Source:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Ebay/comments/4i2yv8/my_ebay_scammer_was_arrested/
Hello everyone. I've been reading this sub since February, I came across it after I was scammed for a ~$xxx item..
I won't give too much detail since the case is still open, but I'll say it was an electronic item, and the buyer wanted to return it because he claimed he "ordered the wrong item". Without hesitation I approved the return. But after doing so, I started looking at his feedback and noticed he'd had many 'problems' with transactions in the 1.5 years he's been on eBay.
So, as expected, he returned an identical but non functional item which had a different serial number. I posted photos to the 'return item' eBay conversation and kindly asked (without making accusations) to send the correct unit back for a refund. Not much longer after that, eBay processed his full refund and closed the case. Also as expected, I didn't get anywhere with customer service over the phone. They processed the refund because the USPS tracking showed the box was delivered.
So, I filed a report with USPS Mail Fraud, and also the IC3 site. After that, I called my local (small town) police department and they took a report. I provided detailed photos showing the difference between the items.
I provided the USPS, IC3, and police report #'s to eBay hoping they would look in to the case again, they simply said 'keep calling the buyer and see what you can work out'. Ugh.
A couple weeks later, my local PD followed up to see if I got anywhere with eBay. (No where) At that point he considered this a loss (theft), so he forwarded the case information to the local (small town) PD where the buyer lives.
A couple days later, a detective called me to say he had received the case, and we talked on the phone a bit to verify some details. I also provided link to high resolution photos of the items, and a video of me unboxing the return item. He said he'd look into it.
Two days later, he emailed me to say that he executed a search warrant at the scammers home, located my item, and that he will be charging the person with theft. I can get my item back after the case is closed. OMG!
So, just thought I would post my story in case there are others out there wondering what to do. If the buyer were in a big city, I doubt the police would have taken it that far. I was actually quite surprised. To be a fly on the wall in his house when that all went down......
I've been a seller since 1998, but not as a store just personal items. I still sell items, but now I attach tamper proof labels that are numbered. They are clearly shown in the listing and I have specific instructions on returns. (Not that it matters to the big time scammers, but maybe it's at least somewhat of a deterrent)
UPDATE 5/8/16: Thanks for the feedback so far. I promise to give an update after the case is concluded. There is a pre-trial conference about 2 weeks out. According to the online docket for the case, he's not represented by an attorney, at least not yet. This will likely end up resulting in a pre-trial deferment, based on how other similar theft cases concluded in his county. Once things are wrapped up I'll request copies of the probable cause affidavit, return on search warrant, etc, and post them here. (With identifying information redacted to comply with the doxxing / no personal information rule.)
