I came across a good deal on Xbox Series X with a discount. I'd never ordered anything like this on the Walmart app, so I assumed it was good to go. Once ordered, I realized it was a third-party seller and began researching the seller's reviews. They had 200 mixed reviews with an average 3.9-star rating, but I got a little suspicious when I saw the company name was located in London.
Three days later, when the shipping tracking info was created, I went to check back on the seller's account and it had been deactivated suddenly, leaving me with no way to contact the seller through the Walmart app. The tracking info showed the correct delivery address on the Walmart app with an expected delivery date. But when I checked it on UPS, things got weird. The delivery was still about five days away at this point.
I couldn't track the delivery from its location of origin because the delivery address was different from my UPS account address (which is my shipping address used for purchases). Using UPS Plus, I finally found the option to 'change delivery address for the tracked package,' which then brought up the shipping label's actual delivery address. It was in the same neighborhood, same zip code, but the seller had entered an address that didn't exist. The package originated at 'Ax Xpress' in Illinois, yet the label was created in Texas. Pretty sure they sold me the "Xbox" and then used a dropship company to cover their tracks by sending some bogus item. One of the reviews I saw said he ordered an Xbox but received a pack of triple A batteries instead.
After getting screenshots of all the inconsistencies, I forwarded them to Walmart customer service. Then I called and spoke to a rep on the phone. After I explained the odd situation, he immediately flagged the sale and refunded me on the spot. I think if the scam had gone to its full potential, it would've landed me in a tough spot for a refund. Luckily, I followed my gut feeling of 'scam likely!' and investigated these odd discrepancies before delivery was completed. Otherwise, I would've been slim on recovery options due to a closed marketplace account and no way to contact the seller.
Be cautious of third-party sellers on big-box marketplaces. From my recent experience, you're better off if you spot inconsistencies ahead of delivery — it's easier to make a case if you haven't received the item yet.