Parcel Picked Up But Buyer Said it Was Not Him

[classic_temptations]

Hi Everyone,

Can anyone make any suggestions please regarding my sale.

I sold a small item (brand new) worth approximately $50.

The buyer contacted me asking when it would be delivered.

I contacted the courier and they said the customer had rang them and changed the delivery address but before they could deliver

to the new address someone turned up at the courier depot and collected it. They had the consignment card which was left

in my buyers mail box.

The courier company did not ask for ID - Im not sure if they are suppose to if a consignment card is shown

My buyer confirms she did not ring the courier and change the address or pick up the item.

The courier has checked their CCTV cameras and they have picture of the car etc but no number plate

Can anyone suggest please where i go from here, it is not about the money although it could have been a much more expensive item, I would like to get to the bottom of this but not sure what to do next.

Any suggestions would be great

My customer is waiting for a refund or her purchase.

Many Thanks in advance.

[jensmanchester-australia]

dave - this was followed by:-

My buyer confirms she did not ring the courier and change the address or pick up the item.

[digital*ghost]

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@davewil1964 wrote:

 contacted the courier and they said the customer had rang them and changed the delivery address but before they could deliver

to the new address someone turned up at the courier depot and collected it. They had the consignment card which was left

in my buyers mail box.

This says to me that the buyer had actually changed address and tried to initiate the change post-sale, but that the courier had already attempted delivery to the address the buyer had provided.

But, yes, if this is not the case (and I'm not convinced) then the police is the logical next avenue.

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That's what the courier said, but they may have no way of knowing if the person who called to change the address was the intended recipient at all. (in other words "we received a phone call from the recipient" could be more likely "we received a phone call from someone who knew the consignment number so we assumed it was the intended recipient and told you that's who it was"). 

For example, when a USPS package was addressed to my PO box and I had to change it to my street address, I called them, gave them the consignment number, then the new address and that was it. They did not ask for any more indentifying details at all - not even the original ship-to address. Some couriers you don't even need to call, you can just go to their website and do it there. 

Now, if the courier had attempted delivery to the original address but no one was home, and they do what all couriers have done with me in the past (which is to leave a card with the consignment number written on it at the premises), then an opportunist likely has everything they need to make a 2 minute phonecall and redirect a package.

Hence, I say it's an issue with the courier company's practices and lack of security.

As an aside, (not addressing you, dave) I just want to reiterate PayPal's Buyer Protection policy which clearly states that a buyer is not eligible for protection if the seller has proof of shipping. The advice to threaten PayPal with the BFSO if PayPal uphold this term and get a discretionary refund rather conflicts with the whole thing about reading, understanding and - more importantly - agreeing to PayPal's T&C's. 

[davewil1964]

I'm glad you weren't addressing me, d*g, as I didn't mention the FOS.

My point is that somebody with the consignment number rang the courier to get the item redirected. Presumably that would be either the buyer or the seller, as nobody else should be privy to it.

BUT, delivery had already been attempted by the courier to the contracted address. I presume the subsequent presentation of the card to the courier was by the resident of the contracted delivery address.

Therefore, the buyer is at fault, unless they still reside at the shipped to address. Which I don't believe is the case.

[jensmanchester-australia]

Australia Post have a constant battle with attempted fraud when delivery cards have been stolen from letterboxes and the thief attempts to collect the parcel from the Post Office. They will also steal identifying information from letterboxes to try and provide evidence that they are the rightful owner of the parcel.

My local Post Office was only telling me recently that there was a gang operating again in an area of Perth and all the Post Offices had been forewarned.

Just because a card was left it doesn't necessarily mean that the resident of the delivery address was the person who went and collected the parcel.

[davewil1964]

BUT it was a courier not AP.

Somebody tried to get the delivery address changed post-post.

Surely a thief would just present the stolen card, not try to get the delivery address changed when they knew delivery had already been attempted?

[jensmanchester-australia]

Thieves don't always think rationally - if they rang to get the delivery address changed then why did they bother to go and collect it.

[davewil1964]

Exactly my point. They wouldn't.

I reckon the buyer moved and didn't bother changing their address until too late. I know for a fact that this happens.

And i am sure you have also experienced it.

[digital*ghost]

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@davewil1964 wrote:

My point is that somebody with the consignment number rang the courier to get the item redirected. Presumably that would be either the buyer or the seller, as nobody else should be privy to it.

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No, as I mentioned, a delivery was obviously attempted at the original address, so the call to redirect the package would have been made after the delivery attempt, and the cards generally have the consignment number written on them, so anyone who sees / takes possession of the card would be privy to it. 

The buyer forgetting to update their address is plausable (one way to try and find out is to see if they'd be happy for a replacement to be delivered to the original address), but so is a thief stealing the consignment card and collecting the package (redirects can take a few days to process, mine with UPS took nearly a week, so maybe they got worried they'd miss their shot at stealing the item if someone followed up on the tracking). 

[springyzone]

I would love to know what the buyer says-if they have changed addresses or not.

The card was obviously left in the letterbox of the address as supplied to ebay/paypal.

The logical people who would receive the card are those who are living at that address.

I can understand a thief taking a card and attempting pick up, lots of thieves are quite brazen.

But a thief actually ringing up and arranging to change the address to their own? That would be stupidity as surely anyone trying to follow up on a lost parcel would have Austpost (or the courier company) telling them the delivery address. A thief would be too easily traced that way.

If the buyer has not changed address, then are they renting with others, as someone there may have taken the card.

Any time I pick up a parcel from the post office, using a card, I have to show ID first. I would expect a courier company to do the same.

If the seller has proof of posting and tracking, they should not be liable for it.

[sparrow2207]

Why don't you contact the courier company and request the addtress that the person phoned ans asked for the parcel to be redirected to.

As you were the sender I don't think they can acrually refuse to provide it to you.

You could then contact the police yourself - ultimately someone is guilty of fraud.