Anyone noticed a spike in Fraud on ebay since COVID19 started?

[myroflcopter]

I have been selling on ebay since 2000... I had a break for a while and started just before covid became a thing. I have noticed A LOT of fraud and people successfully scoring free stuff, lots of paypal claims that are unwarranted. ebay rewarding fraud, im spending a lot of time and energy defending my cases... I have never seen anything like this before, it is extreme.  7 Claims in about 7 weeks and ive probably only sold a couple of hundred items. I am always prompt with postage and an am honest seller, feel like this is getting out of control.  

[kopenhagen5]

I wouldn't call it fraud due to Covid-19.

Because of cancelled flights around the globe, much of the mail is going by road and sea.

As well as many other services shut down.

Hence long delays and buyers not understanding why it takes 4-6 weeks when usually 1-2 weeks.

THAT has caused a big spike in cases being opened.

[performance_parts_clearance_centre]

Dunno about actual "fraud", as in dishonesty, but there's certainly been a lack of allowance for the vastly increased delivery times. Our sales have gone through the roof in the last six weeks or so, and only two items have actually gone astray (and tracking shows one of those delivered, but the buyer swears it wasn't).

There have been more claims than usual, but I chalk a lot of that up to our increased sales (May was just on double our average, and we're only a whisker away from hitting our average already in June), and the usual dopey buyer who buys something that won't suit their purpose and them blames us for selling it to them...

[danieh_6]

Maybe send with tracking, Submit at post office, Increase processing times, Problem solved.

[countessalmirena]

It would be wonderful if lodgement over the counter, with tracking, would be a complete solution to avoid items going missing, parcels not delivered, and buyers lodging claims.

But it's not necessarily the case... However, it is at least a way to cut down on the great majority of those problems, as you suggest.

[danieh_6]

yeah i know but all im saying is at least you can get compensated for lost items. I got the impression OP is having to refund a lot more recently

[offroad7400]

I'd say buyers taking advantage of mistakes. We have 3 cases from the same buyer, all 1 week apart and I suspect all 3 parcels were not scanned on delivery and buyer took advantage and bought more.

He's now on our blocked list.

- Scammers don't send messages, they just open cases and never communicate.
- Legitimate buyers with problems send messages before opening cases.