Suspicious scammer using AI generated or photoshopped photo in a return case

[lemonxlemon]

Hi all,

I have a suspicious scammer here that I never came across with.

This buyer created a return case with only one photo uploaded.

The photo shows a crack inside of the mug.

First of all, this is a brand new Hermes porcelain mug, which I have sold numerous of them and never had one cracked or broken. They were always packed well protected.

Secondly, if a brand new Hermes porcelain mug cracks, the crack mark should be a very clean white mark, same with any high quality porcelain mugs. It shouldn't be black like the photo this buyer uploaded.

Therefore, I strongly believe there is something fishy with this buyer. This buyer only just registered the account in July 2025. So I asked her to show me more photos of the parcel box that she received and also more photo of this mug in multiple angles. She replied with only the photos of the parcel box which is undamaged. I asked her again to show me more photos of the mug and she stopped replying.

This photo with the crack, I strongly believe it is AI generated or photoshopped!

Has anyone else came across with this or similar case?

[springyzone]

I haven't heard of this exact sort of case but there have been plenty of sellers on this forum who have reported various scam claims.

Whether your buyer is making a false claim or not though is another thing.I am not convinced she is.

To me, the photo looks clear enough & the fact the box it was sent in was undamaged means nothing.

It is perfectly possible a mug could crack in transit.

I have had a similar thing happen to me, but as a buyer. Not with a mug, but I bought 2 packs of 6 double walled coffee glasses, the clear type. The packages arrived in excellent condition but inside one pack, 2 of the glasses had cracks. Not broken, but cracks. I took a photo & was given a full refund and asked to dispose of the broken glasses.

This was on the old Catch of the day, not through ebay. Of course, this gave me 4 free glasses but I had been buying the boxes as a gifts, not for myself, and this wrecked it for me.

You say you've never had any of your mugs crack so in that case, you can't be sure exactly what they look like inside when they do. To me, the photo looks perfectly feasible.

I think you're going to have to refund this buyer & you can't ask for the mug back either as I think the rule is people are not supposed to send broken glass or china through the post. If you keep asking for more photos the buyer might classify you as difficult to deal with and give feedback accordingly.

If you refuse to refund, I think ebay will step in and refund.

I am not saying this couldn't possibly be photoshopped. Anything like that is possible these days. I am just saying it could well be a legitimate claim.

But if you feel strongly that the buyer is scamming you, refund and then block her.

[*casey*]

"Secondly, if a brand new Hermes porcelain mug cracks, the crack mark should be a very clean white mark, same with any high quality porcelain mugs"

As long as the mug is unused, I agree  that a crack would be white.

My guess is that the buyer's hoping  you refund and  they get to keep a  $280  mug.

And just because the  buying ID is newly registered, it doesn't mean a thing.

Scammers open new accounts regularly.

All you can do is send them a return label and ask for it to be returned.

Needless to say,  you could receive anything back in the mail , but worth a try

[gutterpunkz05]

Accept the return and issue a return label, then see what you get back.  Can not see the point in sending a dodgy pic if the item has to be returned prior to refund.

[sandypebbles]

Looks questionable as to me

Maybe this buyer already had a damaged mug, tried to do a bit of Kintsugi on it and didn't like the result

Sure does not look like a new crack to me

And the fact they refuse to send any other photos of the damage, if they are genuine, why would they twice ignore such a request?

Of course they would know that they can say whatever they want and eBay will take their word for it

But please do make sure you block them, in case they need to replace anything else in their collection, and even if not, it's not worth taking the chance and risking selling to them again

[domino-710]

Not sure how one ends up with a black crack.

[siddieswans]

There are lots of tutorials on-line on how to add a "cracked effect to almost everything". That's what it looks like to me. From the time frame this may be an International sale?  If that's the case  you have very little recourse as you cannot issue a return postage label for International sales. If I'm wrong and it's a local sale then I would go ahead, accept the return  and issue a return postage label.  If they come up with the can't post a cracked item excuse, I would at least TRY appealing to eBay that they have refused a return postage label and have refused to provide further photos of the damage, which could be photoshopped in the only photo they have provided. 

It's worth a try; if you do nothing eBay will refund them anyway.  If this was my sale, I would (after blocking them of course)  continue to monitor their Feedback; if it looks like they have discovered a nifty way of obtaining free goods, you could try reporting them to eBay. Good luck. 

[countessalmirena]

The “crack” is definitely edited / photoshopped onto the photo of the cup. Zoom in on the picture, and you will see artefact directly around the “crack” itself, and nowhere else.

Were I you, I would get onto Live Chat, and ask to speak to human, and state authoritatively that the image sent presents clear unmistakable evidence of photoshopping. Perhaps provide a stat dec to the effect that you received this photo as so-called evidence and that close examination shows a faked crack - not even a good quality bit of photoshopping.

If the CS rep won’t on the spot close the return request, I’d gird my loins and provide a return postage label.

If it’s an international sale, I’m not sure what would be best to do. Can you instruct the buyer to send back and you’d pay them the return postage upon receiving the item?

One thing I would strive to do with every fibre is to let the buyer get away with this.

[domino-710]

It's not chipped so the crack edges should all match evenly together - they don't.

Definitely a photo job.

[countessalmirena]

Aaagh! EDIT:

❝One thing I would strive to AVOID with every fibre is to let the buyer get away with this.❞

Not do.