Question regarding a hypothetical mail order problem for sellers and PayPal...

[Bugsy]

When a high dollar item has been returned because of it being not as described, I have heard of sellers actually opening the returned item at the postal counter in front of a post office employee, while getting the event on video. I suppose the same could be done when mailing an item. Even that isn't airtight, but it could certainly help you argue your case. I suppose you have to be paranoid if it is a high dollar item.

[Runscott]

Doesn't insurance cover you on this sort of thing? e.g-if the buyer claims he received 'junk wax' instead of the item, can't you file an insurance claim based on the fact that the item was stolen? Certainly that fits the definition of 'stolen'.

Let the insurance's fraud area go after the thief.

[packs]

Don't think that would work though. Insurance would say the same thing: how do we know you mailed the item you claim to have mailed?

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by packs

Don't think that would work though. Insurance would say the same thing: how do we know you mailed the item you are claim to have mailed?

If that's the case, then insurance is totally worthless and no one should ever purchase it. I believe that if you know their has been theft, and you report it to the police, you are covered.

[vintagetoppsguy]

Originally Posted by packs

Don't think that would work though. Insurance would say the same thing: how do we know you mailed the item you claim to have mailed?

Originally Posted by Runscott

If that's the case, then insurance is totally worthless and no one should ever purchase it. I believe that if you know their has been theft, and you report it to the police, you are covered.

Your not looking at it from the perpective of the USPS. If it were that easy, every scammer would be mailing an empty package to a 'friend', insuring it for $1000, the friend saying they recevied an empty package and then the scammer filing a claim with the USPS. Packs makes a good point - how does the USPS know you really mailed the item you claim to have mailed?

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by vintagetoppsguy

Your not looking at it from the perpective of the USPS. If it were that easy, every scammer would be mailing an empty package to a 'friend', insuring it for $1000, the friend saying they recevied an empty package and then the scammer filing a claim with the USPS. Packs makes a good point - how does the USPS know you really mailed the item you claim to have mailed?

So insurance is worthless when there is a theft, even if there is a police report?

Seems strange to me, but okay.

[ATP]

Originally Posted by Runscott

So insurance is worthless when there is a theft, even if there is a police report?

Seems strange to me, but okay.

I believe the insurqnce he had was through ebay labels and shipcover. I also am fairly certain it was only insured up to their limit and perhaps not the full amount. He did not get paid out on the claim, and it may have been because of the signature confirmation not happening and just being blank when they tried to verify it, through no fault of his own.

[drcy]

The USPS has to prove mail fraud, not assume without evidence it happened and not pay. If the latter was the case, the fraud would be that they charge for insurance.

[packs]

I think the insurance mostly covers damaged or lost packages but not the actual item within the package. Again I could be wrong but I think purchasing insurance covers you in the event that the package is lost or destroyed prior to delivery.

I.E. if you insure a package for $1,000 and it drops off the tracking system and can't be found, you have a viable claim. Same if the package is run over or something and the contents are damaged. In cases of theft I think the signature will determine if the item was delivered correctly, and if it wasn't then the post office has an obligation.

I don't think insurance covers you in the event that someone says they got something other than what you shipped inside of your package.