Paypal gave me wrong address.....buyer never got the item?

Question

I sold a book on ebay for 36.00 and the buyer paid via paypal. The total was 49.00. I shipped priority mail w/delivery comfirmation to the confirmed address with paypal. The buyer emails me asking where the book is. I check on the USPS site and it was already delivered. Buyer emails me back says he is in Georgia and Paypal had old address in Maryland.

What do I do as the seller?

Can the person who accepted the package be prosecuted?

Will paypal take the money out of my account even though I did everything in my eyes correctly?

Answer 1

Many ebay sellers will not ship to any address except the one showing on PayPal (verified address). (Buyers giving a second address is a well known scam.) So you were in the right to ship to the PayPal address.

PayPal does not provide the addresses on the accounts; the owner of the PayPal account inputs that information when the account is set up. The onus is on the owner of the account to keep the information, including the address, up to date.

Further, when a payment is authorized through PayPal, the buyer has a chance to verify the address, so why didn't your buyer do that? It is clearly his fault for not changing the address AND his responsibility to find his book at the old address.

Tell the buyer that the package was address to HIM at the address showing on PayPal. Give him the delivery confirmation number as well. He can then go through the USPS and file a complaint against the party at that address who accepted and perhaps opened his mail, which is a federal crime. THAT is where the solution is. This is not your problem.

Contact PayPal explain what has happened. Be sure to specify that the buyer did not update the address information.

If the buyer files a complaint with PayPal,  you will have an opportunity to present your side. Make sure you impress upon everyone that you used the available address AND that you have delivery confirmation. PayPal will consider both sides.

If this buyer leaves negative feedback, all you can do is respond "delivery verification shows item delivered to verified PayPal address" and leave it at that.

Answer 2

It is buyer's false for not providing you the correct address.  During the checkout process Paypal asks the buyer to confirm the shipping address.  Paypal even has a space where buyer can write instruction on how to ship the goods.  He can open a dispute, and since you have the proof that the goods have been shipped and delivered to the address provided, Paypal will not take money out of your account.  Do not refund the buyer, this could be a scam to get free stuff.  

I also suggest that you post this question on eBay community forum.  Lots of members who will give you good advice.

Answer 3

YOu got scammed.

Answer 4

Did the buyer give you a new address?

If not, it's the buyer's problem that he did not update his Paypal home address. He should have been responsible for updating his account, and he cannot assume that the seller would know his correct address

Check with the buyer if he gave USPS a forwarding address so his mails can be forwarded

If the buyer files a dispute, you can provide Paypal with the tracking number to prove you shipped it (and make sure that you have placed the tracking information on your Paypal account). Tell Paypal that the buyer did not update his address on Paypal and you sent the item to the address in the Paypal account

I think this is an instance where you can dispute the buyer if the buyer files a claim. And don't even bother coming after the person who accepted the package -- you don't even know who actually got the package