eBay Scam?

[Stefano]

So I buy a new set of Snap-On Wrenches for a major discount from retail. I paypal the accepted offer. Seller tells me he can't fulfill and offers a substitute product. I say no way, refund my money. He does and I get pay pal credit through eBay. Then says I will send substitute product to you anyway at no charge. Retail value $200.00. I get tracking number and product shows up to my address with an unknown persons name on it?

What am I missing?

ebay thread below;



eBay
New message from: xxxxxxxx Top Rated Seller(90Blue Star)
Dear friend ! I have shipped the item and the tracking number is : xxxxxxxxxx FedEx. The Scheduled delivery: Saturday, January 30, 2021 by end of day
You can keep the GEARWRENCH-120XP as a gift. I will do the refund right now
I sincerely apologize again for any inconvenience.


Reply
Your previous message

No it is NOT ok to substitute. Please refund all of our money immediately!
XXXXXXXX:

Dear friend ! I sincerely apologize for any inconvenience. I have contacted the courier, and unfortunately there was a problem during the shipping process, the delivery car got into an accident, and most of the packages were damaged.
And it happens to be the last one I have. As i want to give my dear customer the best service, We could not send the broken ones to our customers so I decided to sent the 120XP Universal Spline XL Flex Head Ratcheting Combination SAE Wrench Set (11-Piece) to you. It is a higher grade and quality wrench set. This product are our best seller
these days which many customers are interested in. Its free and I wont charge any extra fee for that. Would that be alright with you ?
I have sent the picture

Snap-On Tools 7 Piece Metric Flank Drive Wrench Set 10-17 10 to 17mm SOEXM707
Snap-On Tools 7 Piece Metric Flank
Order status: Paid
Estimated delivery: Sat. Jan. 30
Tracking number: 957111255223
Order number: 17-06470-41177
View order details

We scan messages to enforce policies. Only purchases on eBay are covered by the eBay purchase protection programs. Asking your trading partner to complete a transaction outside of eBay is not allowed.

[Bill Pritchard]

Originally Posted by Stefano

So I buy a new set of Snap-On Wrenches for a major discount from retail.

In retrospect, that probably should have been your first clue that something was amiss.

[72heavychevy]

Very strange indeed...the only circumstance I could see this going wrong is if he was trying to get an item (even the wrong one) shipped to you, with tracking information provided to eBay, and then bill you as he has "proof of delivery".

However since you've already been refunded and the items clearly aren't even the same brand, I don't know how he could ever make that work. Maybe just an honest guy? Regardless, that's an odd transaction

[Stefano]

Ok, so I thought about that, but he sent me the mesages through ebay where he said that he was sending the replacement item at no charge. So I have those to fall back on.

Thanks for the replies, but I still can not believe that this was just an altruistic jesture.

[flyingn]

weird.. There has to be more to this story. Maybe you foiled his scam in some way?

[mssl72]

Yeah, strange. I hope I'm not offending anyone, but I noticed maybe English may not be their 1st language by some of the words used and the phrasing. This happens in some scam things. But as mentioned could be totally innocent. I would've done as you did and told them to refund my money. Odd transaction. Let us know if anything happens as time passes.

[Too Many Projects]

Keep a very close watch on the funding source you initially used to be certain he/they don't find a way to drain it.

[the427king]

Be careful of anyone that uses the word courier.

[Astock]

Something is afoot.

[HawkX66]

I bought a Mr. Heater garage hanging heater brand new for a crazy discount a few years ago. Like your shipment, it came with a different name. I emailed them about a pretty good sized dent and ripped box. They sent me a gift card for $100. It turned out to basically be money laundering. I wasted my time and filed a complaint with the FBI. What some of these scammers do is have PayPal accounts set up that are difficult to trace for some reason. You pay to the PayPal account and they buy products using stolen cards etc. They'll do whatever it takes to keep you happy and not file complaints/make noise. Your situation is definitely a little different, but it sounds similar in some ways. Organized crime and terrorism funding unfortunately. Not just common thieves.