Advice sought- stolen phone

[Brydo666]

I listed my iPhone 6S on Amazon on Tuesday evening and it sold after an hour of listing. Packed it up boxed with an extra case on Wednesday morning and posted special delivery.

Guy called me today and said the parcel arrived open and everything is there except the handset itself.

He has sent me photos and it just looks opened as normal to me, torn open right down the middle where the address was written.

I've no idea what to do? Never in my 15+ years of selling has this happened. What I know is that if I place the packaging he has received onto a scale with an iPhone 6S it'll weigh my postage weight.

Phone wasn't insured, I know what the serial number is but not the IEMI. I assume amazon will tell me to refund him and I should claim against RM but they'll want the packaging, what if he doesn't send it to me?

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

[evilsatan]

If he is telling the truth I don't see why he would withold the packaging from you, the weight may well be printed on the package so he can check that for himself. I would contact the RM immediately and make them aware of the situation and see what evidence they require to make the claim. Seems odd someone would go to the bother of stealing just the phone and not take it all or the charger at least.

[josweet]

U could call his bluff and suggest he "makes sure it didnt fall out during opening" as this helps give him a get out if he chooses to be honest, & tell him that u will block the phone if he is "SURE"
However... If the person u mailed it to has a foreign name, he may simply send post it abroad to a relative, so the blocking threat wont be effective.
Also let them know that u will inform the police so they will quite possibly want to discuss it further with him as well as Royal mail intelligence department.

Also, check out his facebook page for any "new posts", he may have some new mirror selfies !
You may want to make a fake profile of some hotty interested in getting to know him further
Its all scare tactics i know.. but like u said, its a tricky one.

[Brydo666]

I'll phone RM in the morning.

The buyer does have a foreign name and their English isn't the best.





Their own seller account on Amazon shows 45% negative feedback over 172 transactions. Sadly I can't see the detail behind it. I did consider calling their local sorting office to see if they are known as problematic.

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[josweet]

99% scammer that mate.
Judging by his poor grasp of the language i would guess he's probably not familiar with the reporting to Amazon process. Amazon will have a time limit for a buyer to make a claim, so string him along for that duration by any means possible, & do it via direct email (not through Amazon) so he doesn't have a reviewable record of the convo that Amazon can log in & also read.
Message him late tomorrow afternoon & tell him youll contact RM next week as they are closed until then. Use the 5 day week to your advantage.
Tell him your post another when u can be sure it will arrive. NB> u could always post an empty box via secured tracked mail & claim there was a phone in there. That way u have tracking details ect..

[JonEp]

There is a chain of custody with SD parcels right to your door.

Run his email address / mobile phone number through facebook and pipl.com to identify any social media profiles.

PM the address you sent it to if you want.. I can check to see if there are any fraud flags on it for you and the registered occupants names.

[Brydo666]

I already have started a conversation with him on Amazon but most of his messages are blank, somehow he has been able to get Amazon to message me on his behalf and they seem to think I'm not complying.

I think I should ask him to return all the packaging exactly as he received it to me then proceed with a RM claim.

Not a single thing found for the email on pipl.com and no result on Facebook. Will send the address over to you mate...

[Bald Bouncer]

Personally I think the guy has scammed and the phone is probably already winging it's way to another country, over the years I have probably posted in excess of 5,000 Special delivery and never had a single one lost or turn up opened and goods removed, as JonEp say's it's because there is a chain of custody. You MUST get the packaging returned or I have little doubt Royal Mail will refuse the claim, they are like insurance companies and look for every reason to refuse a claim not pay it.

[Brydo666]

I was going to post on the Amazon message thread that I need him to return all the packaging 100% as he received it to me and support me with the claim before I offer a refund. My concern is Amazon refunds him anyways, he ignores me and I'm stuffed.

[Bald Bouncer]

I was going to post on the Amazon message thread that I need him to return all the packaging 100% as he received it to me and support me with the claim before I offer a refund. My concern is Amazon refunds him anyways, he ignores me and I'm stuffed.

I know with all claims I have made on damaged in transit they have insisted on packaging so would be sure they would in this case, they would be looking for a get out such as not packaged securely etc plus they make it as awkward as possible as they know a certain percentage will give up, I think you are right amazon may well refund but as he claims 'some' of the order is there I see no reason why he should not be forced to return first and I would put this point to Amazon along with needing it for the claim.

[DJ OD]

Going forward would this work?

Setup a new iCloud account and only give the buyer the password to remove it from the phone once everything has gone well with the sale.

No good to the OP now, but just a thought I had while reading.


DJ OD

[EvilBoB]

Going forward would this work?

Setup a new iCloud account and only give the buyer the password to remove it from the phone once everything has gone well with the sale.

No good to the OP now, but just a thought I had while reading.


DJ OD

This is genius. Would cover your back as well.

[JonEp]

OK the address you PMed does have a flag on the National Fraud Database. Tell Amazon to check CIFAS (you can't as an individual.)

The address is not a valid residential address. All valid residential addresses have to be rated for Council Tax and appear on the gov website here http://cti.voa.gov.uk/cti/inits.asp the flat A isn't there.

I would call the dentist practice which is located at the address and ask them whats going on.

[JonEp]

Should add, there is no one by that name every recorded as living anywhere in the UK.

[Brydo666]

This is very helpful - thank you!

I called Amazon today and spoke to them over the phone, she said nobody in their right mind would accept a parcel that had been opened enough that the phone could get out. If he raises a claim they said they'd do their own investigation and have asked me to keep record of anything that Royal Mail say. I tried asking Royal Mail if I could speak to the sorting office and check on any history of that address but they refused and said anything like that will be considered as part of the claim I've now raised with them.

I'm hoping with being recognised as a fraud address and when Royal Mail query the postman on that day that Amazon will be realistic in processing the claim request when he makes it.

[DJ OD]

Great work there Jon, may well have saved the OP a LOT of ballache.

Forum is dying my arse, stick that facebook lol


DJ OD

[Bald Bouncer]

I'm hoping with being recognised as a fraud address and when Royal Mail query the postman on that day that Amazon will be realistic in processing the claim request when he makes it.

This is an issue or something I have always wondered/had concerns about, when trading any claim I got on a lost item I used to make them sign a form that basically said it was them claiming not to have received the item etc now the reason for this was the sender puts in the claim so if it is a fraudulent claim the person making the claim is the only person who could be charged with fraud and the reason why I made the receiver sign to say the claim was being made on their claim of non delivery.