How Did The Scammer Do This?

Uncle Roger on 28/09/2022 - 10:45
Last edited 28/09/2022 - 10:54 by 1 other user

Asking for a friend (obviously):

A second hand device was bought off Facebook Marketplace, seller then posted via Australia Post with tracking, signature not required.

Item was delivered according to tracking information. Buyer checked 10 mins after supposed delivery, but nothing by the door, or anywhere near their property.

Judging by the fact that the seller has now ghosted the buyer on Facebook, looks like someone has been scammed.

The question is: how did they get Australia Post to confirm that they delivered nothing?

Would be super interested to hear any thoughts…

General Discussion

Comments

  • CodeXD on 28/09/2022 - 10:50
    +5

    Did the tracking have full address or just a suburb? Seller could have used friend's address in the same suburb and confirmed delivery.

    • Uncle Roger on 28/09/2022 - 11:05

      Is there a way to check? Whenever I get an item, it normally just says suburb, not full address…

      • Xistn on 28/09/2022 - 11:25

        theres a drop down arrow next to "Parcel details" on the App.

        • BigBirdy on 29/09/2022 - 09:40

          I'm currently getting an eBay purchase delivered to a friend's city address (to save regional delivery charge), and the Auspost App says "Address not available", with further details saying it's not displayed as it doesn't match My post account details

    • FireRunner on 28/09/2022 - 13:50
      +1

      Seems unlikely the seller would have a mate willing to scam someone living in the same suburb as op's "friend"

  • Ocker on 28/09/2022 - 10:52
    +12

    How do you know that AusPost delivered nothing?
    Parcel could have been stolen.
    We just had a case where AusPost delivered a small package to a letter box and a person on a bicycle turned up 2 minutes later, opened letter box and stole package.
    Everything was caught on CCTV

    • Uncle Roger on 28/09/2022 - 11:05
      +2

      Don't know 100%, but camera picked up nothing, and the seller sent a message saying its been delivered, then quickly left the chat…

      • cookie2 on 28/09/2022 - 13:13
        +6

        As opposed to slowly?

        • blitz on 28/09/2022 - 13:47
          +28

          I love slowly leaving the chat. Am I still there? Have I left? It's a mystery.

  • pegaxs on 28/09/2022 - 11:07
    +14

    "obviously"

    Did your "friend" get the tracking No. or just relying on the word of the seller?

    And I'm also going to say "stolen".

    Literally had a porch pirate try and steal a parcel off my doorstep as the postman was doing the delivery. Said they were just getting home and would take it in. Problem was, my postie knows me very well and I was home at the time.

    Camera system told me there was someone at the front door and when I went to look, just saw the tail end of a guy riding his bike down the street like a mad bitch. Funniest shit ever. Side note: Police didn't care because technically, "no crime was committed". Nothing was stolen and no tresspass because he left.

    • Uncle Roger on 28/09/2022 - 11:16

      Lol…. tracking marked as delivered. Front door checked 10 mins later

    • mafmouf on 29/09/2022 - 16:08

      Wasn't fraud committed? The pirate was claiming to be you to steal the parcel.

      • timps on 29/09/2022 - 19:14
        +1

        Fraud requires gaining benefit. He got busted and gained nothing.
        Lying isn't a crime.

    • T1OOO on 30/09/2022 - 04:06

      Mate, they don’t care even when a crime is comited.

    • lonewolf on 30/09/2022 - 10:18

      Cops arent interested even when crimes have been committed in my experience.

  • Ughhh on 28/09/2022 - 11:07
    +2

    Probably delivered to your neighbour by mistake. Ie. Read 7 as a 1 or something.

  • CyberMurning on 28/09/2022 - 11:08
    +6

    call aus post to check where is the address of that delivery

    • Uncle Roger on 28/09/2022 - 11:09

      A claim has already been lodged…

  • CyberMurning on 28/09/2022 - 11:09
    +12

    aiyaaaaaaaa things like this usually doesnt happen to Uncle Roger la

  • peppet on 28/09/2022 - 11:10
    +28

    This happened to me on eBay. Tracking showed that it was delivered to my address, but I got no parcel.

    When I called AusPost they said the parcel was redirected by the seller and marked as delivered when it arrived at the seller's new location - and this by default marks my tracking as delivered. So basically none of the redirect was shown in my tracking page but it was just marked as delivered and the computer assumed it was delivered to the original address (mine).

    Extremely annoying, but I was able to get a refund because it was eBay. Seems like a major fault with AusPost but they didn't seem to care

  • 87percent on 28/09/2022 - 11:21
    +8

    Ask Australia post to provide the proof of delivery (it’ll be a photo showing where it was delivered, or they’ll provide a gps address location)

    • Uncle Roger on 28/09/2022 - 16:26
      +2

      Yeah, so it looks like it went to the wrong address somehow… Fingers crossed

  • LINKx12 on 28/09/2022 - 11:26

    Always ask for signature on important items. Or get them sent to a parcel locker.

    • Love a bargain on 28/09/2022 - 12:53
      +8

      Haven't needed to sign for anything since the beginning of COVID.

    • AustriaBargain on 29/09/2022 - 17:43

      Even when it's meant to require a signature I often find my new $2,000 phone or whatever just sitting in front of my door anyway.

      • bohn on 29/09/2022 - 17:51

        yeh I get a lot of mail delivered (although I am not near the road so it's quite safe) and I've never had to sign for anything that required a signature in a couple of years.

  • Xistn on 28/09/2022 - 11:27
    +2

    Auspost making FBI / CIA / MIB look like chums in the secret service business.

  • BillyStm on 28/09/2022 - 11:54

    Seller probably picked it up 5 mins after delivered, 5 minutes before you opted to check

    • Uncle Roger on 28/09/2022 - 11:55

      Na, seller is in NSW… Buyer only got home 10 mins after delivery

      • ihbh on 28/09/2022 - 13:34
        +1

        Buyer only got home 10 mins after delivery

        Unfortunately the early bird catches the worm.

        Does sound suss though.

  • randomusername2017 on 28/09/2022 - 12:09

    Post the tracking link?

  • Cheaplikethebird on 28/09/2022 - 12:41

    Or it was simply stolen and seller had nothing to do with it but ghosted you expecting that you would ask for a refund.

    • Uncle Roger on 28/09/2022 - 16:27
      +3

      Na, as soon as the item was delivered, they vanished, as did their Facebook profile

      • MeesusEff on 28/09/2022 - 16:33
        +3

        100% got blocked so they don't have to deal with further communications as it's already done on their end

      • Cheaplikethebird on 28/09/2022 - 16:36

        Dude if it was really a scam from the seller why wouldn't they just send an empty box. Why send the actual item then have someone collect it? Don't think you've really thought this through.

  • GordonD on 28/09/2022 - 13:42

    Not scammed, just delivered to wrong address. Been there, had that done to me. Seller just doesn't want to get involved because its not their fault so they shouldn't have to lose money.

    • Presence on 28/09/2022 - 15:23

      It's a big grey zone. Normally the seller is responsible for all shipping issues when buy from a real business.

      The lesson here is that Gumtree and marketplace are got cash in hand only.

  • TwentyTwoCarats on 28/09/2022 - 14:32
    +6

    Did the buyer pay prior to it being shipped?

    If so this is a common trick. You buy something from eBay and pay upfront. Seller ships a dummy package to another address that's not yours but in your vicinity / postcode, then sends you that tracking number. So there was a real successful delivery, and your tracking number will state just that. Tracking numbers don't show the recipients name or address so that's why this trick works.

    • peppet on 28/09/2022 - 15:00

      Jeeeeez, the lengths people go to. I can see this or wrong address being a likely answer. What does one even do in that situation?

      • TwentyTwoCarats on 28/09/2022 - 20:26

        This happened to me, I bought a pixel 2 from eBay and fell for this. I complained to eBay and after a long refunds process I got my money back. If I failed I would've tried a refund from PayPal.

        • peppet on 28/09/2022 - 20:33
          +1

          I'm glad you got a refund. After reading this thread I think I'm just going to stick with verified sellers from now on… dealing with refunds when you've been scammed just sucks

          • Wilson Wallace on 30/09/2022 - 00:57
            +2

            @peppet: Try your best to purchase locally in your state so you can pick it up. Scammers are becoming more sophisticated and assholes.

  • Ehty on 28/09/2022 - 15:30
    +1

    Could be something like this is shipped to a dummy address

  • Any thing on 28/09/2022 - 16:00

    In the Aus Post app there’s usually a “see where we left it” photo, can you see one?

  • tz001 on 29/09/2022 - 08:51

    I had the same thing….. It was delivered to my neighbour.

  • ItchyBallsack on 29/09/2022 - 14:51
    +1

    Lesson here is only buy off fb marketplace when u can physically pick it up in person and pay cash

  • bohn on 29/09/2022 - 17:35
    -1

    friend got rekt hard

    Lesson here is only buy off fb marketplace when u can physically pick it up in person and pay cash

    the only way. too many scammers around.

  • Herbse on 29/09/2022 - 17:52
    +1

    Auspost will have the geolocation of where they scanned it when it was dropped off and they should have the photo as well.
    The photo only shows up if you're using the app and are logged in and the details are registered to your house on their app system.

    Most likely the following has happened.

    1. Mailman dropped it at the wrong house
    2. Someone swiped the package from the mailbox
    3. Seller wrote the wrong address by mistake

    Seller has ghosted because it's not his problem. He's sent it, receiver deals with finding it.
    If you want guaranteed delivery, buy from a shop or eBay.

  • wtfnodeal on 29/09/2022 - 19:12
    +2

    I had a similar experience but it was an AliExpress marketplace seller. Marked delivered but I had not received the item. Opened a dispute with AliExpress and it sided the seller. Opened another dispute with PayPal and got my money back. 6 months later, the item was delivered to my doorstep without any notification. Who to blame? Auspost! It is hopeless at least to say as the item was likely delivered to a wrong address and the honest recipient returned to it Auspost I believed.

  • webtonmoy on 29/09/2022 - 23:46
    +1

    I had a weird experience regarding delivery. Purchased some items from an Australian company. They provided tracking, and got an email that item is delivered. However, no delivery was made to my home. Checked camera, and no delivery attempted, no card left.

    Lodged a query to Auspost, a week later, one of their team reached me over phone, then the delivery person came and found that he has delivered the package to another house in my street. However, when they retrieved it from that wrong address, I found that it was not their fault.

    The sender, when they printed the address label, cut off first digit from my address, hence this wrong delivery!

  • Hangryuman on 30/09/2022 - 09:03

    in our multi-building multi-entrance unit complex I regularly find delivery items left at wrong entrances because the 'I'm only paid for waiting 30 seconds' deliverer gave up looking for the unit number.

    in which case it would be highly likely that delivery items are 'delivered' but not received.

    Reminds me of when we arrived at an Airbnb place in the Deep South USA - to see the doorway beside where we were staying for 1 night had like 5 delivery box items left outside the nobody home unit. We could have just taken those and left, but didn't due to basic honesty. Anyone less honest or more needy could easily have taken them and you would have the OPs situation.

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