Seller has created a scam need advice

[littlegemstudio]

I purchased an item, payment was instantaneous. Within the hour I saw the same item, pictures and description on a sold listing on eBay.  I attempted to cancel the order but the only recourse I could find was to sent the seller a message which I did explaining the eBay listing and to return my payment.  
There was no answer to that message or the second one I sent. Here is where it gets really strange. I then received an email from noreply@etsy.com with the tracking number.  I followed the shipment as it went through different USPS locations.  The next email, again from the Etsy address notified me that the item was delivered.  
But here’s the thing I was home out front and while a mail truck did drive by at that time it didn’t stop.  I chased the truck and driver down.  I showed him the emails and notification of delivery.  He said it if it were to of been delivered he was the guy and no he didn’t deliver to my address.  He checked on his phone and said it’s very odd as he found it said delivered but he knows he didn’t deliver to my address.  He did not have anything for my address.   I will follow up tomorrow with the post office to see if that tracking number did come through (was scanned) in and then out of the facility.  
Backing up in this explanation after not being able to find anyway to reach Etsy to get help I turned to PayPal which allowed me to put a claim on the payment.  I today I found I could report the shop but the choices were not very appropriate for this situation, I still made a report.  (The same problem with the message to the seller but again I chose the best of the four options).  Interestingly since I made the purchase there is a review on the shop, one star warning people the shop is a scam beware and don’t buy from it. 
This is what I believe is going on-  the seller steals photos and descriptions from eBay, lists it for sale here.  Someone falls for the scam (me) the seller stretch’s the time out by (in appearance at least) showing a purchased mailing label, the item mailed and it going through various USPS locations and lastly a delivery day.  The twist is it shows all of this and that it’s been delivered.  It was luck that I was there, saw the truck, caught up with the driver, confirmed there wasn’t a delivery, and got the drivers name.  
Most people are at work, they come home find no box try to make a claim but there’s no insurance on the box and everyone says it was delivered.  The person then thinks that a pouch pirate sole it and they’re the victim of theft.  They are except the thief is the seller.  
What I don’t understand is how does this scam gets the USPS to show a package with a tracking number that looks like it is legitimately in their system and then delivered. It wasn’t, the USPS employee backs me up, there was no box or delivery.

This has the feel of something much more prolific than my order.  I’m at a total loss as to how the USPS is being manipulated.  Or were the emails all false?  Is so why does the same info appear on my Etsy account page?

At this time I have had no response from PayPal about my claim.  Etsy says I have to wait until September 7 to open a claim or case.  It truly feels like I am going to be left the victim of this scam, it was an expensive item. Etsy where are you? How many other customers have fallen victim to this? Someone please take this seriously and reach out to me.  Even the labels here don’t allow for the appropriate selections. 

[ExtremeCreation]

I would ask for GPS coordinates from the post office. The GPS coordinates will show exactly where the package was scanned at the time of delivery.

If the address on the shipping label is different than what is on the order, you should be able to get your money back.

As far as the item being sold on another platform using the same photos and description, I think is not that uncommon and may not be a scam for the most part as many sellers do this. The seller could have had more than one of the item in their inventory, at least that's what I hope for you in your case. Was the seller on Etsy the same seller on Ebay?

[SadiesHome]

@ExtremeCreation   The usps (don’t know about other courier services)takes a picture of each package that goes through. A post office supervisor can easily confirm if the address was correct or not.

[leinweberstudio]

You were a victim of the tracking number scam.

After you order the expensive item, the seller ships some little 1 or 2 dollar item to someone in your area who did not order anything at all, then ships it and gets a tracking number for that. The recipient has no idea this cheap trinket is coming in the mail.

Seller then pretends to ship the expensive fake item scraped off eBay to you, which they will not send, but they send you the tracking number from the 1 or 2 dollar item.

Your item will not arrive of course, but the cheap little thing will arrive at the other person's home, who will have no idea what the hell just happened as they didn't order anything. They will assume it is some kind of error.

You come home, expecting your item because it shows delivered, but nothing will be there.

You have a hell of a time proving you didn't get it as the tracking number says delivered; the problem is that it wasn't delivered to you or anyone else. In fact it was never even shipped at all; the only thing shipped was the 1 or 2 dollar item to the other person.

Scammer enjoys their ill-gotten cash. You are madder than a stepped-on nest of scorpions.

I think it's called the Triangular Tracking Scam.

[ExtremeCreation]

If it was a scam... and the item was delivered to the other buyer's home, wouldn't the shipping label used have to show the Etsy's customer's address and not the other buyer's. Wouldn't GPS tracking help in proving that it was not delivered to the Etsy customer therefore resulting in the Etsy customer getting a full refund?

This is scary. I never heard of this type of scam if that's what it is. I hope the OP gets some quick resolution and that shop gets closed for doing such scams. 

Thanks for the heads up on this type of scam. I have heard of many but not this.

[leinweberstudio]

I have edited my post to make it somewhat more clear as it is a damm convoluted but very effective business.

Last year or 2 years ago this was a big thing, popping up in the forum regularly.

[ExtremeCreation]

@leinweberstudio 

Oh wow! I was not aware of that. That's insane! Learn something new everyday.

The only positive thing is that shops like that will get closed. I just hope its rather quickly. 

[leinweberstudio]

Yes, let's hope they will.

[LaRenaissanceGirl]

@leinweberstudio  

About a year ago, I received a iron on patch from China that I did not order. (And my name was not on the package, just my address.)

I’m guessing I was the recipient of the trinket. So creepy...

[nineteen27]

if you call the post office.

and tell them the tracking number.

and give them your name and address.

it will not match the tracking number.

this is a common scam.

the post office will not tell you the name on the package.

they will not tell you the address.

but it was probably delivered in your city somewhere.

since you have already filed a claim with paypal.

you will not be able to open a case on etsy.

[UppNorthEh]

just speaking to the item being on multiple platforms, there are many apps that do this, list everywhere you want.  one has just added deleting the listing on the other platforms where it didn't sell.  Many sellers in this forum list on multiple platforms.  I have a feeling something more nefarious is going on in your situation.  there was a seller yesterday promtong their shop selling counterfeit USPS postage.  don't know all the details but maybe they come with tracking too.

[VooVooDesign]

I reported the shop as did, I assume, many others. Miss Debbie or whoever she is is no longer selling on Etsy.

[UppNorthEh]

I figured, since the whole forum post was gone too.  but maybe counterfeit USPS postage is available elsewhere.  

[IndustrialBlonde]

So, it sounds like you can’t open a case on Etsy due to your PayPal case. In the instance that PayPal sides with the buyer, I wonder if you can then open a PPP case through Etsy. The PPP cases are supposed to cover packages that were supposedly delivered. Or perhaps you open a “not as described” case…. I understand that sellers do not win NAD. 

[littlegemstudio]

I’m not familiar- PPP and NAD what do they mean?  TY

[IndustrialBlonde]

Maybe I used the wrong letters - Etsy’s new buyer protection. Isn’t it PPP?  Payment protection program or something?  And NAD for not as described. 
Sorry about the confusion. 

[VooVooDesign]

Are there other items in the shop?

Are the images from other sites?

[TBQSC]

A couple things you can do ...

1. check the tracking # on the USPS website (not on the app).  At the bottom of that page, click on "product information" and it say what the "postal product" (service used) and the "features" (tracking, insurance, etc).  That will tell you exactly what the seller used to ship your product.  You can compare that to the listing details (shipping info), the order details, and shipping notification ... all should match the postal product info.
2. sometimes packages are scanned as delivered when in fact they weren't actually delivered due to an already full box, etc., and when that happens, the package will usually be redelivered the next day or later.
3. you can file claims on Etsy, PayPal, and with your payment method (bank, debit/credit card co), sometimes you do have to wait, but at least you're being proactive.
4. once you have all the details, and it is determined it was indeed fraud, you may want to file a fraud report with the USPS; maybe even a police report? and with Etsy?
5. if you have not already done so, sign up for USPS Informed Delivery ... it is a free service and is so handy in situations like this.
6. wishing you the best of luck!

[VooVooDesign]

There was something strange a couple of years back. It involved a "brand" of collectible doll. There'd be a shop with a name like DavidStore with one model of the doll, just one, for sale at an inflated price. Then we discovered multiple shops each selling a different model of the doll. DavidShop, DavidDoll, DavidSales etc (none of these are real shop names). All the shops were in and around one city. All of the images were from other sites, mainly eBay.

Maybe a similar scam.

And it took a long time, writing messages in the reporting box, to get a real person to take notice. Then finally the Davids disappeared in quick succession.

Wouldn't surprise me your scammer has multiple shops.

[littlegemstudio]

I am reading responses a heartfelt thank you for sharing your insights and assistance.
The seller listed a pretty HTF art glass piece which is why I knew it was fraud once I found the item listed and sold on eBay at 3x the price I paid here.  That list/auction ended on 6/29/2023. I messaged that original seller informing them that their photos and description was stolen and used here. Don’t expect this to help much but desperation motivated me. 
The listing is free shipping., The web browser look up of the tracking number has product info as USPS Ground Advantage and Features as USPS Tracking and Up to $100 insurance included. 
I’ll be going to the post office to pursue the tracking number scans today. 
Again thank you all. I’ll keep reading responses and follow all suggestions. 
My head is pounding, I’m a reasonably intelligent person but I’m out over $300 due to a scam. 

[JMOldeVintage]

@littlegemstudio  - Good to know you found the "hidden" details (Ground Advantage) on the package when reviewing USPS' tracking info.

When going to your PO they can give you the GPS location on the delivery. I also believe that the actual weight of the package that bears the tracking number you have is available to your local PO clerk. 

As for your questions - PPP is the Purchase Protection Program.  NAD is "not as described". 

[WhitecloudAntique]

Happened to me a year ago. Ordered on facebook $60.00 item, ended up with an order of a pair of socks. Opened a case with Paypal and my claim was denied. Talked to USPS and was told I was scammed. Tracking showed $60.00 item delivered, but it was about a $2.00 order of a pair of socks. I gave up and will never order off Facebook.

[ExtremeCreation]

I know its a bit much but I have started to video tape opening packages of higher prices item I purchase as proof of what I should be getting. I have cameras to show the size of the package that was delivered and at times I pick them up from my po box. I take a photo of the package as soon as I get in my vehicle from the post office and then record opening it at home. 

Sadly, I feel this is what it comes down to for me to proof what say. I have had orders not show up that stated delivered and the carrier insisted tell the delivery company he worked for that delivered to the correct address. When I told them I had camera and that the delivery truck never drove by my street at all that day...yeah he went and retrieved my package and then delivered to me. 

[littlegemstudio]

Still checking responses.  

up date: 

Today post office confirmed the tracking number given for this scam did not have my house number or street on it. That it was for a 4oz. item delivered in my city. The USPS tracking info does not have my name or address either. 

The item I thought I was buying is a 24” heavy glass vase, it would weigh many pounds once packed not 4 oz.

tomorrow I will attempt to make a claim with Etsy.  Sincerely hoping this results in them refunding my money.  I feel like done everything I can to substantiate that this is a scam.  

[nineteen27]

and that is exactly what i said would happen in my response last week.

you said you had already filed a claim with paypal.

have you not received your money back from them?

etsy will not let you open a case since you have already done that.

but you need to leave a review for the shop and say exactly what happened.

so other buyers will not be scammed by this seller.