A new scam
 

Bear with me, a bit tedious:

I saw this thread:
https://forums.pelicanparts.com/off-topic-discussions/1191465-cool-tool.html
Decided to get the tool since I work a lot in tight spaces. It was hard to find, most sources did not have it. Finally found one from a seller in Miami and ordered one on eBay. A little later, got a message from the seller that he did not in fact have any more and I should cancel the eBay purchase, which I did.

A little later I get a message from eBay saying they declined to cancel the order because the seller had declined canceling it. Huh? So I contact the credit card company (Am Ex) and file a dispute for the charges. A little later I get a message from Am Ex saying they declined my dispute because the tool had been delivered and ebay provided a "proof of delivery." Double Huh?

It wasn't delivered of course. There may be a circuitous way to reopen a dispute with eBay or Am Ex, but I couldn't find it.

Times have changed. I've used ebay and Amex for decades and had occasional minor disputes that were handled quickly and easily. My belief is whatever the seller provided ebay was fraudulent, the item was never shipped and certainly never received. But they accepted what the seller provided them rather than the true facts that I provided.

I feel like I've lost good friends, both were services I used often and trusted. No longer.

So I'm out about $80, actually a small amount but it could have been much larger. But Ebay will never see me again and Amex has gone from my go to account to my account of last resort and soon to be my account of no resort.

I think the take home is fraudulent shipping tracking exists, and there are significant changes in the way ebay and amex handle their customer disputes.:(

Charles

Wow, bummer!
I'd contact AMEX again. I'd want the tracking info. As far as eBay, I suspect you're just screwed there.

The real problem, I suspect, is that lots of folks try to get out of paying for stuff, and so were probably scamming sellers, so ebay's response was to side more with the sellers, which opened things up for scammers that are sellers. There are, unfortunately, always folks that will find a way to steal from others.

Can you leave bad feedback or is that likely to get deleted?

I agree. Call AMEX and go through menu-hell until you are able to speak with a real human.

Thx for the comments. Menu hell at AMEX is an understatement. I've spent a lot of time on this and for $80? I also thought why "throw out the baby in the wash, as I've used both ebay and amex extensively for businesses and personal acquisitions/expenses"

But at the end of the day, even if I got my $80 back, my feeling is that these are no longer trusted trading partners based on how this has been handled. So I'll move on.

Charles

I got scammed for $350 by a seller on eBay. The Ford Sync upgrade didn’t work. They sent a replacement part and it didn’t work. They sent me an ups label to return, which I did, and then I’d get reimbursed. It never happened after multiple requests and no response. Filed a claim with eBay and it was denied. Filed a claim with my BOA card and it was denied. First time I spent that much on eBay and I got burned.

There are multiple threads on this across the net. Pics of delivered packages are easy to find and copy. The seller does create a shipment amounting to nothing and sends it to a similar address in your zip code. eBay sees that as delivered.

It is new and eBay and AmEx will sort it out when the number of scams reaches a point. Your best bet is to write a letter or email if (you can obtain the legal email address). Otherwise send your letter to the Registered Agent for AmEx in your state. That's where your subpoena goes if you have to sue. It will reach the legal dept at AmEx.

They should have enough complaints by now to handle this. They haven't had to program around this yet apparently, but that is coming, I'm sure.

Have you guys noticed you can’t add Amex as a form of payment for eBay. You have to use PayPal or similar with the Amex.

Fleabay is getting less trust-worthy with each passing day. They pretty much lost me when they linked up with Paypal (I dropped PPal in 2022). Just not worth the hassle to save a few bucks.

As far as the ratchet goes, I saw Rainman Ray use a similar one in a video...maybe snap-on?

I bought the Tone ratchet in 1/4 and 3/8. Haven’t tried them out yet.

Obviously, a legit tool seller...so who?

Amex supposedly charges merchants the highest rates. Many don't accept it. Maybe Amex is trying to side with them now.

My recent experience:
1). Mom passed. Returned all her Comcast equipment at store and cancelled. Manager wouldn't give me cancellation paperwork ("it's all online now, don't worry"). Bills continued months later. Comcast known for that. Amex wouldn't let me reverse charges because they were already auto-paid by advisor.

2). Cancelled card. They sent final reduced bill which I paid. They waived late fees. Good.
They sent me letter that card account was cancelled.

4). Three weeks later they sent later saying they've added her number to her card account and another bill. WTH?

I've never used eBay. It's place in the sun was 20 years ago.

While I'm sure plenty of legitimate transactions occur, there's too many stories (and growing in number) of counterfeit products or scammers to not make it worthwhile even visiting the sight.

^^^ Years ago, I bought tire pressure sensors in sealed bags marked Motorcraft. Looking online at other sellers on eBay, they were the same price. I bought them, got them installed, and they’ve been nothing but problems since. They had to be counterfeit. I found myself buying genuine parts online from a few wholesale Ford dealers

Why wouldn’t you cancel the card right away?

Excellent point. Thank you.
It's something everyone will go through. And should have a plan. A list. This should be common knowledge but is not.

-General confusion, depression, with a thousand details and communications follow a death.

-Some of that definitely falls on this layman.

-Delay in obtaining the legal documentation to legally do so: Death Cert, Trustee authority establishment on file, copying and sending all verification to correct recipients of accounts: Financial. Housing. Utilities. The auto-billing on small accounts became a factor over time.

-Making records of all. Folders and multi-binders sorted and stacked.

-Delay in outstanding bills to known [various health care] vendors who need to get paid.

-Confusion in delegation of responsibility: The financial advisor handled her C/C. The lawyer handled her Estate Closing.
I just waited for instructions. At least for a while.

-Other wild factors thrown into the mix at the very wrong time with severe implications. People using Mom's C/C for their own bills before the Estate even settles. Using her email account in impersonation to 'help out'. But I won't go into details here.

Related... Dreadful story.

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