Buying SSC 1:1 Busts: I think I'm being scammed. Help!

[prince_of_weasels]

I'll be as succinct as possible. I live in Australia, I sent Paypal payment on the 4th of October to a seller in the US who agreed to sell me the SSC Yoda & Darth Maul 1:1 scale busts, agreeing to a sizable discount off his asking price, if we conducted the transaction outside of eBay (yeah, you can see where this is going).

Following payment, a week without contact ensued. I chased him up only to receive a hospital related excuse (which I generally associate with trying to buy time, when on eBay) as to why he hadn't sent them yet, then assurance that he would do so the next day. No follow up, so had to chase him up, and he advised that he'd sent them. Didn't provide any tracking, so I had to contact him AGAIN, and TWICE before I got a reply.

Finally provided the below two tracking numbers, but without telling me which transport company.

CW393317397US
CW393317383US

I searched FedEx, UPS and USPS and nothing came up for either number, so requested further information from him for the fifth time since payment was sent. He came back with: "Its USPS. It usually takes a few days to show up online."

So here's the part where you tell me if I need to just go ahead and open up a Paypal dispute now, or wait a little longer.

Do these numbers conform to USPS tracking number format?
Does USPS even send internationally? (I gathered from their site that they were a domestic postal company only.)
And does it really take a few days to show up online, cos it sounds like a crock.

TIA for advice.

 

[sithjedi171]

USPS does mail overseas. But I've never seen a USPS tracking number that looks like that.

Never make contact with someone through EBay and then complete a transaction with said person WITHOUT USING EBAY !

 

[NASEDO]

I think that is a USPS tracking. But depending when he mailed it, it may take a day or 2 for it to be able to track.

 

[Mr Walker]

They look like they could be USPS tracking numbers, though any of my purchases lately have started with an "L". You have 45 days to register a dispute with PP.

I'd say give it a couple of days for the tracking numbers to pop on the system then lodge a claim.

 

[JD18_92]

Personally, the numbers look too short to and the letters look all wrong.
Upon looking at a recent UPS tracking number that I gave someone, it started with a 1ZE followed by 16 numbers man, think you might need to file that claim

 

[xforce]

Always do the transaction through ebay pay the extra few % that way you are safe.

 

[xforce]

I am in dispute with a Hong Kong seller did it all through ebay and paypal he already has 75 negative feedback. He sold about 200 hot toys in 48 hours and of course it was a scam I should have known better a tumbler for 435.00 delivered was too good a deal.

 

[Niceman]

Don't let that PayPal 45 day window pass.

 

[steven.giunta]

That does look like an internatinal traking #,I believe with usps you can't get a tracking # when sending international,instead they give you a customs #.

 

[Darth Lam]

It is a USPS Priority Mail Customs form tracking number. They can start with various letters, and CW is one of them. It has the right number of digits, as well. USPS does indeed say that it can take up to 2 days to post information online.

Good luck.

 

[prince_of_weasels]

Thanks all, for the advice. I am definitely being mindful of the 45 day PP coverage window. I have the expiry date marked in my diary lol.

I should've known better than to do it outside of eBay but when the topic was discussed, the % off was too good to ignore. Not too good to be untrue though, as the items exclude their original boxes/packaging.

Now I just have to hope that he hasn't registered and sent two boxes full of packing peanuts to me :S

 

[jkno]

USPS tracking numbers look like this: CP123456789US. They come with 2 sets of lettering in front and back, the front 2 letters meaning the type/code of package and the last 2 letters meaning the country (in this case US - for example in Romania you get same type of tracking, but with RO in the end, in Germany with DE etc.). Between the letters there is a set of 9 numbers, which are the code for that particular package.

They seem legit BUT it also could be made up/fake ones, with random numbers which haven't been used yet, or from years old packages which are not in system. There is also a small delay until the numbers show up here: https://tools.usps.com/go/TrackConfirmAction!input.action

I would never go outside ebay on a deal, you simply throw away all your protection. Wish you good luck!

 

[DFanatic]

Do these numbers conform to USPS tracking number format?
Does USPS even send internationally? (I gathered from their site that they were a domestic postal company only.)
And does it really take a few days to show up online, cos it sounds like a crock.

TIA for advice.

1) It does match USPS tracking
2) They do send it internationally
3) It does take a couple of days to show

With that being said, I usually trust a person instinct on this. I say wait a little longer but don't wait for the 45 day window on paypal to close.

 

[gagaliya]

Thanks all, for the advice. I am definitely being mindful of the 45 day PP coverage window. I have the expiry date marked in my diary lol.

I should've known better than to do it outside of eBay but when the topic was discussed, the % off was too good to ignore. Not too good to be untrue though, as the items exclude their original boxes/packaging.

Now I just have to hope that he hasn't registered and sent two boxes full of packing peanuts to me :S

1) There is nothing wrong with conducting a deal outside of ebay with a reputable (good feedback) seller, ebay protection is a complete sham for high valued items above $150 and they charge 9% fees for every item you sell, seller usually pass that saving to you. You are still covered under paypal protection which is the one that matters.

2) USPS numbers take 3-5 days to show up depends on which sort center they went to, a lot of them are lazy and dont scan it into the system. Unlike ups & fedex which are real time tracking, usps is more of a delivery confirmation than tracking. I had items that dont show up on tracking until the day it's delivered.

It's really annoying when newbie buyers get into a panic their usps tracking # dont show up online & constantly bugs the seller.

3) That said you need to check his ebay profile, how many feedbacks as seller, how long with ebay, feedback he left for other people etc...it's almost a 100% indicator if the seller is reliable or not. Anyone with 100% feedback and been with ebay for a few years is highly unlikely to scam you... Someone just registered with a few feedbacks from 99cents auctions? that's a different story.

 

[tyhhh]

Have to respectfully disagree with the first. I had to bad experiences with purchasing high dollar statues on EBAY (both were over $1000). In both cases, it was down to he said/she said. EBAY buyer protection kicked in, and they collected multiple photos and statements from both parties and served as a neutral intermediary throughout the entire process. In one case, one of the seller's just stopped communicating completely. Needless to say, Ebay gave him a few days and then ruled in my favor.

Anyway, in both cases, I got ALL of my money back.

These were not simple case of showing a delivery receipt. It really came down to analyzing photos, condition, and emails.

Maybe paypal will go that extra mile, maybe not. But I KNOW that EBAY will. Doesn't matter what the seller's feedback is, if you buy something on EBAY with buyer protection, YOU ARE PROTECTED if you do not get what is promised.

Just my experience. When buying high dollar items, pay a little extra to get exactly what you are promised.

1) There is nothing wrong with conducting a deal outside of ebay with a reputable (good feedback) seller, ebay protection is a complete sham for high valued items above $150 and they charge 9% fees for every item you sell, seller usually pass that saving to you. You are still covered under paypal protection which is the one that matters.

2) USPS numbers take 3-5 days to show up depends on which sort center they went to, a lot of them are lazy and dont scan it into the system. Unlike ups & fedex which are real time tracking, usps is more of a delivery confirmation than tracking. I had items that dont show up on tracking until the day it's delivered.

It's really annoying when newbie buyers get into a panic their usps tracking # dont show up online & constantly bugs the seller.

3) That said you need to check his ebay profile, how many feedbacks as seller, how long with ebay, feedback he left for other people etc...it's almost a 100% indicator if the seller is reliable or not. Anyone with 100% feedback and been with ebay for a few years is highly unlikely to scam you... Someone just registered with a few feedbacks from 99cents auctions? that's a different story.

 

[prince_of_weasels]

1) There is nothing wrong with conducting a deal outside of ebay with a reputable (good feedback) seller, ebay protection is a complete sham for high valued items above $150 and they charge 9% fees for every item you sell, seller usually pass that saving to you. You are still covered under paypal protection which is the one that matters.

2) USPS numbers take 3-5 days to show up depends on which sort center they went to, a lot of them are lazy and dont scan it into the system. Unlike ups & fedex which are real time tracking, usps is more of a delivery confirmation than tracking. I had items that dont show up on tracking until the day it's delivered.

It's really annoying when newbie buyers get into a panic their usps tracking # dont show up online & constantly bugs the seller.

3) That said you need to check his ebay profile, how many feedbacks as seller, how long with ebay, feedback he left for other people etc...it's almost a 100% indicator if the seller is reliable or not. Anyone with 100% feedback and been with ebay for a few years is highly unlikely to scam you... Someone just registered with a few feedbacks from 99cents auctions? that's a different story.

2) When I enter the tracking numbers, even at this stage in time, this is the message that is popping up: "Delivery status information is not available for your item via this web site. A return receipt after mailing may be available through your local Post Office."

The way I read this is that this will be a tracking number that only shows up once the item is delivered? If so, not good for me.

3) The seller has 1530 feedback with a 100% rating.

I'll give it more time then consider a Paypal dispute.

 

[dino76m]

I am in dispute with a Hong Kong seller did it all through ebay and paypal he already has 75 negative feedback. He sold about 200 hot toys in 48 hours and of course it was a scam I should have known better a tumbler for 435.00 delivered was too good a deal.

https://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayIS...ch=negative&interval=30&_trkparms=negative_30
is it this seller by any chance , i was watching the tumbler too and had my doubts,
in any case another seller too has just turned up on ebay with same modus operandi it seems
https://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayIS...serid=ganggang12312&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2776

 

[Sweet Rabbit]

USPS tracking is useless half of the time

 

[jkno]

USPS tracking is useless half of the time

For international packages I never had any problems with it. And I use it a lot.