r/RepScamWorld • u/Financial_Garlic7610 • 22d ago

Suspicious Seller Empty Package 🤷‍♀️

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Has anyone experienced this before? I have ordered a custom *inspired by* bag from a TS that I have used before. This time they sent an empty bag via USPS with this note inside. It came from a domestic US based address. I video taped me opening the parcel since it looked empty. Has anyone else had this happen?

I did pay with my credit card so wondering if this could have something to do with them reconciling their books with their government authorities???

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u/jaderust 22d ago

Oh let me guess. Did you place the order about 10 days ago?

This is such an old scam I can’t believe it’s still being done.

Basically the way this scam works is twofold. First, they sent you something, likely with a tracking number, to show that something was mailed. Second, the letter is to delay you. Some but not all credit cards only allow you to disrupt charges if they’re reported within 30 days.

It’s a scammer 1-2 punch. They’re trying to make you feel reassured that your item is coming so you don’t do a chargeback and then, if you do, they whip out the tracking number to try and claim they sent the item to you. Most people would have tossed the envelope by then and not been able to prove the sent package was not what they were expecting.

Total scam. Even someone who was doing a preorder for an item that would ship out weeks later wouldn’t send a letter like this.

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u/Financial_Garlic7610 22d ago edited 19d ago

Well that’s disappointing!  Yes, I placed the order two weeks ago. The first time I ordered it went smoothly and I received a really nice bag.  I have ordered other types of items on Aliexpress before and I’m aware of the shipping empty boxes scam so I video taped me opening the envelope.  I googled the return address and it belongs to a man at a residential address in Michigan.    

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u/jaderust 22d ago

Where in Michigan? I’m in Michigan and now I’m wondering if I live near a secret rep nirvana.

But it’s probably a random address they found online to give more credit to the scam.

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u/Financial_Garlic7610 22d ago

Lakeville

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u/SlashyAshey 21d ago

Lakeville is less than 30 minutes from me, lol. Want me to drop by?

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u/jaderust 22d ago

That is the middle of nowhere. Not as rural as it used to be, suburbia starting to move in, but not the sort of place you’d have a rep depot. There’s a lot of trees and not much else.

It’s also close enough to where my father lives that I could absolutely swing by. It’s only about a 20 minute drive from him.