Seller scammed me with fake tracking?

[impulsive-buyer-007]

Hello everyone, 

I had purchased 2x GPU's on the 08 Nov 2022. Since these items were marked as brand new and the price listed was around MSRP, but had $300 off coupon attached to them I pulled the trigger and bought it using two seperate transactions. We are talking a grand total of $6400.

The listing description had mention it was going to be sent using express post, but at checkout it only had option for regular post so I contacted the seller after my purchase asking if it was still going to be sent express.

2 days later on 10 Nov 2022 seller replies back with a bunch of screenshots from eBay and the seller having a conversation about his payouts being held (his concern was what if he sends the item and not get the money, and the conversation was basically them discussing that I should be made aware about the delay).  I get impatient and buy the same item locally since I couldn't wait, but one of them turned out to be faulty so I returned it locally, and messaged the seller again to check when will he actually send me the items I have bought.

15 Nov 2022, he messages me saying he sent ebay more documents so they can confirm and lift the restrictions and just talks about how eBay is so bad at this and they should've asked him the documents from the start.

17 Nov 2022, he messages saying he's waiting for the hold to get lifted.

21 Nov 2022, now I message him asking what's happening and at this point sinceit's been over the allocated delivery time, I open a case request for item not received.

Seller then messages me same day, saying he hasn't shipped yet but they have reveiewd his documents but cant process himn cause he now has two cases opened.

So I tell him I'll just ask eBay to step in and cancel the orders, cause I couldn't wait any longer.

26 Nov 2022, eBay closed the case "We received tracking information from the seller that shows the item was delivered to your address or will be arriving shortly."

Got a notification at around 5 AM in the morning saying I won't be getting any refund, so I hop on chat half asleep but live chat would not work until 9 AM (mind you this is on 26 Nov 2022, Saturday). So I wait till 9 AM and get on chat, just to be told the seller sent the same message to eBay showing concern and provided them a tracking address from Australia post, which when I clicked the link eBay supplied says it was sent on the 17th - and delivered on the 21st, meanwhile on the 22nd the seller said to me "not yet".

So I express my concern to eBay but they couldn't do anything, and when asked to put on their supervisor he was busy and phones don't work until 28th Nov 2022 Monday.

I did pay via PayPal, but I belive I won't be able to get any luck from there either since the seller might provide the fake tracking? I even have a rind doorbell with history to show no one came at the time it was "delviered". I will also ask australia post to check the receivers address/ weight of the item.

Am I screwed here? Even though I have seller claiming he had not posted the item on the 22 Nov, yet provided eBay the tracking that said item was deliverd on the 21st.

Sorry for the long format, I am just so furious and nervous at the same time, and didn't want to leave anything behind.

[impulsive-buyer-007]

I honestly since COVID have never missed a single parcel, never have I been not at home and the postie had to leave a card for me to collect. Even if it isnt me, my family is always home.

And exactly siganure has to be used per their own policy, and I don't know how the rep confirmed it was signed for "just because the seller said so?" because the tracking link the rep provided me says nothing other than delivered, and I doubt they did their due dilignece and checked with Auspost to see if the add is the same/ siganture on delivery was added, the seller didnt even add tracking on the order detail. Even after they closed the request in favour of the seller, it still says awating postage like **bleep**??

Also I 1000% know no one from my family signed because it never arrived here, and if this adds anything my house layout/ room faces the front driveway where I am on my computer every minute of the day.

The whole weekend is now ruined, since I wont be able to stop thinking about it till I call/ chat Auspot on Monday to get more info (most likely chat, so I can screenshot all the informaiton) and open a displute again.

Will come here to get some tips before I open the claim again on eBay.

[impulsive-buyer-007]

OMG I indeed did buy 2x 4090s 😭

[impulsive-buyer-007]

I did not even think to check the sold section unfortunately. 

[twyngwyn]

ok, they've now sold 4? Ebay would then be holding all the funds, not just yours.....you could mention that to ebay & see if they can check tracking for purchases made on the 6th.....because it was the exact same ad.

I think this is either a scam or possibly a 'hacked account'

Good luck!!

[impulsive-buyer-007]

Yeah, I guess my only option right now is to wait till Monday for Auspost to open so I can confirm all my queries.

Fingers crossed

Althought looking at all the similar woe stories I am feeling very anxious.

One thing I can 100% guarantee is it wasn't sent to my correct address, since evey eBay item I have bought, once the seller ships it, it has automatically appeared on my Auspost account/ mobile app. Even a seperate purchase from this morning is already lodged in my account as the seller has updated the tracking.

[impulsive-buyer-007]

Hey guys,

Did some digging as this is the only thing on my mind right now.

Used 17track.net to track the parcel and here is what I found: https://imgur.com/QhVHfWZ

Some information have been blurred like suburbs, but as you can see it clearly says seller sent a express medium envelope. No way 2x 4090 GPUSs (computer parts) that weight over 5kgs in total and are packed in massive boxes, and given I ordered 2 of them fit isnide an envelope.

Trying to gather as much information I can until Monday.

[twyngwyn]

intriguing......did you read stawka's link? Maybe you 2 buyers should get together via personal messaging....you have nothing to lose!! Good luck!!

[twyngwyn]

In the blurb it says: delivered on the 21st.....but in the heading it says: delivered on the 26th (today)???

A.P. has a lot to answer for??

[impulsive-buyer-007]

Hey mate, I did send them a message.

And by the looks of it we're the victims of the same scam. I went on to the users profile and checked their feedback on the item they had bought and what do you know, it's the same format as mine. 

Probably a group of individual pulling this scam.

[impulsive-buyer-007]

Most likely 17track.nets error, on the offical AP website and the mobile app, it says was delivered on the 21/11/2022 and customer lodged eqnuiry on the 26/11/2022.