Consumer complaint received 2020-12-03
Company: Square Inc
State: NY
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Domestic (US) money transfer
Issue: Fraud or scam

Complaint:
On XXXX XX/XX/2020, While holiday shopping, I found a listing via XXXX XXXX for the XXXX XXXX. The listing appeared to be from a small business named XXXX XXXX supposedly out of XXXX, XXXX. I contacted the seller to find out if the system was still available. I received reply that it was and was informed by the seller that they could accept payment via Cash App, XXXX or XXXX XXXX I made payment for {$700.00} via Cash App with agreement that the parcel would be shipped overnight via USPS. The seller informed me that they would send me tracking info as soon as the post office opened. After giving them a couple of hours, assuming as a small business they would have other orders, I checked Cash App to see if payment had been processed to find that XXXX XXXX was now XXXX XXXX. I sent a message to the XXXX XXXX rep that I was speaking with requesting the tracking number and received no reply. I immediately attempted to cancel payment. I was met with a message that I could not cancel payment but that the process was to request refund, which I did immediately. 

I then received a follow up message from the seller, stating that they saw I disputed the charge and claiming they had sent the parcel but had not had time to send me tracking info. I conveyed that at this point I was suspicious of a scam but still held hope that they would hold up their end of the deal. I conveyed that if their business was legitimate, that I would not be disputing the charges. After being called a XXXX slur, and some further complaints from the XXXX XXXX rep or person about their payment being held as it was in dispute, I was sent a picture of a USPS receipt with tracking info. 

I did not rescind my request for a refund, nor did I have any communication with Cash App during this time, as I was still suspicious of being scammed. 

After seeing that the initial tracking info on the package was at a post office in XXXX XXXX, I maintained my suspicion of a scam but rationalized that it may be a warehouse of some sort and figured I would find out if it was a scam or not for sure when the package arrived. The package, which was supposed to be going from XXXX to XXXX, was shipped from XXXX XXXX to XXXX, XXXX where it was delivered. 

I contacted the seller several times since then and have received no correspondence. They will not return messages, they denied the refund request through Cash App. And yet again changed their name ; this time from XXXX XXXX to XXXX XXXX. 

I reported the account and the XXXX XXXX listing as a scam to XXXX but have received no communication from XXXX to date. 

I have attempted multiple times to address the issue through Cash App. They have responded via email, however the responses from Cash App seem to either be auto-generated or ignoring my messages altogether as they repeatedly suggest that I request refund, a step which I already completed and have informed them of multiple times Additionally, I contacted my bank on the date of sale attempting to cancel. I was told I had to wait for the payment to process and then I could go into a branch and dispute the charge. I followed their instruction and went in on Friday, XXXX. I was informed by my bank that they were told by MasterCard that Cash App is responsible for returning my payment and that I need to contact them again and resolve the issue through them Since I was told this by my bank I have sent and received multiple messages with Cash App customer support. While I have continued to ask Cash App for possible solutions and remedies, I am repeatedly being told to request a refund from the seller. I have offered to provide documentation and evidence to support my claim but am constantly met with resistance in the form of request refund from seller and Cash App can not refund. 

I acknowledge that I made a mistake here, clearly I should not have assumed that listings promoted by XXXX would be legitimate. Had these been more normal times, I certainly prefer to purchase items in store. However, In a time of a worldwide pandemic and with businesses shut down, it seems absolutely ridiculous that the companies hosting online transactions would have policies and/or practices in place that protect the scammer more than the victim It is apparent I was the victim of a scam, the seller has since changed their name and will not respond to my messages. Cash App continues to send me instructions to request a refund even though I already have and they have not so much as offered another possible solution. My bank on behalf of MasterCard, tells me that I have to resolve the matter with Cash App. 

If we can not go into stores and we can not trust online companies and the companies that process payments make the victims of scams jump through hoops while the scammers make off with money they are not deserving of without a hint repercussions, what hope do we have?

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation