Fake Proof-of-Delivery Dispute (Sellers)
A buyer falsely claims an item never arrived to force a refund or chargeback, sometimes with a fake 'carrier' email as backup.
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What this scam is
As an online seller, you receive a claim that a delivered item never arrived, backed by a spoofed carrier or platform email disputing your proof of delivery. The buyer's goal is to keep the item and get their money back through a refund or card chargeback. Some rings do this at scale. Your defense is genuine tracking, signature confirmation, and handling disputes only inside the real platform.
What it usually looks like
- A buyer insisting a delivered order never came.
- A 'carrier' email disputing your tracking, from an odd address.
- Pressure to refund directly, outside the platform.
- A chargeback filed with the card issuer.
Common warning signs
- Requests to refund off-platform or by payment app.
- A 'carrier' message from a non-official domain.
- The claim ignores valid tracking and signature proof.
- Escalating urgency and threats of a chargeback.
Example wording scammers use
“This is the carrier's claims desk — the delivery on your order is disputed. Refund the buyer to close the case.”
“I never received my order. Refund me now or I'll file a chargeback and report you.”
These are illustrative examples written by ScamSplain, not real messages.
What the scammers want
- A refund while keeping the item.
- To move you off the platform's protections.
- To win a chargeback with fake 'evidence.'
What to do
- Handle all disputes inside the real marketplace, never off-platform.
- Keep tracking and signature confirmation for shipments.
- Verify any 'carrier' message on the carrier's official site.
- Respond to chargebacks with your genuine delivery evidence.
What to do if you already responded
- If you refunded off-platform, report it to the platform and your payment provider.
- Gather tracking evidence to contest any chargeback.
- Report the pattern at reportfraud.ftc.gov.