posted on January 8, 2001 12:40:33 PM
I've read a lot here about accepting PayPal credit card payments and possible chargebacks due to fraud.
I have also read the latest, as of 1-08-01, PayPal rules on seller protection. As of today, PayPal will not protect any seller who ships to an address different from that listed on the transaction details page. That address should be the billing address corresponding to the CC they used.
So, today I get a PayPal payment, a credit card payment from a newer buyer. I notice that the e-mail address on the PayPal account is different than the E-Bay user ID address. Not a real big deal but I figure as long as the address matches, no problem. Well, there is no address on the details page. The buyer is Unverified. I decide to call PayPal.
Here is what they told me: To protect yourself, you can only ship to the address on the Transaction Details page. I told them that none showed. Could they check that the address was correct? The reply, "Sorry, can't divulge addresses!!!" What??
Well, how can I ship to the address corresponding to the credit card billing address if they won't give it to me? So I decide to take the path of least resistance and give them the address the buyer asked me to use and ask if that is the correct address. The answer was that if I shipped, I would not be protected.
I take that to mean that the addresses don't match, but the customer service rep would not even say that. She just kept repeating that I was not protected even when I pointedly asked her if the billing address was different. Just can't get a straight answer, it seems.
So, now the dilemna. How do I handle this with the buyer? Do I e-mail and say that the addresses don't match and that I can't ship?
Maybe I'm dense today, but I'm just at a loss as to what to do. Thanks for any help.
posted on January 8, 2001 01:20:16 PM
From what you say it seems the possibility is strong that the buyer is a stolen account.
On the eBay info, call the phone number listed, see who answers. If you get a disconnected number contact Safe Harbor because that is against the rules and makes for an automatic suspension of that user id.
Send an email to all email addresses if there are multiple addresses, stating you won't ship until the matter is resolved.
posted on January 8, 2001 01:35:49 PM
I'm having a similar problem with Billpoint. The bidder sent me the "request to pay by billpoint" email through the auc listing. He then asked that the item be shipped to a different address than that on the "request to pay by billpoint" email, although it is in the same city and the shipping last name was the same, first name different. I feel this is probably ok, but in future should I only ship to the address sent from Billpoint (and I guess now with paypal too). http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/labelleepoque1/ http://www.labellestudios.com
posted on January 8, 2001 02:34:59 PM
Hi labelleepoque1
My buyers ask to have items shipped to different names and addresses now and then. The request is sent by email, not a message contained in the Billpoint invoice request.
As a buyer I've had items shipped elsewhere a few times. I live in Oregon. I have an older sister who lives in California. She has a different last name than I do. I tell the seller I purchased the item for my sister, please ship it to her.
My customers do the same thing. I sold a vase for $500. Buyer wanted the vase shipped to her mom. I sold a comport for $350. Buyer wanted the comport shipped to his daughter.
posted on January 8, 2001 02:45:22 PM
As an international buyer, with family in the US, I also sometimes have things shipped to a different address. But when I do, I am upfront about why would like the item shipped to a different address, and provide my correct billing address/postal address, so that the seller can verify that it is me (or at least, I hopethey can verify it is me.
I am not a seller, busybiddy, but your scenario would make me very wary, especially if it is a largish sum.
posted on January 8, 2001 02:59:12 PM
I am VERY wary about this one.
I have e-mailed the buyer and asked if they would please verify their correct name and address and explain the discrepancy between the E-Bay and PayPal info.
I HAVE several times mailed an item to other than the winning bidder but each time the buyer told me before they paid that it was a gift, or some other reasonable explanation, and they provided me with their name and address as well as the recipients name and address. Never a problem.
This person is a newbie, has bid on over $1500 worth of stuff in one week, much of it multiples of the same item, and has not one piece of contact info that can be verified. Nothing matches.
posted on January 8, 2001 03:41:00 PM
When I buy I never have an item shipped to my home address, it is always to my work. The reason being my home is in the country and the mail box is on a major highway with a lot of traffice, but can not be a locking mailbox and yes I have had mail stolen. If it is being shipped by UPS or Fedx it gets left on the pourch RAIN, SLEET,SNOW whatever. But, my first email mail to the seller does state they will be shipping to my work address and I do provide both address. I am not sure how I am going to work this in the future.
[ edited by Buffalowoman on Jan 8, 2001 03:43 PM ]
Sellers, please check carefully BEFORE you ship an item paid for with a credit card through PayPal!!! Be sure the names and addresses match up.
Just got off the phone with PayPal and this DOES turn out to be a case of fraud. The credit card on file with PayPal appears to be stolen. They are locking the PayPal account and I have e-mailed timesensitive@ebay to report the bidder.
His wild bidding history led me to e-mail another seller about a recently closed auction he won. Turns out he used yet another name and address and SHE was suspicious and had called PayPal, too.
I'm out nothing, I never shipped, but I feel bad for the other sellers who already mailed him the item.
Whenever your gut says something ain't right, LISTEN to it!
posted on January 8, 2001 08:20:54 PM
Did they explain why they had neglected to provide the shipping address in the first place? And what about their refusal to answer when you called?
posted on January 8, 2001 08:28:07 PM
Whenever I buy I ALWAYS have the items shipped to my work address. It is safer than my home address. I used to get my magazines 2 weeks late - with coffee cup rings on the covers!
BUT it is to the same name, in the same city, and the same zip code. Perhaps I should change my address on my credit card to my store so I can get items shipped to my store.
Also, the checking account I have listed with Paypal is my business account with my work address on it.
posted on January 8, 2001 08:29:27 PM
They claim a tech glitch prevented the address from showing on the details page; it still doesn't show. However, they would not provide me with the address over the phone when I called this morning.
My concern continues to be that this type of fraud is easy to perpetrate and that PayPal could help prevent this by verifying the card and providing the seller with the address. In fact, they now REQUIRE you to ship only to that address to protect against a chargeback. See my link above; it's at the bottom of the page.
Well, how can you do that if they won't give you the address?
Sadly, the other seller I am in contact with called PayPal yesterday and was told to go ahead and ship. She had the same address he gave me but a different name. I wonder if they will stick her with a chargeback?
