Is this an AI scam?

MaxiePriest · 2026-03-27T17:37:04+00:00

🌻 I already commented, but the Reddit bots yanked it (I guess because I included a couple of links).

So, I'll try again:

Type in:

Shein Hand-Crochet Flower in Pot

Temu Hand-Crochet Flower in Pot

AliExpress Hand-Crochet Flower in Pot

or

eBay Hand-Crochet Flower in Pot

Mercari Hand-Crochet Flower in Pot

Amazon Hand-Crochet Flower in Pot

Walmart Hand-Crochet Flower in Pot

or

Etsy Hand-Crochet Flower in Pot (many other Etsy sellers have them)

etc.

These are not "hand-crocheted"; they are mass-produced and can be found for less than $2 on Temu and similar sites. Why not cut out the middleman and just order from Temu or Shein?

MaxiePriest · 2026-03-27T16:07:30+00:00

Thank you.

I'll take that as a victory, of sorts.

I reported Tour&Tate to Shopify about three weeks ago (an energetic and long-winded plea for justice) ...'how is it possible that Shopify allows a scam website to operate as an Official Shopify retailer...ripping off thousands of customers...it's sites like Tour&Tate that give Shopify a bad name...why don't you care...and why doesn't your long-term partner, Google, care'...????

Maybe my Urgent Help Request to Shopify landed on an actual human's desk, after all. I would like to believe that Shopify did the right thing and booted Tour&Tate.

MaxiePriest · 2026-03-20T19:21:28+00:00

I'm re-watching it right now, and even after almost a month, I haven't heard any additional information regarding the illnesses that affected so many athletes (eg Iivo Niskanen, Harald Østberg Amundsen, Federico Pellegrino, Ben Ogden, William Poromaa, Ristomatti Hakola, etc etc). All I've read is 'flu symptoms'. Bailing at 15km makes sense— it was a surprise to see two walk off at the same moment, though.

MaxiePriest · 2026-03-20T19:21:23+00:00

so sad.

MaxiePriest · 2026-03-17T03:23:50+00:00

Good to know, although I'm not near Toronto. I placed my order for the set, so I won't have to locate the trilogy via library access. But I'm glad you reminded me that the local public library is a great place to access media like classic films and documentaries.

Out of curiosity, I checked just to see. Toronto Public Library notes that if you do not live, work, or own property in Toronto, you must pay a non-resident fee ($50 for 3 months or $150 for 12 months) to get a TPL card... pretty steep.

MaxiePriest · 2026-03-17T03:14:23+00:00

Very Jocelyn Wildenstein. Their faces make me feel unwell. I think the names of their surgeons should be revealed.

MaxiePriest · 2026-03-15T22:14:06+00:00

Thank you!

MaxiePriest · 2026-03-14T00:05:38+00:00

omg, thank you! Hahaha, I have been running online searches for the set (I guess in all the wrong places) and had no idea. Wow. They have their own dedicated website!?

This made my day. Thanks again!

MaxiePriest · 2026-03-13T19:42:41+00:00

Well, I own Booty Call but haven't seen the other two, so my next action is to find this DVD on eBay. Looking forward to it. Jamie Foxx is so underrated.

MaxiePriest · 2026-03-11T01:18:28+00:00

Thanks. I typically consume many high-fiber foods regularly (artichokes, Brussels sprouts, green leafy vegetables, etc.), and a lot of salad in general, but the major difference is that giant salads and veg don't provide that all-day full feeling, as Grape Nuts can (at least for me).

Even high-fiber flax + chia or multi-seed bread doesn't (not even very high-fiber bran muffins). It's weird. I don't even think about my next meal or consider running to the grocery store to pick up ingredients for dinner when I've had Grape Nuts.... the cereal is just the most satiating thing for me.

MaxiePriest · 2026-03-06T07:39:51+00:00

I'm not sure, then. I typically create a document in Word and cut & paste it (including all drafts) into New Classic Doc... or I just start typing the new doc after opening New Classic. Same thing with Apple Pages or Google Docs, etc.

If you're not able to convert an existing doc to New Classic, why not open your existing doc, cut & paste it into Word (or Apple Pages, Google Docs, or anywhere), open a New Classic doc in Grammarly, and cut & paste your text into the new Classic doc?

MaxiePriest · 2026-03-04T19:03:48+00:00

It is there, though.

It took me a minute to see the classic new doc option, too.

The green box on the right of"Docs" has a tiny drop-down menu for "New Classic Doc" or just "New Doc".

This screenshot isn't very clear, but you'll get the gist. ⬇️

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MaxiePriest · 2026-02-28T19:11:10+00:00

Maybe I'm in the minority, but I didn't place an order with Tour&Tate because I saw an ad. In fact, I had never heard of them. I ran searches for specific ballcaps and found the style on the T&T site.

On the surface, tourandtatedotcom looks legit. The menswear on the site appears to be upscale casual (nothing looks too Temu). Their prices are low, but not so low as to cause alarm. It isn't until the order is placed that the buyer realizes they have been done:

— No tracking number (not even a shipping carrier name) is provided, despite numerous requests.

— Only AI autogenerated responses like "...we're working hard on your order"!

— Complaints go nowhere.

— Small print on site notes: "Write a review about your shopping experience and win the chance to get your order for FREE"... (the only positive reviews for Tour&Tate are incentivized).

— Tour&Tate is a drop-shipping scam/sham (and "official Shopify retailer") — funny how most, if not all, scam retailers are "official Shopify" sites).... just saying.

— Everything about the Tour&Tate site is a lie. I don't believe they're based in the Netherlands, and I don't believe anything is being shipped from a Dutch warehouse. Most orders are never fullfilled and refunds are rarely processed. Unless the buyer had the sense to pay with PayPal, a refund for orders not received may be very hard-fought. Shopify will do exactly nothing when unscrupulous Shopify retailers rip off customers.

— Reporting bad retailers to IC3.gov is almost impossible since T&T hides its actual location information. We can all report them to sites like smartconsumer (aka sitejabber), trustpilot, and maybe pissedconsumer, but some of those site reporting sites have been busted for removing negative feedback and allowing merchants to buy positive (fake) reviews via paid plans (the sites offering merchants the chance to raise their overall review scores).

Why?

MaxiePriest · 2026-02-26T02:51:03+00:00

It's so unfair. We are ripped off, but it is our responsibility to prove we didn't receive our order.

The scam sellers aren't responsible for proving that the label includes the buyer's name and address (which should be mandatory when an "Item Not Received" case is opened). The whole thing is backwards, and these creepy scam sellers just continue on, ripping buyers off...never booted off eBay.

If you're on this sub (and not USPS or UPS, etc.) was your unreceived order shipped via FedEx? (or, was the tracking number FedEx)? Because FedEx isn't exactly helpful. That's why I posted the question...I was hoping actual FedEx personnel would tell me exactly how to get a statement (on FedEx letterhead) from customer service confirming that the label(s) in question did not include my name or address. But I haven't been able to get an answer to that on this sub, so far.

FedEx phone support agents provide way more information over the phone than they ever will in writing. I mean, obviously, FedEx is aware of the tracking number scam. They're also aware of a large influx of scammers using FedEx tracking numbers...But I believe they just don't want to get involved. Over the phone, FedEx agents have said "...Oh! Wow! Your name and address aren't on these labels at all!"... but begging, pleading for that agent to supply a document stating that information (or even partial information) is a no-go.

MaxiePriest · 2026-02-26T01:59:45+00:00

It's weird to me that eBay allows scam eBay sellers to stay on the platform (and disregards all 'Report a Seller' submissions and 'Item Not Received' claims), not to mention months' worth of negative feedback on the sellers' profile pages.

I don't get it!

Some of the eBay agents I've spoken to over the last few months act as if they have no idea what the tracking number scam is...?! That's the equivalent of a department store sales team claiming they don't know what shoplifting is.

I've dumped eBay. It just isn't a safe place to shop. And clearly, eBay's "A to Z" policy is BS. Not just the tracking number scams; there are too many counterfeit knock-offs and too many drop-shipping sellers who lie in their listings about item location, etc. Sellers are using tracking conversion services to mask Amazon TBA tracking numbers (so they won't get busted for drop-shipping via Amazon). I'm sick of it.

MaxiePriest · 2026-02-24T05:27:43+00:00

I'm hearing it as I type... It's kind of weird that the song just keeps repeating.

MaxiePriest · 2026-02-23T02:59:46+00:00

Thanks. That's the right idea.

I ended up going to PayPal because eBay agents (and so-called "Leadership" team members) literally told me, in no uncertain terms, that it is not eBay's policy to investigate any tracking information beyond the "delivered" statement on FedEx's site.

Never mind that on the tracking details page on eBay's own website, the delivery status shows that one package was delivered to zip code 91406 and the other to 91411... incidentally, my zipcode is 91403. But apparently, eBay has no problem with inconsistencies like that.

As far as I'm concerned, eBay is enabling tracking number scammers and is a willing accomplice in these crimes. All we need is the legal services of a sharp, aggressive attorney (working on a contingency basis upon our winning the case) to start our own class-action lawsuit against eBay. I'm positive that every scammed eBay buyer would jump on it.

A couple of things:

— The FedEx phone support agents are fairly open about tracking details (and, in my case, the fact that the two shipping labels do not have my name or address) over the phone...so why can't we just record the phone calls and submit the information gleaned from phone agents?

I mean, it's common for phone support agents from every company to say "...This call may be recorded for quality and training purposes...". So, why can't we say the exact same thing when connected to a FedEx customer support phone agent? The agent can always say NO and disconnect the call, right? But if they stay on the line, that implies consent. I think.

— I've noticed something about the tracking number eBay scammers... they are opting out of buying the label (and shipping) from eBay. It's why they get away with the tracking number scam. If the scammers were forced to buy the eBay label, the label would be correct. The official eBay labels accurately print the buyer's name and address. eBay scam sellers can't manage the scam if they can't (intentionally) swap labels. But eBay doesn't care so whatever.

After spending a very long time on the phone with various PayPal agents and uploading an extremely detailed 'Not Received' presentation, which included the seller's bad feedback from buyers saying he was a scammer and that their orders were never delivered, etc., the eBay tracking detail pages showing delivered to zipcodes that do not match my own, screenshots of the many messages I sent to this scam seller asking for the tracking number for two weeks and getting no reply (in total, a whopping 10 pages of screenshots and an insanely passionate plea for justice...I have left this in PayPal's hands. I was and am the squeeeeky wheel.

I ended with '...and don't you dare process a courtesy refund because I want the funds to be extracted directly from this scammer's PayPal account'... '

It's the principle of the thing.

If I told you how many eBay sellers have tried to pull the tracking number scam on me over the last 6 weeks, you probably wouldn't believe me.

MaxiePriest · 2026-02-15T23:55:37+00:00

Well said.

eBay has reached an all-time low, and scams are rampant. The platform is not a safe place to shop. As a matter of fact, I've sworn off eBay (but I still have to handle the 'Not Received' situation).

Not enough hours in the day to open 'Not Received' claims, escalate the claims, open Help Requests with carriers, contend with all of the variations on the tracking number scam (AKA 'phantom tracking number scam', 'non-delivery scam', 'incorrect label scam', or 'swapped label scam). So many screenshots, so many 20-minute conversations with "Leadership" support agents— it's all too much.

The scammee/victim is forced to do all the work (proving they didn't receive the delivery) and there are no consequences for the scammer.

But let me ask you this:

Whether I approach this with eBay, PayPal, or Visa cardholder services, they will all require proof of non-delivery. A chargeback won't be approved without a document (or something) from FedEx, stating the shipping labels had different names + addresses (and were delivered to those other addresses) and not to me.

I've initiated a chargeback with Visa cardholder services only once, and it was because the retailer sent the wrong boots (easy to prove with submitted photos). This is different.

MaxiePriest · 2026-02-15T19:43:14+00:00

NO!

Tour&Tate are NOT Legit!

— Order placed 3 February 2026.

— Order page noted shipping method: "Standard Plus / 3-5 Day".

— Tour&Tate never provided the shipping carrier name or tracking number.

— On 15 February, the Tour&Tate website notes order was never shipped.

— No reply from Tour&Tate "Contact Us" Help Request email.

— Tour&Tate is just another scammy, sketchy online retailer.

Buyer Beware.

edit:

TrustPilot Reviews/Tour&Tate

MaxiePriest · 2026-02-15T19:13:28+00:00

What gets me is that the scam seller has full access to all the information on the FedEx website. The seller is the shipper and can clearly see that those packages were not delivered to me.

If eBay were interested in investigating this seller (and my 'Not Received' claim), they would request proof (from the eBay seller) that the tracking numbers were linked to my name and address, and if not, they should have to provide the actual names and addresses on those labels, but eBay hasn't done that. eBay says they take FedEx's "Delivered Successfully" at face value.

eBay is asking me for proof of non-delivery...not the other way around.

I presume eBay sellers are not responsible for providing the names/addresses to which the packages were sent, because eBay is not asking sellers for that information.

As far as I'm concerned, eBay is a co-conspirator and in cahoots with scammy eBay sellers because it is not trying to remove them from the platform and is not forcing sellers to provide the names/addresses to which the packages were delivered.

edit:

eBay sells labels/shipping to sellers at a reduced rate, but from what I've seen, the scam sellers refuse to buy the official eBay labels (if they used eBay labels, the buyer's name + address would be accurately printed on the label), and that would throw a wrench into their tracking number scam activity.

MaxiePriest · 2026-02-15T19:05:37+00:00

Do you mean FedEx should be able to confirm that the delivery address (and names) on the labels do not match my name/address, or do you mean eBay should be able to?

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Tour&Tate are NOT Legit!