YAET: Just got scammed on eBay. New type of scam going around

[DAWeinG]

Hopefully this is not a repost...

Just got scammed out of a laptop due to the infamous paypal reverse/unauthorized payment. The new scam involves the person offering to use their shipping label/account.

The buyer messages and emails me a printable UPS next day label with my name on the label and to the correct address on the paypal account. Then they intercept the package and reroute it to a different address. I have no control over this whole process because I am not the original shipper.

The thing is, right before I shipped it, I was somewhat suspicious but didn't act upon my instinct because I've let people use their UPS or Fedex accounts in the past to ship my items to them without any problems.

So just a heads up, beware of any scammer asking if they can use their own shipping labels.


A little update...

The tenant returned the package back to the leasing office of the apartment complex. The office now has the package but it may have been tampered with. Tried to call the Plano PD but they wouldn't help and told me to go to my local PD in California. Went to my local PD and they wouldn't help either, they said that only if I receive the package back and it wasn't the same as what I put in, I might have a case. Other than that, the only thing I can do now is fax/email a UPS shipping label to the leasing office and have them ship it back.


5/22/09 Update

Got my Macbook Air back all in one piece. Fuck off scammers.

 

[Codewiz]

Timewarped. Original post below. I have never heard of this one before. Pretty smart.

 

[geno]

Is there no way to track them down at this point? Did you ship it internationally or did they intercept it and reroute it to an international address?

 

[DAWeinG]

It was originally going to Florida but was rerouted to an apartment complex somewhere in Plano, TX.

I called UPS and I got the address it was re-routed to. I looked it up on Google, it was at an apartment complex. I called them and they said that they overheard one of the manager's talking to the tenant who received it.

Something along the lines of this guy was working for a new internet start up company and his job was to just receive packages and ship them to other countries. The manager told him he hopes that it wasn't something illegal and the tenant denied that it was. The assistant at the apartment complex told me that it seems like this guy is just in the middle of all of this and doesn't know what's going on. I tried to have the apartment complex get ahold of him and tell him not to ship out anymore packages, especially mine because it is under UPS/police investigation.

Currently, I already contacted UPS and am going to file a police report.

 

[RagingBITCH]

DAW - you got PM.

 

[coloumb]

google search:

Mar 27 2007

"UPS has just rolled out a new Delivery Intercept feature that adds a new level of control over everything that happens to your package after it's shipped but before it's delivered.

After you ship your package, Delivery Intercept lets you return the package to sender, change the delivery address, reschedule delivery, or have UPS hold the package for pickup over the internet any time before delivery. The service isn't free (it looks like it may be as much as $10/intercept), but anyone who's had to hassle with shipping problems that could have easily been remedied with a mid-ship intercept will likely find this a handy option."

 

[EagleKeeper]

The Tx may have been a victim of such a scam.

Over the past year, I have had blind emails for positions that will act as forwarders for items shipped to your home address.

Because they end up going to your home, you are considered responsible even if you have shipped them onward.

 

[AstroManLuca]

Yeah, this is why I never send anything overnight and why I always insist on shipping myself. I get payment, allow it to sit for a few days, and then ship it out.

If someone needs a laptop or other piece of equipment that urgently, they can buy one locally.

 

[DAWeinG]

A little update...

The tenant returned the package back to the leasing office of the apartment complex. The office now has the package but it may have been tampered with. Tried to call the Plano PD but they wouldn't help and told me to go to my local PD in California. Went to my local PD and they wouldn't help either, they said that only if I receive the package back and it wasn't the same as what I put in, I might have a case. Other than that, the only thing I can do now is fax/email a UPS shipping label to the leasing office and have them ship it back.

 

[Q]

Interesting, thanks for the updates DAW, and let us know what happens

 

[imported_Mike]

Unfortunately this is not new at all. Hopefully you get it back.

1 of the most important rules on ebay, NEVER use someone's shipping account. It is ALWAYS a scam.

 

[Epic Fail]

nm

 

[CRXican]

shitty

 

[TonyG]

I am not far from plano, so if there is anything I can do to help out, just let me know.

 

[thepd7]

Originally posted by: TonyG
I am not far from plano, so if there is anything I can do to help out, just let me know.

:thumbsup:

 

[Adul]

Originally posted by: DAWeinG
Hopefully this is not a repost...

Just got scammed out of a laptop due to the infamous paypal reverse/unauthorized payment. The new scam involves the person offering to use their shipping label/account.

The buyer messages and emails me a printable UPS next day label with my name on the label and to the correct address on the paypal account. Then they intercept the package and reroute it to a different address. I have no control over this whole process because I am not the original shipper.

The thing is, right before I shipped it, I was somewhat suspicious but didn't act upon my instinct because I've let people use their UPS or Fedex accounts in the past to ship my items to them without any problems.

So just a heads up, beware of any scammer asking if they can use their own shipping labels.


A little update...

The tenant returned the package back to the leasing office of the apartment complex. The office now has the package but it may have been tampered with. Tried to call the Plano PD but they wouldn't help and told me to go to my local PD in California. Went to my local PD and they wouldn't help either, they said that only if I receive the package back and it wasn't the same as what I put in, I might have a case. Other than that, the only thing I can do now is fax/email a UPS shipping label to the leasing office and have them ship it back.

would the fbi have any jurisdiction on this?

 

[PokerGuy]

I came to the conclusion a long time ago that with any online buy/sell activity, any time the buyer or seller asks you to do something outside the normal process, it's a red flag for a scam. It's not always a scam, but pretty darn close.

 

[Mursilis]

Originally posted by: Adul
would the fbi have any jurisdiction on this?

Because this transaction crosses state lines, there's probably some federal jurisdiction here, but it's probably not enough of a major crime to get the feds involved.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: Mike
Unfortunately this is not new at all. Hopefully you get it back.

1 of the most important rules on ebay, NEVER use someone's shipping account. It is ALWAYS a scam.

I try to when it's cost worthy....we are an extremely high volume shipper.

 

[DAWeinG]

Update... Got my Macbook Air back all in one piece.

 

[alkemyst]

so it wasn't a scam?