Where is the win in this suspected eBay scam?

[Throttlesteer]

Originally Posted by chalupacollects

If it was an expensive item could be a payday loan so to speak...

This is what I was thinking. Interest free loan

[Jetsfan]

You may be right about the interest free loan, but the item in total came to a little less than $400, including tax, so you think if he/she was going to do this, might’ve looked for a more expensive item? But good thought. Still weird though.

[drcy]

Sounds as if the scammer wil be losing money on this transaction.

Live and learn.

[jchcollins]

Standard operating procedure is to put the tracking number into the field in eBay once the package has shipped, if the shipping offered specified something with tracking. The fact that the seller didn't bother to do that is just another point in your favor when you open a case with eBay.

Good luck, I've been there. It's frustrating.

[pokerplyr80]

Maybe people pull these scams hoping customers just won't follow up on not receiving their order? I sometimes forget stuff I ordered and paid for on amazon. I could see myself falling victim to such a scam and finding it not worth the time to fight.

[packs]

Could be a mix up. I was the victim of one this year. I ordered 11 packs from a seller who mailed me one pack. Turns out they mixed my order up with another order but never heard back from the person who received my 11 packs.

I was skeptical of the story but the seller refunded me and let me keep the pack they mailed me by mistake. So, I guess it happens.

[Jetsfan]

I think the reason at this point I think something shady is going on is the complete lack of response from the seller since Saturday. But there are always reasonable explanations. Still waiting to see what happens.

[drcy]

True.

Some scammers send people imaginary bills and wait for the checks from the people who pay.

Originally Posted by pokerplyr80

Maybe people pull these scams hoping customers just won't follow up on not receiving their order? I sometimes forget stuff I ordered and paid for on amazon. I could see myself falling victim to such a scam and finding it not worth the time to fight.

[swarmee]

If the seller is along the Gulf Coast, they might not have power yet.

Also possible he sent you the tracking number for a different customer's item, and should have sent you yours. Could be a payday loan, but too soon to tell.

[hcv123]

Not sure if the way Ebay and Paypal are set up now precludes this from happening - I sent payment via Paypal $1300 for an item that was supposed to be shipped overnight. The "seller/scammer" and I had been messaging back and forth frequently over the immediately prior 24 hour period - after I paid - silence. No tracking - no communication. About 12 hours later I filed an item not received report with Paypal. I had spoken with them previously to understand the process and money flow (obviously didn't listen to my gut that was registering something wasn't right) - I was told that if I file an item not received report, the money is frozen until the case is resolved. Paypal decided the case in my favor BUT explained that the scammer had withdrawn the $$ almost as soon as I deposited it and I was SOL! Never made whole on that one.