I’m think I got scammed......

[brandontran]

I just recently purchased a DJ on the TimeZone forum from a member that have a decent amount of positive feedback on there. He’s been a member since 2003. The watch was listed as being a excellent condition with no issues. Bought and received the watch. Watch runs fine for about 2-3 days, put it inside my watch winder like I normally do with my watch when i’m Not wearing them. Then it stop running while my other Rolex and Omega are running normal. I took the watch out, wind it and wear it.....then it starts running then stop. So obviously there’s definitely something wrong with it. So I contacted the seller, he said just send it back to him and he’ll take care of it. I sent it back on the 26th of February but there’s something wrong with USPS on delivery. It’s indicated as being delayed. I called USPS office trying to find out the issue. It’s under investigation right now. But the point was, the seller was very responsive when he was trying to sell his watch but now he’s not very responsive at all. What if the package is lost, what should I do? HELP!!! Any suggestions.

[brandontran]

This is the tracking number: 9510816019278057180765

[Chewbacca]

any insurance on the return back, tracking, signature options?

sounds like it was likely due for a service.

i'd inform the TZ folks.

hope it works out.

[henrylee]

The seller may be less responsive but the bigger issue is that USPS missed placed your watch. The seller isn't the one that missed placed your watch, hope you got it insured. But it sucks that the watch needed service.

[brandontran]

The seller told me it was just recently serviced a few months ago. The watch was only 4 years old. I’ve bought a lot of watches.....Rolex and Omega mostly fro this forum. This is by far my worse experience so far......I just think the seller is not being honest upon selling this watch. I’ve asked the seller to go to his P.O. and try to retrieve the package at his local PO because it does require a signature for delivery but his responses have been very slow. Seems like he’s not very interested in picking it up. In that case, he could just claim that the package is lost and he doesn’t have to do anything. In that case, it would be my fault. I’m constantly texting him and communicating with him trying to get this watch back to him and we’ll go from there.....

[Jim Smyth]

It should have been delivered on the 1st. From my experiences and I have hundreds of USPS deliveries under my belt this is a sign they have no clue where your package is. So I ask this.........did you insure the package? If you insured it for over $200 they have to get a signature for it even if you didnt pay for signature service. USPS will be a PITA to try to recover money from but you can in time if you stick with it. If you had all your ducks in a row it will be a 4-6 month process with 3-4 appeals that have to be done in a relative short time period between each event. The better organized you are the better chances to get your money back.

[brandontran]

It’s only insured to $50. I’ve had over 200 plus packages mailed over the years with USPS. This is the first time I have this kind of issue. It seems like they have no clue on what happened to the package. Tracking indicate it was out for delivery, then delayed. But so far they have no clue on why it was being delayed.

[Fabrice M]

USPS has lost so many of my pkg over the years, I never use them for anything over $100. Hope you pkg was insured...

[imperio]

Was your watch insured with Jewelers Mutual or on your homeowner/renters policy?

[77T]

OK - some good news - and maybe some not so good...

First, the good: you/we know it was in a Carrier’s hands on March 1st but he never scanned it again. We know that because of the delayed delivery alert.

Now this can be that it was delivered but not hand scanned as it should have been. Or it has disappeared.

If the seller still says it never arrived, call the USPS branch for that route. I Googled the USPS branch serving the seller’s zip code (76131) and it is at 101 Belmont St, Saginaw, TX 76179, Phone: 817-625-5864. Ask for the station manager or assistant manager for letter carriers. If you’ve already done that then opening a stolen item report is a last resort.

Tell your story calmly so you don’t sound fishy or angry. Let them know how much you use the Priority Mail and love the new tracking data and how they’ve always delivered 100% of the time for you, etc...

I’ve had a Rolex go astray and got it located by a station manager and she took package on her way home to deliver it to my buyer. Know this: they are by and large focused on delivering the mail - so you have a good chance to find out if it was delivered and just not scanned.

Now the not so good: they are going to think you’re a scammer since mailing a Rolex with only $50 insurance is daft. The other thing is they may have delivered + the seller never got it = package thief took it.

Hope that helps a bit.

Help for other readers:
This is where Registered Mail might have been a good choice. Write that down on your checklist for “how to mail a Rolex”.

Also, if just Priority Mail, use restricted delivery, Adult signature required, certified & insured for full value + physical return receipt postcard is worth the cost.


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[walds11]

Originally Posted by imperio

Was your watch insured with Jewelers Mutual or on your homeowner/renters policy?

Good point. The OP may be SOOL if the package is in fact lost. I always insure for full value.

[VintageVagabound]

Because it was last scanned in possession of the local post office I think you’re in better shape than you could be. This is much easier to track down. I’m wondering if either the address was not correct or was rejected by receiver and not updated in the system.

I recently had a USPS package and online it said “problem with delivery - taking steps to correct the problem” (this was not helpful) then nothing. Turns out it wouldn’t work on their auto scanning equipment and had to be manually sorted. It showed up the next day and was never updated online.

Try to get a human on the phone and I think it’ll get worked out.

[77T]

One other thing I forgot to say - if the package is being returned, the carrier enacts a return procedure.

For example, if you click or pay for flat-rate package but use a regular Priority Mail box. Or 1st class weight is underpaid. Or recipient declines or has put a “hold mail” order in place.

Trivial and unlikely, but that is one way tracking can be messed up. USPS doesn’t provide tracking progress for a return.


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[brandontran]

Thank you 77T.
I’ll try to contact that branch tomorrow. The seller informed me earlier that we went to a couple branches near his house but no luck.

QUOTE=77T;8356086]OK - some good news - and maybe some not so good...

First, the good: you/we know it was in a Carrier’s hands on March 1st but he never scanned it again. We know that because of the delayed delivery alert.

Now this can be that it was delivered but not hand scanned as it should have been. Or it has disappeared.

If the seller still says it never arrived, call the USPS branch for that route. I Googled the USPS branch serving the seller’s zip code (76131) and it is at 101 Belmont St, Saginaw, TX 76179, Phone: 817-625-5864. Ask for the station manager or assistant manager for letter carriers. If you’ve already done that then opening a stolen item report is a last resort.

Tell your story calmly so you don’t sound fishy or angry. Let them know how much you use the Priority Mail and love the new tracking data and how they’ve always delivered 100% of the time for you, etc...

I’ve had a Rolex go astray and got it located by a station manager and she took package on her way home to deliver it to my buyer. Know this: they are by and large focused on delivering the mail - so you have a good chance to find out if it was delivered and just not scanned.

Now the not so good: they are going to think you’re a scammer since mailing a Rolex with only $50 insurance is daft. The other thing is they may have delivered + the seller never got it = package thief took it.

Hope that helps a bit.

Help for other readers:
This is where Registered Mail might have been a good choice. Write that down on your checklist for “how to mail a Rolex”.

Also, if just Priority Mail, use restricted delivery, Adult signature required, certified & insured for full value + physical return receipt postcard is worth the cost.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk[/QUOTE]

[jvmartin]

If you shipped it back using your own label and did not insure, unfortunately, the seller will have no reason to refund you if it was lost. Regardless of whether it ran or not, insurance is an absolute must when shipping a Rolex... it would have been ideal that he provide you a return label with insurance and everything already marked and ready for you to send back, but of course, hindsight is 20/20. Did he instruct you to insure the watch?

USPS is horrible... I have even had incoming items lost via registered mail at the Los Angeles sort facility... Anything above a dial gets shipped only via FedEx on my end...

[jcs2000]

This is why u use FedEx priority overnight with signature required. If u are shipping a high value item u want it to spend as little time with the carrier as possible.

[jvmartin]

Originally Posted by jcs2000

This is why u use FedEx priority overnight with signature required. If u are shipping a high value item u want it to spend as little time with the carrier as possible.

This is also why I do not recommend shipping via registered mail... packages with registered mail can take up to 17 days to deliver.... that's a long time and a lot of temptation... quicker and discreet is ALWAYS better...

[MinMay]

oh boy...wish you luck, but I don't think the seller "scammed" you.

The seller was willing to take the watch back....

I would never use USPS to ship a high value item. USPS tracking sucks. I would use FedEx or UPS overnight tracking with INSURANCE.

Again, good luck...but the seller is clearly NOT at fault.

[Jim Smyth]

The only way you can ship a Rolex to a Rolex Service Center in the US is via Registered Mail by the USPS. There's a reason for that. Its under lock and key the whole time and everyone has to sign for it along its way. Not many postal thieves are willing to loose there job stealing it this way. Its very very safe!

Also if you shipped a watch and didnt insure it you better have a good reason you didnt. Like its insured under a different Insurance carrier. If you didnt have Insurance then its your fault and your lesson to learn. Sucks the watch broke but in life $hit happens. You have to protect yourself and your property.

[goldfixer21]

Your post title is misleading. It doesn't sound like you got scammed at all. I've had recently serviced watches have issues before, it's not uncommon. The seller appears to have been willing to take care of it, so how was this a scam?

[MoosicPa]

Originally Posted by goldfixer21

Your post title is misleading. It doesn't sound like you got scammed at all. I've had recently serviced watches have issues before, it's not uncommon. The seller appears to have been willing to take care of it, so how was this a scam?

+1, this guy mails the watch without insurance, package gets lost in USPS system, and somehow it's a scam???

[Mosco]

Bit of tough love here: you didn’t get scammed. You tried to cut a corner (and possibly save $10-$20) by under-insuring it. That was a foolish move and you will, most likely pay the price. The seller had nothing to do with your poor judgment.
Having said that, I truly, sincerely, hope I am wrong and the watch turns up.
Contact USPS Marshalls, which is essentially a government Police agency tied to USPS and tell them your story. https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov
Best of luck and again, I sincerely hope you get made whole.

[Submariner SS]

Please keep us posted with updates. I hope there will be a happy ending of a sort.

[Pkim024]

I think the bigger question is why you would only insure a ROLEX for $50????

[CorradoBrit]

Its been bouncing around the FW area a lot. Makes me think the address is suspect. Have you googled the address and see what appears on the Google Maps? Was the return address the same as the one the shipper used on the original label?
$50 insurance was a bad mistake. Hope it turns up. GL

[jvmartin]

Originally Posted by CorradoBrit

Its been bouncing around the FW area a lot. Makes me think the address is suspect. Have you googled the address and see what appears on the Google Maps? Was the return address the same as the one the shipper used on the original label?
$50 insurance was a bad mistake. Hope it turns up. GL

If the address was suspect it would have been updated as undeliverable and held for pickup at the local post office in that zip code/city... I also concur that this wasn't scam but a series of bad decisions...

[walds11]

OP, any updates?

[Reddy_Kilowatt]

As @mosco and others have said, not a scam. And $50 insurance? Oh boy...

Further, how do you expect the seller to be "responsive"? Your shipment to him is delayed. What would you have the seller do? Wait faster?

[77T]

I believe the OP titled it right and most people are focusing on the shipping issue. Here’s where he described what he thought may have been a scam by the seller.

Originally Posted by brandontran

The watch was listed as being a excellent condition with no issues.

Watch runs fine for about 2-3 days

.....then it starts running then stop. So obviously there’s definitely something wrong with it.

So he’s really saying the seller sold a faulty watch - that’s what he’s describing as a scam.


Later in his post he goes on to ask for help about a potentially lost USPS package.

Originally Posted by brandontran

What if the package is lost, what should I do? HELP!!! Any suggestions.

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[FloridaCreekIndian]

If the seller was responsive at first and now he's not, I suspect he may be suspicious of you.