Am I Being Scammed?

[mrreality68]

seems like a scam but I am not 100% sure how or what he gets out of it. Unless he has a way to keep the money but PP Goods and Services protects the buyer (especially how you described it)

Odd the 2 trackers
Odd it was intercepted before you had a chance to pick up at the Post Office
Odd he said you were wasting his time and money just because you missed the delivery
Lucky you used Goods and Service

good luck with it

[raulus]

Scammer or not, this seller doesn’t seem like worth dealing with.

[packs]

Did the post office provide any details on this paid intercept? I’ve not heard of that before and would be surprised it’s a service offered.

[edtiques]

Originally Posted by packs

Did the post office provide any details on this paid intercept? I’ve not heard of that before and would be surprised it’s a service offered.

"For a fee, USPS Package Intercept® lets the sender or recipient stop delivery or redirect a package, letter, or flat that is not out for delivery or already delivered. Most domestic mailings with a tracking or extra services barcode are eligible for Package Intercept. You can only request a Package Intercept online."

[todeen]

Originally Posted by edtiques

"For a fee, USPS Package Intercept® lets the sender or recipient stop delivery or redirect a package, letter, or flat that is not out for delivery or already delivered. Most domestic mailings with a tracking or extra services barcode are eligible for Package Intercept. You can only request a Package Intercept online."

I've used package intercept with FedEx or UPS when my purchase was sent to my previous address. It was a Shutterfly package. They are incompetent at shipping. I have updated my address multiple times, and now they have combined my previous address and my new address to create a third address that doesn't exist.

As for being scammed, it's hard to imagine a scenario in which the seller could get money out of this. I think he suffered sellers remorse and just didn't want to tell you that.

What is his ebay account so we can block him?

[packs]

Hmmm interesting. I didn't know you could do that.

If a scam was in the works, my guess is that the seller was looking to avoid "criminal" activity. Assuming you were sent an empty box or a box that didn't have the card you bought inside of it, by intercepting the box first, he would protect himself from accusations of fraud or charges of fraud or wire fraud for ripping you off over PayPal. Without receiving the bogus box you can't be sure he didn't actually mail the Ruth.

If that's the line of thinking, he probably forgot you paid him with a protected method and assumed you wouldn't be able to file for a refund.

[Jim65]

He's either a scammer or became extremely nervous when the package couldn't be delivered and though he was possibly gonna be scammed.

[JustinD]

Originally Posted by Jim65

He's either a scammer or became extremely nervous when the package couldn't be delivered and though he was possibly gonna be scammed.

I agree with latter.

Doesn’t sound like a scammer, sounds like a bit of overwrought unfounded seller panic. Not worth the effort to keep up with it to save this.

Sounds like you bought something from my grandmother, lol.

[robw1959]

Originally Posted by todeen

I've used package intercept with FedEx or UPS when my purchase was sent to my previous address. It was a Shutterfly package. They are incompetent at shipping. I have updated my address multiple times, and now they have combined my previous address and my new address to create a third address that doesn't exist.

As for being scammed, it's hard to imagine a scenario in which the seller could get money out of this. I think he suffered sellers remorse and just didn't want to tell you that.

What is his ebay account so we can block him?

I forgot his eBay user name, and the eBay listing does not come when searching for "completed" listings.

[BobC]

I would check back with your local post office, and maybe get what documentation, names of who you talked with, and whatever else you can, to help verify and prove it was the seller who initiated the intercept and asked for the package to be sent back to him. You might also want to alert and share your story with the local postmaster as well, regarding this party's actions and possible scheme.

As soon as you said he accused you of wasting his time and money, he basically confirmed this is some scam or scheme on his part. As you stated, you had already paid him quickly and in full back on 1/5/23, so he already had full payment before shipping you the card. Exactly how then did that possibly cost him any money? And of course, the answer is it didn't. There's BS comment #1. And then to state you cost him time, what time? There's BS comment #2. You paid him up front and he went through the normal work and procedures to ship you the card, which is his duty and responsibility. If he's somehow trying to claim that an email he may have gotten and read, showing that the P.O. initially tried to deliver the package to you, is his reasoning and what he considers a waste of his time, there's obviously something else going on here.

And if I were you, I would immediately reach out to both Paypal and Ebay, and apprise them of your situation and this guy's unbelievably questionable actions. Something about what this guy is saying and doing makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. It may be that his idea of wasting his time and money relates to him having to contact your local post office, and then pay them to have the package sent back to him. Regardless, that is all on him, not you.

And what may be weirdest of all, if he was trying to run some scam from the start, the fact that the P.O. did come by your home to deliver the item, but you just weren't there at that time, is totally random and nothing this guy could have foreseen or ever planned on happening. Or was it? Just out of curiosity, in your emails and negotiations with this guy, did he ever ask, or did you ever mention, that you worked during the day so that you probably wouldn't be there to sign for the package when the P.O. would initially try to deliver it? And if so, maybe he played you for that info and then was expecting the P.O. email noting the failed delivery attempt, and then just waited to receive it so he could immediately jump in to get the card back from the P.O.

Only other thing I can think of is if it is possible that this guy maybe had some seller's remorse (and/or possibly got a better offer after initially agreeing to sell it and sent it off to you), and jumped on the opportunity to get the card back when he lucked out and you weren't there when the post office showed up. Regardless, would definitely file a card not received claim with Ebay on him as soon as you can, as well. Good luck, I hope you get all your money back. This was not a cheap card.

By the way, forgot to ask this. If you did buy this card through Ebay, how come it didn't go through their authentication process and get sent first to PSA to verify the slab hadn't been compromised? Because in that case, wouldn't the card have actually been sent to you by PSA then, and not by him, and therefore possibly make him unable to intercept and initiate the return of the card since he was not the one actually sending it to you then? I know a lot of people despise and do not want this Ebay authentication program, but this may be an instance where if it was used, it would have protected you and made sure you got the card you paid for. And if others opined that maybe this guy was just weird and super-paranoid, wouldn't him having the card go through Ebay's authentication program have added some additional security and safety for him as well? Again, good luck, and hope you quickly get all your money back.

[aconte]

It may come across as callous and cold, but if it's baseball card related and
the other side is doing something as a result of illness or charity and I don't know you, I'm out.

[packs]

I’m with you. I assume everyone who sells something needs the money. It’s the only time I sell anything. I don’t typically need to know what the sale is meant to fund though.

[Eric72]

Originally Posted by BobC

...If you did buy this card through Ebay, how come it didn't go through their authentication process and get sent first to PSA to verify the slab hadn't been compromised? Because in that case, wouldn't the card have actually been sent to you by PSA then, and not by him, and therefore possibly make him unable to intercept and initiate the return of the card since he was not the one actually sending it to you then?...

Ding, ding, ding.

Edited to clarify - this sounds like the reason seller didn't want to go through eBay. The Authenticity Guarantee program would've stonewalled an attempt to pull quite a few sneaky, scammy tricks.

[notfast]

Couple things.

Only original shipper can do a package intercept.

What did the other tracking show? You said he gave you two numbers.

Seems suspicious but could also be a shitty seller. Either way, move on.

[robw1959]

Originally Posted by BobC

I would check back with your local post office, and maybe get what documentation, names of who you talked with, and whatever else you can, to help verify and prove it was the seller who initiated the intercept and asked for the package to be sent back to him. You might also want to alert and share your story with the local postmaster as well, regarding this party's actions and possible scheme.

As soon as you said he accused you of wasting his time and money, he basically confirmed this is some scam or scheme on his part. As you stated, you had already paid him quickly and in full back on 1/5/23, so he already had full payment before shipping you the card. Exactly how then did that possibly cost him any money? And of course, the answer is it didn't. There's BS comment #1. And then to state you cost him time, what time? There's BS comment #2. You paid him up front and he went through the normal work and procedures to ship you the card, which is his duty and responsibility. If he's somehow trying to claim that an email he may have gotten and read, showing that the P.O. initially tried to deliver the package to you, is his reasoning and what he considers a waste of his time, there's obviously something else going on here.

And if I were you, I would immediately reach out to both Paypal and Ebay, and apprise them of your situation and this guy's unbelievably questionable actions. Something about what this guy is saying and doing makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. It may be that his idea of wasting his time and money relates to him having to contact your local post office, and then pay them to have the package sent back to him. Regardless, that is all on him, not you.

And what may be weirdest of all, if he was trying to run some scam from the start, the fact that the P.O. did come by your home to deliver the item, but you just weren't there at that time, is totally random and nothing this guy could have foreseen or ever planned on happening. Or was it? Just out of curiosity, in your emails and negotiations with this guy, did he ever ask, or did you ever mention, that you worked during the day so that you probably wouldn't be there to sign for the package when the P.O. would initially try to deliver it? And if so, maybe he played you for that info and then was expecting the P.O. email noting the failed delivery attempt, and then just waited to receive it so he could immediately jump in to get the card back from the P.O.

Only other thing I can think of is if it is possible that this guy maybe had some seller's remorse (and/or possibly got a better offer after initially agreeing to sell it and sent it off to you), and jumped on the opportunity to get the card back when he lucked out and you weren't there when the post office showed up. Regardless, would definitely file a card not received claim with Ebay on him as soon as you can, as well. Good luck, I hope you get all your money back. This was not a cheap card.

By the way, forgot to ask this. If you did buy this card through Ebay, how come it didn't go through their authentication process and get sent first to PSA to verify the slab hadn't been compromised? Because in that case, wouldn't the card have actually been sent to you by PSA then, and not by him, and therefore possibly make him unable to intercept and initiate the return of the card since he was not the one actually sending it to you then? I know a lot of people despise and do not want this Ebay authentication program, but this may be an instance where if it was used, it would have protected you and made sure you got the card you paid for. And if others opined that maybe this guy was just weird and super-paranoid, wouldn't him having the card go through Ebay's authentication program have added some additional security and safety for him as well? Again, good luck, and hope you quickly get all your money back.

He originally had the card for sale on eBay, but I purchased it from him as a direct PayPal transaction. And no, he did not have any way of knowing I wouldn't be home for the delivery attempt.

[BobC]

Originally Posted by robw1959

He originally had the card for sale on eBay, but I purchased it from him as a direct PayPal transaction. And no, he did not have any way of knowing I wouldn't be home for the delivery attempt.

Aha, that may help to explain things a lot more. Can now possibly see the seller being super paranoid could have been a possible issue after all. Probably never know for sure. I just pray you quickly get your money back. In your defense, you have the post office to support an show the seller initiated the interception and return of the card. So no way he can ever try to claim he didn't get his card back. Records will show you never had it, and it was never delivered to you.

And if this guy was so antsy and paranoid, he probably should have insisted the sale go through regular Ebay sales channels, including through the authentication program. That way, once the card got to PSA for the authentication of an unaltered/damaged slab, he's off the hook for liability and if something should subsequently have happened with the card in its delivery to you, as that would now be solely on the P.O. and Ebay and their authentication service. Or at least that is my understanding. Again, good luck on getting your money back. You should prevail, just may take some time. Hang in there.

[robw1959]

Originally Posted by packs

Did the post office provide any details on this paid intercept? I’ve not heard of that before and would be surprised it’s a service offered.

Yes, it is a valid service. My tracking shows the attempted delivery after each stop along the way, followed by "intercepted" and "returned to sender."