Gumtree sale, buyer wants to use Paypal
Discussion
Jakg said:
If there was any doubt that this was a scam... Click that link ^^^
Snails said:
They will pay via Paypal and gain buyers protection from Paypal. The item will then "not arrive" or will be "damaged" or "not as described" if it does. Paypal will ask the buyer to return the item if it does arrive damaged or not as decribed and the buyer will then send you back a damaged item (that isn't yours) or another item altogether if "not as described". Paypal will then refund the buyer and you are left out of pocket.
Am I missing something, using PayPal outside of eBay only gives buyer protection for non receipt not for goods not as described, so you could send a house brick but as long as it is signed for, the buyer is stuffed not the seller
The context was me refusing to pay via PayPal for an expensive item outside of eBay
Edited by Adam B on Wednesday 20th August 23:01
I had what I thought was a classic scam last week.
Listed £20 item on ebay with £10 postage.
Didn't sell, no real hardship there, but got a buyer wanting to deal outside of ebay after listing ended.
Only problem was they were in Spain.
Shouts SCAM straight away, then they told me they had family in the UK, still Scammy.
Can't use paypal but can do bank transfer, I'm not comfortable with this, but do have a fairly dormant account, I might be willing to be taken in with this SCAM. The politeness and god English were there too, so I was getting a good feeling, or drawn in to the scam
I got the address of the family in the UK, turns out they are less than 20 miles away and I'm travelling through in a weeks time.
Conclusion:
item delivered for £30 as listed and paid cash. Happy days and no it wasn't a scam.
I did pinch myself though!
Listed £20 item on ebay with £10 postage.
Didn't sell, no real hardship there, but got a buyer wanting to deal outside of ebay after listing ended.
Only problem was they were in Spain.
Shouts SCAM straight away, then they told me they had family in the UK, still Scammy.
Can't use paypal but can do bank transfer, I'm not comfortable with this, but do have a fairly dormant account, I might be willing to be taken in with this SCAM. The politeness and god English were there too, so I was getting a good feeling, or drawn in to the scam
I got the address of the family in the UK, turns out they are less than 20 miles away and I'm travelling through in a weeks time.
Conclusion:
item delivered for £30 as listed and paid cash. Happy days and no it wasn't a scam.
I did pinch myself though!
I sold an item a few years ago on Ebay and the buyer paid by PayPal straight after the auction. He then rung about 15 minutes later and asked if he could pick up the item as he was only 10 miles away.
Thinking this was fine I agreed and an hour later a foreign chap called at my house to collect the item as agreed.
Next morning I get an email from Paypal saying the payment had been reversed due to a hacked Paypal account and as I had let the buyer collect I wasn't covered by PP seller protection (If a buyer pays by PP and collects you MUST get a photocopy of his passport + one other form of ID)
Live and learn.....that little episode cost me £500
Thinking this was fine I agreed and an hour later a foreign chap called at my house to collect the item as agreed.
Next morning I get an email from Paypal saying the payment had been reversed due to a hacked Paypal account and as I had let the buyer collect I wasn't covered by PP seller protection (If a buyer pays by PP and collects you MUST get a photocopy of his passport + one other form of ID)
Live and learn.....that little episode cost me £500
Efbe said:
am late to this... but DONT EVER USE CHEQUES!!!!!
they are pointless, unsafe, easy to forge/manipulate, subject to chargebacks.
there is no good reason for them ever. EVER!!
I disagree.....a cheque can be written on anything, as long as all of the information is present. So, as a fisherman in Cornwall decided to pay a fine to the local council did, he etched the details onto a dead fish.they are pointless, unsafe, easy to forge/manipulate, subject to chargebacks.
there is no good reason for them ever. EVER!!
JontyR said:
I disagree.....a cheque can be written on anything, as long as all of the information is present. So, as a fisherman in Cornwall decided to pay a fine to the local council did, he etched the details onto a dead fish.
well actually that does sound a good use.so I'll rephrase...
don't use a cheque EVER... unless it's a dead fish.
Efbe said:
JontyR said:
I disagree.....a cheque can be written on anything, as long as all of the information is present. So, as a fisherman in Cornwall decided to pay a fine to the local council did, he etched the details onto a dead fish.
well actually that does sound a good use.so I'll rephrase...
don't use a cheque EVER... unless it's a dead fish.
I sell random Hifi bits quite often on Gumtree and stick to two golden rules:
1. Talk to the buyer on the phone - I'm happy to negotiate, but won't respond to badly written texts with silly offers.
2. Meet them person and accept payment only in cash
A genuine buyer will do both. I'd rather lose a sale and get a lower price than be scammed and paypal, unfortunately, is very often a scam as you have no comeback as a seller (even on ebay).
1. Talk to the buyer on the phone - I'm happy to negotiate, but won't respond to badly written texts with silly offers.
2. Meet them person and accept payment only in cash
A genuine buyer will do both. I'd rather lose a sale and get a lower price than be scammed and paypal, unfortunately, is very often a scam as you have no comeback as a seller (even on ebay).
dugsud said:
If a buyer pays by PP and collects you MUST get a photocopy of his passport + one other form of ID)
I'm not sure I would ever allow payment by PayPal and then collection in person. I think even having a copy of their passport won't actually prevent a reversal/chargeback, but (assuming it's genuine) is ID to show to the police? You then still need to get the police to take interest, which I think for anything less than larger four figures is tricky?Don't use PayPal where at all possible. They are not on your side.
Never take a PayPal payment and allow the buyer to collect, you'll lose the money and the item. If you're accepting PayPal, ship it only to the registered address on the account. If it's vague, it's a scam and you WILL lose your money and item.
Before posting, take detailed pictures of the item including serial numbers, distinguishing marks and any documentation. A scammer will often return your 'not as described' item with a broken or fake one. Keep proof of postage for 6 months after the sale, a transaction can now be reversed by the buyer up to 180 days later (I fear many people are going to get f
ked by this new rule). You must accept returns and cover the cost if you're selling on eBay.
If possible, always transact face to face and in cash. It's the safest way. If selling on eBay and accepting PayPal, assume that you've lost the item and money - when the money stays in your account, consider it a nice surprise.
Basically eBay and PayPal are terrible and there's a very high risk you'll get shafted.
Never take a PayPal payment and allow the buyer to collect, you'll lose the money and the item. If you're accepting PayPal, ship it only to the registered address on the account. If it's vague, it's a scam and you WILL lose your money and item.
Before posting, take detailed pictures of the item including serial numbers, distinguishing marks and any documentation. A scammer will often return your 'not as described' item with a broken or fake one. Keep proof of postage for 6 months after the sale, a transaction can now be reversed by the buyer up to 180 days later (I fear many people are going to get f
ked by this new rule). You must accept returns and cover the cost if you're selling on eBay.If possible, always transact face to face and in cash. It's the safest way. If selling on eBay and accepting PayPal, assume that you've lost the item and money - when the money stays in your account, consider it a nice surprise.
Basically eBay and PayPal are terrible and there's a very high risk you'll get shafted.
Funk said:
If possible, always transact face to face and in cash. It's the safest way. If selling on eBay and accepting PayPal, assume that you've lost the item and money - when the money stays in your account, consider it a nice surprise.
Basically eBay and PayPal are terrible and there's a very high risk you'll get shafted.
This is a LITTLE bit of an exaggeration...Basically eBay and PayPal are terrible and there's a very high risk you'll get shafted.
I've sold dozens of items on ebay and only ever had one issue - a guy bought an xbox controller off me that had some damage, and he decided the damage was worse than I said, but he couldn't prove it as he had replaced the damaged parts, and wanted a partial refund off ebay... the dispute went on and in the end I got to keep the money and paypal refunded him... Annoyed, but I wasn't out of pocket.
Efbe said:
am late to this... but DONT EVER USE CHEQUES!!!!!
they are pointless, unsafe, easy to forge/manipulate, subject to chargebacks.
there is no good reason for them ever. EVER!!
I agreethey are pointless, unsafe, easy to forge/manipulate, subject to chargebacks.
there is no good reason for them ever. EVER!!
As a small business owner I have a card machine and encourage payment by debit card. Its in the account quickly and its an easy process. When some ask if they can pay by cheque and I decline they can be a bit miffed.
Thing is they are just a piece of paper with limited forgery protection. Then you have got to cock about paying it in at the bank or PO...they are just completely crap, antiquated as should be dropped.
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