Seller said she uploaded a fake tracking number.

[huatao1975]

Hello, I have purchased last week a tablet from apparently a Chinese brand but the seller appears to be their only Australian eBay store.

Yesterday, seller said this item will take another week to get here, and she would upload a fake tracking number for the time being. I understand this is what usually happens when the actual stock is located in China and told her it's fine I can wait. I thought the tracking number would be one of those "holding" tracking numbers which will remain idle for a few weeks until it reaches here then they send it to the post office / courier.

Today I found the tracking number shows movement in the postal system. Obviously that's not my item.

Their feedback are all positive for this year, although often complained about slow postage.

I don't usually purchase items located overseas, this one is an exception. Is it their standard practice to upload fake tracking numbers or should I be concerned?

Thank you.

[padi*0409]

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@huatao1975 wrote:

Is it their standard practice to upload fake tracking numbers or should I be concerned?

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Fake tracking numbers should be raising concerns for you - there's plenty of red flags in this transaction.

[springyzone]

I have never in my life read of any seller telling a buyer they are uploading a fake tracking number.

I've read of people who have had trouble with the tracking numbers they have been given, but never of a seller claiming it is fake.

I suspect you are right and your item is located in China, hence the delay and the reason they have customer complaints about slow postage.

Where the item is located and what the treacking number is, they are not really your problems.

You have bought an item and it will have an estimated date of arrival.

You can hold the seller to that, you don't have to put up with nonsense of waiting for weeks and weeks after the ETA.

If the item does not arrive on time, you can open an ebay claim and personally, I would be inclined to. Don't close it till you have your refund.

The seller would have to show that tracking showed it as delivered to you and if that had not happened, you would be refunded.

I suspect the item would quite possibly arrive in the week or weeks after that but if a seller advertises their stock as located in Australia but they can't get it to you by the ETA then that's their problem, not yours.

[huatao1975]

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Fake tracking numbers should be raising concerns for you - there's plenty of red flags in this transaction.

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Thanks for the reply. If it doesn't go well next week, will eBay side with me given seller admitted uploading a fake tracking number in eBay's messages ? I don't understand if seller's intention was not delivering the item, why would she announce the tracking being fake, she could just upload it without telling me the tracking number is fake, right?

[padi*0409]

I agree with Springy, as soon as the final ETA has passed open an MBG dispute and don't close it until you have a refund.

What is the item number ?

[springyzone]

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@huatao1975 wrote:

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Fake tracking numbers should be raising concerns for you - there's plenty of red flags in this transaction.

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Thanks for the reply. If it doesn't go well next week, will eBay side with me given seller admitted uploading a fake tracking number in eBay's messages ? I don't understand if seller's intention was not delivering the item, why would she announce the tracking being fake, she could just upload it without telling me the tracking number is fake, right?

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You need to keep it simple. If the item does not arrive by the estimated due date range, open an ebay claim for item not received.

You don't have to go into  details of it being a fake tracking number. Just that the item has not arrived.

Ebay will decide in your favour if tracking doesn't show it was delivered to you. Doesn't matter if the tracking is fake or not, if the item is not delivered, you will win. Follow up with any ebay claim you make and finalise it as soon as the system lets you.

[huatao1975]

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@padi*0409 wrote:

I agree with Springy, as soon as the final ETA has passed open an MBG dispute and don't close it until you have a refund.

What is the item number ?

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393384311343

It now shows as "out of stock". To me it appears be a genuine stock management issue, plus I've been looking forward for such a product for a long time, it's also Christmas time, I will give them a week or 2. Oh I just remembered they actually offered me refund too I said it's ok I can wait.

[huatao1975]

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You need to keep it simple. If the item does not arrive by the estimated due date range, open an ebay claim for item not received.

You don't have to go into  details of it being a fake tracking number. Just that the item has not arrived.

Ebay will decide in your favour if tracking doesn't show it was delivered to you. Doesn't matter if the tracking is fake or not, if the item is not delivered, you will win. Follow up with any ebay claim you make and finalise it as soon as the system lets you.

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Right. The tracking will mostly likely end up being "delivered" to someone else in a couple of days.  Will eBay side with seller then?

[padi*0409]

"Their feedback are all positive for this year, although often complained about slow postage."

Nope, there's 2 negs for slow delivery and wrong item sent. Chinese registered seller yet again.........

[huatao1975]

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@padi*0409 wrote:

"Their feedback are all positive for this year, although often complained about slow postage."

Nope, there's 2 negs for slow delivery and wrong item sent. Chinese registered seller yet again.........

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OK I think their tactic is that by uploading a real tracking number targeted for an actual item, to another customer obviously. I can't open a dispute easily as the tracking will show as "delivered" soon.

Am I correct?