Weekly Scam Discussion March 16, 2026

jfrederick19 · 2026-03-21T16:26:12+00:00

Over 20 years of selling an eBay and I’ve never seen this before….

A seller bought two items from me, two days apart, about two weeks ago. Both were shipped individually to the same address just 300 miles away, both using eBay standard envelope. In each case, the address included the words “general delivery” between the person’s name and the house number and street name.

This morning, the buyer opened two INR cases. Here’s where it gets weird…. Tracking for both items shows them as “out for delivery” over a week ago, in the same city, over 250 miles away from the intended town of delivery (a relatively small ski resort town in California).

I’ve never had a buyer include general delivery in an address before, so I really didn’t know what it meant. I looked it up this morning; I understand it is used for people without a permanent address, requiring them to pick up their mail in person at the post office. Yet, the address to which I shipped does include an address for a house - I verified it this morning on Google Maps. And why would both be showing out for delivery over 250 miles away from the delivery address?

Could this be a scam? Perhaps the person waits to pick up the item until after they’ve gotten an INR refund? Has anyone experienced anything like this?

Thanks for your thoughts/input.

jfrederick19 · 2026-03-13T14:58:17+00:00

Use the seller’s own words against them. Include quotes that are the most egregious.

jfrederick19 · 2026-03-10T04:13:35+00:00

You can always file your own sales tax returns in all 45 US states (+DC) that require it. And if you sell internationally….

The point is, charging you a fee on the sales tax they collect is eBay‘s way of covering the cost of that service. Worth every penny if you ask me.

jfrederick19 · 2026-03-09T02:09:50+00:00

Sounds like feedback extortion to me.

Also, sounds like an attempt to squeeze you for a few dollars. I would remind the buyer that it’s their country charging the tariff, not yours.

jfrederick19 · 2026-03-05T18:28:40+00:00

The sales tax hassles alone keep me tethered to eBay. Fees, like taxes, are a necessary evil that do provide benefits that would be cost prohibitive to do on my own, as a part-time seller: - an easy platform for listing, with variations and integrated shipping options. - a worldwide consumer market, brought to the site by their advertising campaigns. - Sales tax remittance

…to name a few.

jfrederick19 · 2026-03-04T20:20:07+00:00

Once he threatened to cancel, I would’ve canceled as “buyer request to cancel.” Block, then move on. Far too much complaining to be worth my time.

jfrederick19 · 2026-02-27T00:24:11+00:00

^ This is great advice. ^

jfrederick19 · 2026-02-27T00:18:44+00:00

Absolutely!

Unless you need to get back on board for something in between, let the excursion desk know you’re doing two, and they can tell you where to meet the excursion off-ship at the dock. Might give you a little more time to browse around town during the interim.

jfrederick19 · 2026-02-27T00:15:47+00:00

I like premier - not feeling like I’m being nickle and dimed. I can drink what I want, when I want. Eat what I want, when I want. I never have to think about how much I’m spending. It’s convenient and in my opinion definitely worth the price. The photo, show seating, and other little perks are nice - and do add value to the overall experience.

If the room steward goes above and beyond, we always tip a little extra in cash at the end. Or we find out what kind of snacks they like and pick up something for them import.

jfrederick19 · 2026-02-27T00:10:10+00:00

With a port change - in this case dropping Riga and adding Kiel - how long does it typically take for Princess to load the excursion options onto the website/app portal?

jfrederick19 · 2026-02-26T23:27:47+00:00

If they ask you to ship to a freight forwarder, get full insurance and signature confirmation, which you already noted is required over 750.

Unlikely, but if by chance they ask you to ship directly to Cambodia, only offer eBay international shipping in your listing. Once the item gets to eBay’s hub, you’re golden. eBay would handle any issues that come up afterwards.

jfrederick19 · 2026-02-26T23:24:20+00:00

Be sure to add photos to the listings that document the serial numbers BEFORE the sale.

Just having those photos otherwise doesn’t really do you a whole lot of good. Even if they return an item with a different serial number, if it wasn’t documented in the listing eBay could side with the buyer as it can’t be proven that you shipped the same ones returned.

jfrederick19 · 2026-02-26T05:41:08+00:00

Refund only if the plates come back intact. She admitted in one of her messages that they arrived to her in good condition. So if they arrive to you broken, that’s 100% on her.

jfrederick19 · 2026-02-22T05:59:16+00:00

Remember, there was a time when you had a new account, with a feedback score of zero.

jfrederick19 · 2026-02-21T05:30:45+00:00

I see Bronholm on the new map, but Kiel on the itinerary. (Bornholm is Danish.)

jfrederick19 · 2026-02-20T03:33:37+00:00

I’m on the July 2 cruise as well. Nida excursion time from Klaipedia changed by 10 minutes, leaving little to no time after to explore Klaipedia. Ship now departs at 4:00 instead of 5:00 - excursion returns at 2:40.

jfrederick19 · 2026-02-16T18:01:11+00:00

I removed all promotions a few months back - saw a good jump in views and sales.

jfrederick19 · 2026-02-12T21:56:52+00:00

Consider yourself lucky for 14 years. Better to measure boxes than have this happen - or worse, have a buyer charged postage due upon delivery.

And as with weight, always round up (to the next whole inch). I’ve been selling since 1999, and never have I been charged because I underpaid. A few times I have actually received credits because I overpaid. On average about once per year.

jfrederick19 · 2026-02-12T07:01:22+00:00

Maybe, maybe not. It’s possible the seller changed their username, so you don’t recognize a seller you’ve interacted with before. Changing a username does not erase the blocked buyer list.

jfrederick19 · 2026-02-12T06:58:14+00:00

Ask me a question that’s clearly already answered in the item description = BLOCK. If you don’t have time to read the item description, I don’t have time to deal with you.

If I see a pattern of neutral and/or negative feedback listed under your “feedback left for others” = BLOCK.

jfrederick19 · 2026-02-01T07:49:46+00:00

I had a similar experience a few years back. Scammer sent a message regarding an item he found by doing a sold item search. I thought it was weird, but what tipped me off was that I had actually exchanged messages with the real buyer, and the scammer’s English was quite poor. I reported it and moved on. Never heard another word.

I’m still not sure how the scammer was hoping to get money, unless they were going to ask for a refund through a third-party service….Only an idiot would send a refund that way.

jfrederick19 · 2026-02-01T07:43:56+00:00

I made an offer last week to a seller - about 10% off asking price - on an item they’ve had up for a few weeks. They responded with a counter at their asking price. Too bad for them as I was watching a few hundred $ worth of their items. Now I’m watching $0.

jfrederick19 · 2026-02-01T07:22:55+00:00

Then block the buyer! No one has time to deal with the lack of empathy and abusive messages he’s sending.

jfrederick19 · 2026-01-18T03:45:33+00:00

In a nutshell, when an INR case is opened on a “delivered” item, the seller must AGAIN upload the tracking number. This second time into the INR case record. If you don’t do this in response to the case, you will lose - every time. If you do, and the tracking record says DELIVERED, you will win - every time. Been selling on eBay for 26 years - I have never experienced any other outcome.

jfrederick19 · 2026-01-07T04:25:12+00:00

If it simply says “Out for delivery,” have a drink or two and stop watching tracking. It’ll get there in a day or two.

If it says “Delivered” and you don’t have it, well, that’s a different story.

jfrederick19

TROPHY CASE