I arranged a trade on Discord: My Travis Scott Fragments for his Off-White Chicagos. We agreed to ship at the same time. I sent my tracking number. He sent his. My package arrived at his house. His package never arrived at mine—because he gave me a fake tracking number. I lost a $1,500 shoe and got nothing. My agent called it “Voluntary Parting” again.
Key Takeaways
- Mail Trades are “Voluntary Parting”: Because you willingly mailed the package, it is not “theft” in the eyes of a standard policy. It is a “bad deal.”
- Tradeblock is Safer: Using a middleman service (like Tradeblock) that verifies both pairs before releasing them is the only way to insure the transaction itself.
- Cyber Crime Endorsements: Some modern renters policies (like Lemonade or specialized tech packages) offer “Cyber Event” or “Online Fraud” coverage, but limits are usually low ($500).
- The Police Report is Leverage: You need to file a report for “Theft by Deception” (Wire Fraud) to have any chance of a claim.
The “Why” (The Trap): The Transfer of Title
When you mail a package to someone, you are effectively transferring possession.
If they tricked you, that is a crime (fraud), but standard property insurance covers physical loss, not social engineering.
Unless your policy specifically has a “Social Engineering” or “Fraud” rider, you are out of luck.
The Investigation (I Called Them)
I looked for insurance that covers “being scammed on the internet.”
1. Tradeblock (The Middleman)
- The System: You ship to them. He ships to them. They check both. If he sends a brick, they send your shoes back to you.
- The Cost: ~$40-50 per trade.
- The Verdict: This fee is your insurance. Pay it.
2. Lemonade (Cyber Liability)
- The Feature: They have an add-on for cyber fraud.
- The Limit: It covered “stolen funds” but was vague on “stolen property” via scam.
- The Verdict: Unlikely to pay out for a sneaker trade, more for credit card hacking.
3. UPS/FedEx Insurance
- The Reality: If you insure the package, you are insuring against UPS losing it. You are not insuring against the receiver stealing it. If tracking says “Delivered,” UPS is done.
Comparison Table
| Method | Cost | Protection against Scams |
| Raw Trade (Discord/IG) | $0 | None (High Risk) |
| PayPal Invoice | 3% Fee | Medium (Financial protection, not item protection) |
| Tradeblock / Middleman | ~$50 | High (Physical Verification) |
Step-by-Step Action Plan
You sent your shoes and got ghosted.
- File an IC3 Complaint: The FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (ic3.gov). This is wire fraud.
- File a Police Report: In his jurisdiction (where you mailed it). Call the non-emergency line of his local PD. “I would like to report a Theft by Deception.” Give them his address.
- Knock on the Door (Virtually): If you have his address (from the shipping label), send a certified letter demanding return of property or you will pursue legal action. Sometimes this scares a kid into sending them back.
- Accept the Loss: If you didn’t use a middleman, you likely won’t get an insurance payout. Learn the lesson: Never ship first.
FAQ
Q: Does PayPal “Goods and Services” cover trades?
A: No. PayPal covers purchases. If no money changed hands (just item for item), their protection usually doesn’t apply. You need to “buy” each other’s shoes for full market value ($1,500 each) to be safe.
[IMAGE: Graphic showing a “Tradeblock” success screen vs. a Discord DM where the user has been blocked.]