Selling your car on eBay? Scam to look out for...

[luclacey]

I've recently listed a car for sale as a classified sale. I was contacted by someone (Daniel Walsh) looking for a quick purchase, asking me for details about the car, telling me how it's for his son and he's from Ireland so he'll have to get an agent to collect it.

He agreed to pay the asking price and said he would pay via Paypal.

I received an email supposedly from Paypal saying I'd been payed the amount for the car + £450 and that I had to pay an agent the £450 before my money would be released into my account. I also had an email from Daniel saying that the agent didn't have paypal so I would have to send a Western Union transfer to them for the £450.

When I logged into my paypal account (not through the email), there were no recent transactions and no record of any of the money that Daniel was talking about.

The money was supposed to be sent here:

41 Foxdene Green
Lucan, Dublin
Republic of Ireland

and searching the address on Google looks like they've been doing it to other people too.

Not the smartest con man, but something to look out for...

[Greengecko]

You shouldn't be accepting PayPal for a car, regardless of any of the above that followed.

[uuf361]

One of the oldest car buying scams going.......

[12v3pot]

You've been registered here 3 years and never heard of this old chestnut?

You should start reading more threads!

[mmm-five]

These "my transport agent will collect, please pay him the balance by Western Union" scams have been going on for years.

If anyone mentions payments by Western Union or using an 'agent' then it's a scam.

[Dr Doofenshmirtz]

Still...really?

[Magic919]

Buying cars is so hard for people that work offshore too, judging by the messages they send.

[luclacey]

Greengecko said:

You shouldn't be accepting PayPal for a car, regardless of any of the above that followed.

How come?

[Slow]

luclacey said:

Greengecko said:

You shouldn't be accepting PayPal for a car, regardless of any of the above that followed.

How come?

Paypal dispute get their money back + your car.

[KTF]

People who fall for scams like this deserve it. Seems many leave their brain at the door when they get an 'unbelievable' offer from someone online who cant quite make it to what is being sold in person for various reasons.

[supertouring]

KTF said:

People who fall for scams like this deserve it.

No they do not.

[luclacey]

Slow said:

Paypal dispute get their money back + your car.

Ok, thanks.

[nipsips]

If it sounds too good to be true - it generally is.

[luclacey]

nipsips said:

If it sounds too good to be true - it generally is.

Exactly what I thought when he didn't attempt to haggle.

[McWigglebum4th]

So he has finally got off that survey boat then

[VinceFox]

Every time.

CASH OR GTFO.

[k-ink]

Sellers who accept Paypal for goods NOT delivered with a tracking number can lose the goods and the money. No proof of postage = no protection from Paypal. How people do not know this is beyond me. Great for the scammers!

[Gerry H]

Recently bought a car advertised on ebay and the seller mentioned someone had contacted him from Ireland and wanted to use their agent, etc. I'd heard of this agent scam before but not from Ireland so when I advertised my car, on ebay, the one this new car's replacing, I specifically stated that I wouldn't deal with any agents but that same evening I had a text asking best price and as they were in Ireland, their agent would contact me.

Out of interest, Googled Daniel Walsh and here I am.

[moonman43]

Two latest attempted scams this week. A Mr J Smith email [e-mail] Working offshore pickup agent will collect. I declined Paypal and said electronic transfer or cleared cheque only. He offered to send cheque to my home, but as we know people do not send £13000 without seeing the car. I of course did not reply. Latest one this week. "Is car still for sale? If you can provide all information you have a cash buyer"."we are doing our own HPI cheque so give me all details of V5 to ensure everything matches with reg number" I provide this and then another request "please take pictures all round from every angle and several of interior then send to me" At this point i start to smell the proverbial. I reply all pictures on Pistonheads web site for viewing. Have heard nothing since. What was the plan? false advert at ridiculous low price, they can supply details for full HPI check, rush of offers and "ok i will hold but i need a deposit", how many deposits cashed before punter finds they have been given false address when they go to view. Again if someone is really interested the first thing they want to do is look at the car.
We had an email from [e-mail] and provided loads of info and heard no more when we declined to provide even more details. Our car has done 3,850 miles so as new.

[dave7692]

Slow said:

luclacey said:

Greengecko said:

You shouldn't be accepting PayPal for a car, regardless of any of the above that followed.

How come?

Paypal dispute get their money back + your car.

Exactly, it seems with Ebay nowadays buyers are all out to get something for free. I recently sold about 10 Xbox games (Totalling about £200) to different buyers. Apparently Royal Mail managed to "lose" 3 out of 10 of them and I was forced to supply a refund because short of paying £5 for recorded delivery you can't do anything to dispute it.

So I wont be using Ebay any more as you end up losing money and your goods.