I need help-fraud?

[KittenheadSparkles]

I have a buyer who keeps purchasing my more expensive jewelry, then immediately sends a message where they have asked for a refund, and then another message right after claiming to want to add different items. A few hours later, the sale is removed froM “orders” and Etsy gives a refund. Then repeat. Over and over. 

I just want to block the user. I’ve already lost one necklace and I’m sure this is some kind of scam, but Etsy has no way to talk to a person. 
Any help you can give me a call d appreciated.  I’ve had to put my shop in vacation mode to make it stop. 

[NanaLetha]

You can't block a buyer from purchasing from your shop. You should refund and cancel as soon as the payment clears.

[KittenheadSparkles]

I actually figured out how to block the person! Apparently it can be done. The first account they were using is actually gone now and I was able to block the second one. Now I just need to figure out how to add “shop policies”.

[Adorabilities]

@KittenheadSparkles 
How did you do it? If there really is a way to block someone from buying, that would be a brand-new feature here.

[JMOldeVintage]

@KittenheadSparkles - I see you have placed your shop in Vacation mode, which for the moment may be a good idea.
There isn't much you can do to stop them from placing an order. If you know that the same person has ordered and doesn't request you cancel the order &/or wants to add in additional items, imo I would cancel the sale. Just simply state you cannot fill their order at this time.

There is little Etsy can do, however, via email you can send Etsy copies/screenshots of the messages they have sent. You can explain that you are uncomfortable with these orders, especially with the continuous requests to cancel & yet coming back to want additional items. 
If Etsy can recognize the buyer/user name having a history of doing this, they might take action, you never know.

Finally, off topic, but do finish setting up your shop - add shop policies:
https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/115014372467-How-to-Set-Up-Your-Shop-Policies?segment=sellin...

Selling internationally - https://www.etsy.com/legal/policy/selling-to-eu-buyers/239965962014?ref=list

At times buyers with less than honorable intentions will target newer shops &/or those that do not have shop policies. It's easier for them to open & win a case on Etsy if the shop has no policies.
Also, in the near future, shops will need to have policies in place, should they ever need to use Etsy's seller protections. 

[bradgoodell]

Good suggestion about the policies.  Yes, legal policies help protect shops.  

[KittenheadSparkles]

Thank you so much for this detailed reply. I bet that’s why I was targeted.I’ll get that done before I reopen.

[bradgoodell]

Chances are someone has targeting your shop to pull off a scam.  There are a variety of scams going on, one where they copy your listings elsewhere for much lower prices.   When an item sells on their store, they use a stolen credit card to purchase from you.  You ship the order, they get paid, and when the credit card chargeback hits, you are out the money, not them.  Oh, and they usually ask you to ship to a different address than the one given at checkout, which loses you seller protection. 

Putting your shop on vacation is a very good idea.  Once you've reopened, another suggestion:  Don't ship quickly.  This is different than everything Etsy says to do, but shipping 2 days later can save you from the grief of having a chargeback after you've shipped.  

So, so sorry this has happened to you.  Scammers have been hitting Etsy hard.

[KittenheadSparkles]

Thank you! 

[PristinityJewelry]

"...Don't ship quickly.  This is different than everything Etsy says to do, but shipping 2 days later can save you from the grief of having a chargeback after you've shipped..."

I wonder if Etsy realizes how many sellers have started doing this because of all the glitches.  Particularly, Etsy cancelling sales that were cleared to ship.

[ArtDollsbyJD]

You can contact Etsy.  Use Contact us under Community.  Select seller account.  Select a link close to or one that will give you "I stll need help",  Select email.  Send in the information.  All the information is clear direct narrative. 

Etsy will research and if it appears this person is trying this with other sellers or anything else, they will stop the account.  The problem is scammers like this will open a new account.

Sticl strictly to your processing time frame so if with a sale you see this pattern starting again, you can refund and cancel immediately.  Don't ship early even if you can.  This may afford a bit of protection.

Your lack of shop policies may be inviting to this person.  

(Off topic,  I see you are using Swarvoski in your title.  THe company no longer sells their lower end of crystals and don't want their name use with the crystals they used to sell.)

[KittenheadSparkles]

Thank you! I did “contact”Etsy but they just don’t respond.Very frustrating. 

[howtobooksandmore]

Etsy will never respond to a contact like this.  They will investigate and stop it if there is fraud.  But they won't discuss the transaction with you because it involves someone else's finances and is therefor considered protected information.  Sucks that they won't at least tell you the issue has been addressed but even that is considered too much information.

[AAANativeArts]

It sounds like they are checking stolen credit cards to see if there is a high balance available on them. Just cancel the order as soon as you get it. You can't block a buyer, but  you can keep a private list on your desk or in a personal file so you don't sell to them again. When they send additional notes, just mark them as Spam and don't bother to reply.

[KittenheadSparkles]

Thank you all so much. As awful as this experience has been, the silver lining is all the supportive and educational replies here. It’s very kind of all of you to help.

[KittenheadSparkles]

Just fyi- the buyer was using two different accounts. One of them is now gone.  The other I was actually able to block. Now I just need to figure out how to add shop policies. 

[JustMeToo]

@KittenheadSparkles   You actually cannot block someone's account.  However, here is how to add policies.  Go to your first page of your shop, click edit and scroll 'way 'way down.  You will see policies there.  There is probably a SAVE button.  If so, don't forget to hit that when you're finished!

[PillowDetails]

@KittenheadSparkles  Trust us  when we say you can't block someone, even though that option still shows on profile pages, I guess.  It only keeps a user from seeing your own profile page faves.  That's it.  It has never disabled the user from viewing and purchasing from our shops.

This is something that been asked for, for years, but since Etsy allowed "guest checkout" - it's a moot point.

[AAANativeArts]

@KittenheadSparkles

There is no way to block a buyer from buying from you. Blocking them only keeps them from seeing  your Favorites, and that is all it does.

[KittenheadSparkles]

Yeah sadly that appears to be the case. Etsy should change that. The person is “blocked” but still messaging me constantly and favoriting my shop and now the old account that was gone is back. You’d think they would leave me alone now that I told them I have reported the fraud. This is so frustrating!!

[stuartroadvintage]

You can mark the messages a spam and they should stop.

[KittenheadSparkles]

Update: both of the scammer pages appear to be gone, but I am betting that’s temporary. Another shop just like mine was being scammed by this sane person/persons. Is there a way to warm other Etsy shops about these two accounts? 

my main concern now is that one of these purchases actually resulted in me sending a necklace. The payment through (this was the first transaction with this account). I now realize that the address looks really sketchy, but it did not get marked as an incorrect address when bought the shipping label. When I click on the order now to check it’s stays, I get an error notice that says the buyer page doesn’t exist anymore.  I guess there’s nothing I can do but wait and see. 

[PiecesOfMePaperCraft]

If the package you mailed hasn't been delivered yet you can try to have it intercepted and redirected back to you. There's a fee but it might be worth it to you. 

https://www.usps.com/manage/package-intercept.htm

[SnoopCrunch]

I had a similar experience. The buyer purchased and requested to cancel and then repurchased. My postman did not pick up and scan the order, so I drove it to the station and dropped it into the bin to get out on the mail truck. I explained to the buyer that the order was shipped on time and tracking hadn't been updated. They opened a case knowing that the order was mailed and was refunded. Then, the buyer asked for an invoice to pay thru Paypal after they saw a refund. I sent the invoice, and then the buyer did not pay.  Finally, I put in for an intercept. There is a fee, but why should they get my handmade work for free? I even entered the tracking number into the case, and Etsy still refunded the payment. 

[FabioMcMustache]

Hello, and thanks for reporting. Our team has taken action on the account in question.