like new condition, no stains, and it showed this pic of everything I was looking for I paid 105.00. Well after waiting 3 weeks to receive it, (I was just happy to finally get it) I opened it and it instantly smelled so bad of smoke and who knows what else and it was covered in yellow stains and pen marks. The pillows had holes and it was missing half of what was pictured on the listing So I am currently filing my case w/ paypal. I just don't know if it's the economy that has people doing dishonest transactions or what...whatever it is it's giving all the honest buyers and sellers a bad name.