Dishonest buyer gets caught out...

[performance_parts_clearance_centre]

So, I sold an item - woo-hoo! It happens, occasionally. Mind you, it took a lot more effort than you'd expect for a simple $25 item - numerous messages from the prospective buyer via both our Ebay store and our bricks-and-mortar business. But, the sale was made on May 11th, item sent to his nominated PO box, and all's right with the world, you'd think.

But, nup... Buyer contacts me on May 31st, saying he hadn't received the item. I provided the tracking number, showing that the item had been delivered on May 19th.

He messaged me again on June 6, asking where the item was. I again provided the tracking number and told him it was showing as delivered, and requested that he go to the post office and make enquiries with them.

He messaged me on June 8th, now asking for details of how it was packaged, which I provided, and again requested that he go to the post office.

He messaged me AGAIN today, now asking for details of what was written on the address label, which I told him. He also wanted to know whether our seller ID was on the label, which seems irrelevant - he either got the item or he didn't...

By now smelling a rat the size of a small family SUV, I just rang the post office in question - and they cheerfully confirmed that the item was picked up AND SIGNED FOR by him on May 19th! 

I've messaged him, giving him the bad news, and am awaiting his sub-literate, all-caps response even as we speak..., err, type.

I've also clued Ebay into the matter - stay tuned for the next thrilling chapter!

[kopenhagen5]

It's possible he has purchases mixed up hence trying to work out if yours arrived in amongst all his other ones.

Nice when AP are helpful with info.

How did you go with the other cases, I seem to remember you had a few strange ones 2-3 weeks ago ?

(Or I might have you mixed up with another poster here)

[performance_parts_clearance_centre]

The item that was going to the UK magically appeared there a couple of days after I made my enquiry with Aust Post, which is great! I think the buyer may also have made an enquiry via Royal Mail at her end, which probably sped things up, too.

The buyer who claimed they didn't receive their item despite tracking showing it delivered (sound familiar?) lodged an INR case against me, and Ebay sided with me. Kind of disappointing all round, though - I'd already told the buyer I'd accept a return, and could have re-sold the item without any problem.

As to the OP... yes, I've just had a lengthy message claiming that her brother is the one who does the pick-ups, and that the post office staff haven't allowed anyone to sign for items for a couple of months due to "this virus thing", that they just tick the items off instead, and they can't understand why the post office would say they signed when they hadn't, etc. Also saying they haven't received a package as I described, with our name on it. Again, that's irrelevant - the item in question is distinctive and unmistakeable; they've either received it or they haven't, and as they're expecting it, I can't see how they possibly be confused...

Sorely tempted to request that the post office send me a scan of the card, which I can then message along to the buyer (and to Ebay)...

[joztamps]

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@performance_parts_clearance_centre wrote:

The item that was going to the UK magically appeared there a couple of days after I made my enquiry with Aust Post, which is great! I think the buyer may also have made an enquiry via Royal Mail at her end, which probably sped things up, too.

The buyer who claimed they didn't receive their item despite tracking showing it delivered (sound familiar?) lodged an INR case against me, and Ebay sided with me. Kind of disappointing all round, though - I'd already told the buyer I'd accept a return, and could have re-sold the item without any problem.

As to the OP... yes, I've just had a lengthy message claiming that her brother is the one who does the pick-ups, and that the post office staff haven't allowed anyone to sign for items for a couple of months due to "this virus thing", that they just tick the items off instead, and they can't understand why the post office would say they signed when they hadn't, etc. Also saying they haven't received a package as I described, with our name on it. Again, that's irrelevant - the item in question is distinctive and unmistakeable; they've either received it or they haven't, and as they're expecting it, I can't see how they possibly be confused...

Sorely tempted to request that the post office send me a scan of the card, which I can then message along to the buyer (and to Ebay)...

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He's correct that the PO doesn't let people sign fror items, PO Staff just "sign" C.V (for CoronaVirus) or something similar on the machine on behalf of the collector.

That may be what he knows and is counting on.

[countessalmirena]

If the recipient's name is something like Charlotte Villiers, or Carl Vorst, or Caroline Vansen, or Chris Verruker, or Crystal Villanova... that could be confusing.

[tazzieterror]

Charles the Ventriloquist has also been having some issues with his local PO these past months.

[danieh_6]

Not 100% related but I have a P.O. box and everything I get with SOD has been Signed for by me not the staff, at my house a different story always signed by the Postie. (Since Covid19)

[digital*ghost]

If it was a package too large for the post box, they would have had a card left in there which is then handed over to collect the package - if it could fit in the box, an SOD item could be scanned as delivered / signed for first thing in the morning when the sorting and distribution is done, if it couldn't, there would usually be an awaiting collection scan first, and then a delivered scan later. 

If we're talking the second scenario, it's more likely a box holder is known to staff, and less likely it was handed over to the wrong person, so if that indeed was the case (awaiting collection > delivered) I'd be tempted to tell them it sounds like someone must have gained access to the card or had knowledge of the package, which means they impersonated her brother or otherwise presented evidence of being authorised to collect the package, which is fraud on multiple levels. Due to the serious nature of this, a police investigation may be necessary, but hopefully Aus Post have retained CCTV of whoever collected the package so that the criminal can suffer the full extent of the law 

[tazzieterror]

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@digital*ghost wrote:

If it was a package too large for the post box, they would have had a card left in there which is then handed over to collect the package - if it could fit in the box, an SOD item could be scanned as delivered / signed for first thing in the morning when the sorting and distribution is done, if it couldn't, there would usually be an awaiting collection scan first, and then a delivered scan later. 

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This is exactly what happens with my PO box.  99% of items are too large for it, so are carded, and I collect from the parcel collection window later.  Staff have been signing on behalf of those picking up since March - I simply get handed the parcel(s).

For the couple of items that have been small enough to fit in the PO box, they're already signed for by staff during sorting.

[performance_parts_clearance_centre]

Mmmmkay, so I just spoke to the post office again - turns out that they know the recipient, and rather well at that. They're adamant that he would have picked up the item personally, as it was too big big to fit in his PO box and was therefore "carded". They have the pick-up date and time logged, and are prepared to go through the security footage if push comes to shove - and said to tell him that.

All this over a $25 radiator cap...