FINAL UPDATE: Help me figure this out. Is someone being scammed?

[jewellsmommy]

CBD needs to figure this out with the credit card company, this is not your problem.

 

 

I'm kind of surprised that they didn't just tell you to keep the book and I think it kind of reflects badly on their customer service that they didn't. It really is not your problem, nor your fault.

 

 

 It's funny, my mom said the exact same things. She went as far as to say that the CBD rep was irritating her.   :lol:  :001_rolleyes:  My mom's a nut, but in a good way.

 

I don't know how I get mixed up in these ridiculous matters and then feel compelled to 'fix' this stuff. I have done what I can, and I am moving on now. I get to look forward to dd referencing this stupid book all next year as her fraudulent Chemistry book or her stolen book and whatever bad puns/jokes she (or dh) comes up with next--"this chemistry book has an awful lot of history to it ... for a science book."  Yes, dear  :glare: ...Amateur comedians everywhere.

[lewber]

Interesting. I'm surprised CBD wants the book back too. I think you've uncovered a big scam for them if they're smart enough to figure it out.

[TranquilMind]

I know. That seems weird to me too. Unless they have a fake name for their Paypal accnt. it would seem as if that would lead right back to them?

 

On my paypal transaction it gives their paypal accnt. name as Cindy ************ (don't want to list the actual name)

 

Exactly.  You have to provide so much information to deal with any bank today, I'm not really sure how this scam is easily pulled off.

 

I had to show ID to turn in MY OWN coins, after I wrapped them.  Are you kidding me?  It's MY money and I only wanted bills.  No, I might be "laundering". 

Ha ha

[gardenmom5]

Exactly.  You have to provide so much information to deal with any bank today, I'm not really sure how this scam is easily pulled off.

 

I had to show ID to turn in MY OWN coins, after I wrapped them.  Are you kidding me?  It's MY money and I only wanted bills.  No, I might be "laundering". 

Ha ha

 

because some people will wrap "coins" that are loaded with slugs in the middle.  they wanted to know who to come after if they found fake coinage.

[mommyoffive]

sounds really fishy. 

 

Keep us posted

[TranquilMind]

because some people will wrap "coins" that are loaded with slugs in the middle.  they wanted to know who to come after if they found fake coinage.

I'm tired of all the evil and all the scamming. 

[Guest]

because some people will wrap "coins" that are loaded with slugs in the middle. they wanted to know who to come after if they found fake coinage.

I was a teller for years. We didn't accept rolled coins from individuals because the majority were short. I refuse to believe that many people can't count.

[happi duck]

I talked to the CBD rep again today. I gave them the name attached to the seller's pp account, their ebay ID, and told them about past items listed. I explained to her what Paypal told me, essentially that I don't have grounds for a claim (through pp against the seller) because I got the book I ordered in the condition I expected. They acknowledge that the situation is 'wrong' but that I, personally, can't evoke the paypal protection. I can request a return from the seller, but would have to return the book to the seller (as I suspected). The paypal rep said that this on ebay to investigate etc.

 

I told her that I am happy to help anyway I can, but I can't afford to return the book to CBD AND then turn around and buy the book again from somewhere else without getting this money back. The CBD rep said she understood, but still added (again) if I ever did get refund to contact them and they would send a return label for the book.

I feel like you have received veiled permission to keep the book.

 

You have done them a service by uncovering this.

 

Iiwm, I'd stop trying to get a refund etc and forget about it.

 

You bought the book in good faith, have possibly shut down an illegal operation and also warned all of us of a type of scam to watch out for...Yay you!

[MooCow]

I'm surprised by their customer service as well. There have a couple of times they have sent me the wrong book, and each time they tell me

just to keep it.

[justasque]

Thing is, CBD wouldn't know they were being targeted until someone discovered CBD charges on their credit card and reported them to the credit card company as potentially fraudulent, and the credit card company notified CBD.  Without the OP's input, it would have taken CBD a lot longer to realize that their sudden rash of fraudulently-paid orders could be traced back to one person - the eBay seller.  So OP, you've done CBD a huge favor.  Now they can try to put some systems in place to make sure a card is being used appropriately before the sale goes through.  I am curious how they were able to use the card's legit numbers with the OP's name - that should not have gone through.  (Unless the CBD rep confused the card info with the "ship to" address.)  

I have to wonder what made the scammer choose CBD as the victim.  One would think that under the circumstances it would have been better financially to choose a variety of vendors, with an eye towards lengthening the time before the vendor clues in and the scammer is caught.  

OP, CBD will presumably eventually get their money from the credit card company, so there's no need to send the book back to them.  And the person whose credit card was fraudulently charged will also get their money back.  It is only because the card companies take these things seriously, and pay up, that we - companies and consumers - trust the entire system of giving someone a few numbers instead of actual cash money in exchange for goods.  

[gardenmom5]

I'm tired of all the evil and all the scamming. 

 

so are the rest of us who follow the rules and try to be honest.

 

 

 

I have to wonder what made the scammer choose CBD as the victim.  One would think that under the circumstances it would have been better financially to choose a variety of vendors, with an eye towards lengthening the time before the vendor clues in and the scammer is caught.  

 

OP, CBD will presumably eventually get their money from the credit card company, so there's no need to send the book back to them.  And the person whose credit card was fraudulently charged will also get their money back.  It is only because the card companies take these things seriously, and pay up, that we - companies and consumers - trust the entire system of giving someone a few numbers instead of actual cash money in exchange for goods.  

 

my money is on the scammer being a cbd employee/family-of-employee (the employee would still be "in" on it.).  that's how they get around/exploit holes in the system.  most embezzelment starts as a crime of opportunity, and  almost always has someone on the inside.

 

if cbd takes this seriously (as all of the ebay items are carried by them) - they should be able to track them down and stop their losses.   the sad problem is how few companies take the little stuff seriously - which leads to the bigger stuff.   and this one is progressing in sophistication - I'd wager it was already going on before they started selling on ebay.

 

banks take this seriously because if someone uses someone else's card - the bank is liable for the charges.  our accounts are tracked - and anything "unusual" - gets flagged and we get phone calls.   we've even had times they've frozen the card.  because they thought it was being used fraudulently. . . .  sometimes it was us .. and sometimes it *was* fraud and we still had possession of the card.

[jewellsmommy]

I'm surprised by their customer service as well. There have a couple of times they have sent me the wrong book, and each time they tell me

just to keep it.

 

I think that this rep focuses on credit cards and interior money matters. She's not a customer service person, so I bet her mind and priorities are in a different place, kwim? A customer service person would probably approach it differently. 

[jewellsmommy]

Thank you everyone. I am at the end of the line. No one else to contact or talk to. Ebay sent me an email stating that for privacy reasons I will NOT be updated on any actions they take and that I may not notice any changes but they are on the case etc.

 

I am making my chemistry plans, and dd has already been thumbing through the book. I told her she has to finish biology first (with which she is behind schedule :glare: tsk tsk tsk).

 

 

I feel like you have received veiled permission to keep the book.

You have done them a service by uncovering this.

Iiwm, I'd stop trying to get a refund etc and forget about it.

You bought the book in good faith, have possibly shut down an illegal operation and also warned all of us of a type of scam to watch out for...Yay you!

 

 

Thing is, CBD wouldn't know they were being targeted until someone discovered CBD charges on their credit card and reported them to the credit card company as potentially fraudulent, and the credit card company notified CBD.  Without the OP's input, it would have taken CBD a lot longer to realize that their sudden rash of fraudulently-paid orders could be traced back to one person - the eBay seller.  So OP, you've done CBD a huge favor.  Now they can try to put some systems in place to make sure a card is being used appropriately before the sale goes through.  I am curious how they were able to use the card's legit numbers with the OP's name - that should not have gone through.  (Unless the CBD rep confused the card info with the "ship to" address.)  

I have to wonder what made the scammer choose CBD as the victim.  One would think that under the circumstances it would have been better financially to choose a variety of vendors, with an eye towards lengthening the time before the vendor clues in and the scammer is caught.  

OP, CBD will presumably eventually get their money from the credit card company, so there's no need to send the book back to them.  And the person whose credit card was fraudulently charged will also get their money back.  It is only because the card companies take these things seriously, and pay up, that we - companies and consumers - trust the entire system of giving someone a few numbers instead of actual cash money in exchange for goods.  

 

I have asked myself a lot of these same questions. Why CBD? Why these particular items? Why this Chem book? I have to come to some of the same conclusions as others. I suspect this person has connections- doesn't quite explain why she is picking on Jay Wile.  :huh: ...And prefilled communion cups? What an odd choice.

[Cinder]

Exactly.  You have to provide so much information to deal with any bank today, I'm not really sure how this scam is easily pulled off.

 

I had to show ID to turn in MY OWN coins, after I wrapped them.  Are you kidding me?  It's MY money and I only wanted bills.  No, I might be "laundering". 

Ha ha

 

Our credit union hasn't taken rolled coins in many years, but when they did you had to write your name and bank acct # on each roll. I always figured it was in case the rolls were short. So much easier when they switched to the coinstar machine. As long as you're a member and cash out the same day there's no fee.

[gardenmom5]

 

 

 

 

 

I have asked myself a lot of these same questions. Why CBD? Why these particular items? Why this Chem book? I have to come to some of the same conclusions as others. I suspect this person has connections- doesn't quite explain why she is picking on Jay Wile.  :huh: ...And prefilled communion cups? What an odd choice.

 

depends how many they normally sell. maybe the scammer thought it would be less likely to be noticed.  and if it was noticed . . . "who would want to steal communion cups?" so it would be written off, and they'd get more time  . . .

 

 it's not just jay wile - it's also melisa and doug, and playmobil stuff.

[SarahW]

Thank you everyone. I am at the end of the line. No one else to contact or talk to. Ebay sent me an email stating that for privacy reasons I will NOT be updated on any actions they take and that I may not notice any changes but they are on the case etc.

 

I am making my chemistry plans, and dd has already been thumbing through the book. I told her she has to finish biology first (with which she is behind schedule :glare: tsk tsk tsk).

 

 

 

 

 

I have asked myself a lot of these same questions. Why CBD? Why these particular items? Why this Chem book? I have to come to some of the same conclusions as others. I suspect this person has connections- doesn't quite explain why she is picking on Jay Wile.  :huh: ...And prefilled communion cups? What an odd choice.

 

It is weird.

 

But in my book, the incident would be closed for me. Put the book on the shelf and try to forget about it so you can sleep peacefully.

 

 

But lol, I'd totally be snarking for the whole next year "DD, go get your criminal chemistry book and do your homework."  :lol:

[jewellsmommy]

FINAL UPDATE:

 

Apparently the seller is still selling.  :glare:  So, I left negative feedback. I do notice that they are no longer selling the same CBD items. But since there are multiples of the same tea pot I figure they have just moved on to a different store/vendor. A scammer is going to scam, I guess. There is nothing more I can do. I just wanted to finish it up for ya'll.

[creekland]

FINAL UPDATE:

 

Apparently the seller is still selling.  :glare:  So, I left negative feedback. I do notice that they are no longer selling the same CBD items. But since there are multiples of the same tea pot I figure they have just moved on to a different store/vendor. A scammer is going to scam, I guess. There is nothing more I can do. I just wanted to finish it up for ya'll.

 

This has to be a really dumb seller!

 

http://www.ebay.com/sch/toiyhancoc-0/m.html?_trksid=p3692

 

If it were me, I'd be calling e-bay and asking WTH?

 

If someone can get away with scamming that easily and can go back to their same user name, something's definitely wrong.  We all end up paying for it with higher prices on things to cover such losses.  A first time is one thing - repeated times like this?  Is it an e-bay employee rather than a CBD employee?

[luuknam]

This has to be a really dumb seller!

 

http://www.ebay.com/sch/toiyhancoc-0/m.html?_trksid=p3692

 

If it were me, I'd be calling e-bay and asking WTH?

 

If someone can get away with scamming that easily and can go back to their same user name, something's definitely wrong.  We all end up paying for it with higher prices on things to cover such losses.  A first time is one thing - repeated times like this?  Is it an e-bay employee rather than a CBD employee?

 

 

I'm wondering if the seller is in some country that doesn't care about this. That said, I'd still expect eBay to care. Though realistically, eBay wouldn't be able to do much - if they end this seller's account, the seller would just open another one under a different name.

[creekland]

I'm wondering if the seller is in some country that doesn't care about this. That said, I'd still expect eBay to care. Though realistically, eBay wouldn't be able to do much - if they end this seller's account, the seller would just open another one under a different name.

 

I'm wondering if e-bay could be held legally responsible for letting a known scammer keep their ID though.  If I were a credit card company who took the loss on it, I'd be looking at that possibility.