Would you take action?

[oddsandendsoz]

Hi guys,

Just a query regarding a recent transaction. A buyer bought an item on Sunday and as I live fairly local I was doubtful that the address was accurate as i know the building is not the biggest. I checked the address on google to find the address was a hotel but then when re-checking realised the postcode was incorrect. I messaged the buyer saying that I would need to cancel the order if they did not respond and asked for contact details as the address was incorrect. Buyer emails me back to provide their correct address with new updated postcode and so i respond to say that we would need to cancel and they are welcome to buy again but enter the correct address in PayPal and eBay as we are unable to send to a different address than the ones in PayPal.

Buyer never responds and I find out that the number they provided is for a Handyman's Service in another State....even more bizarre it seems the handyman's residential or business address entered into Google 3 years ago also does not exist? Noew of course, it is possible the buyer changed their mind due to inconvenience, but still does not explain wrong number or non existant address and when i SMS'd the buyer at the same time as emailing about needing to cancel I did not recieve a response to say "wrong number mate"...all very weird. Just wondered any experienced sellers thoughts on this? Would you report to ACORN or a Police report?

[kopenhagen5]

No, I wouldn't waste their time with this one.

As you said could be an error and they couldn't be bothered anymore.

[lyndal1838]

Why do you need to report the buyer to anyone?

A silly buyer gives you a wrong address....hardly a criminal offense.

You have cancelled the order and are not out of pocket so just move on.

[oddsandendsoz]

Lol i love your warm responses. Perhaps because the 'buyer' could be a scammer ordering thousands of $$$ of items from a Hotel and not taking good honest sellers for a ride maybe? My item was over $500 and thankfully I did not send because these boards have taught me many things that some sellers may not know and be aware of. Although it is not a criminal offence to be an idiot, nor to give a fake contact number, it is mightily suspicious from a 0 feedback buyer who only registered the same day?

[lyndal1838]

As you are determined to find a scammer in this transaction why did you bother to ask on the boards?

Go for it and report away.

[imastawka]

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@oddsandendsoz wrote:

Lol i love your warm responses. Perhaps because the 'buyer' could be a scammer ordering thousands of $$$ of items from a Hotel and not taking good honest sellers for a ride maybe? My item was over $500 and thankfully I did not send because these boards have taught me many things that some sellers may not know and be aware of. Although it is not a criminal offence to be an idiot, nor to give a fake contact number, it is mightily suspicious from a 0 feedback buyer who only registered the same day?

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And that info was left out of the OP.

Responders are not mind readers

[collect247]

If honest sellers use the seller protection policy then they wouldn't get scammed these days I think haha

[digital*ghost]

You cant report to ACORN unless online fraud has actually occurred, and even then it generally will just become a statistic unless you also suffered financial loss.

Potential fraud, especially if you don't really have verifiable details for the person who may or may not have done anything, is not quite a reportable offence.

[countessalmirena]

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@digital*ghost wrote:

Potential fraud, especially if you don't really have verifiable details for the person who may or may not have done anything, is not quite a reportable offence.

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It would be reportable if we were living in Philip K. D!ck's "Minority Report". Or - no, wait. We wouldn't even need to report potential crimes in such a world, as the Precrime police would be on top of it as soon as it was thought.

@oddsandendsoz,

In this ordinary world, I can think of scenarios where intention of a criminal act, sufficiently well supported by evidence of that intention, can be acted on. The situation you've described isn't really one of those scenarios, although I do think you have been wise to check the address and decide, for your peace of mind, to cancel the sale (as I assume you have?). The reason "problem with buyer's address" won't get you any defects for cancelling.

I also think it can be easy to overthink some issues and problems. 0 feedback buyers with incorrect details do send out all the wrong signals, and cancelling (plus adding buyer's ID to your blocked bidder list) is quick and easy, letting you get on with the business of selling. You've acted with caution, and probably dodged a bullet. I'd leave it at that.

[shoppingbag*]

I think the Police may be a waste of time.  What about reporting it to SCAMWATCH, as a possible scam, they may even have some information already on this sort of thing.  Make sure to put them on your blocked list, so they can't buy from you again.