Buyer asking to pay directly by BACS. Is this OK?

[amistillsexy]

I'm selling a largish toy.
Stated pick up and pay by cash only since postage will be a pain and expensive.
Bidder messaged me asking if I'd post item. Told her the cost (over £20 at Post Office) and she messaged again saying she was happy to pay it. She then placed a bid (first and only bid).
She has now messaged to ask if I'd accept payment by BACS as 'PayPal is playing up'. Is there any way she's scamming me? I'm struggling to work out how, but can't help feeling uneasy.
The listing ends this evening so I can't change it from 'pick up only' to 'postage at £20'

[dementedpixie]

I wouldn't as you don't get buyer protection with bacs

[troodiedoo]

No no no!

[dementedpixie]

Or seller protection. I'd say PayPal only or cask on collection

[dementedpixie]

Cash ffs

[Piffpaffpoff]

No, PayPal only.

[troodiedoo]

Hermes or other delivery might be cheaper

[MagdalenLaundry]

No. It's an easy way to scam
Cash only for collected items
PayPal for posted items
No other options

[RavingRoo]

Don’t do it. Keep it cash, find another buyer if needed.

[niknac1]

There is plenty of time to get PayPal sorted, I’m really not up to date with eBay and I’ve read a few articles where people have posted things and they have proof of delivery via Royal Mail but the buyer says they didn’t sign and the seller is then out the cost of the article and the postage but no doubt some more experienced eBayers will be along to give you a definitive answer.

[ElsieMay123]

Agree it sounds dodgy but curios to know how the scam works? Once the payment hits the seller's account is there a way that the buyer can reclaim that? Presumably ebay and paypal are dead against this as they don't get their cut, do they have something in place to penalise that kind of selling? Thanks for the education in advance!

[bumpertobumper]

If you are selling you are in a safer position having the money in your bank account than in PayPal where the buyer can be refunded against your wishes if for example they say parcel didn't arrive. Just get the payment before sending, although that will put them in a vulnerable position....

[LaurieFairyCake]

It’s possibly fine if she pays you it first and you wait ten days to post it - you can check with the bank when you REALLY have the cleared funds

[amistillsexy]

So the scam would be that they tell Ebay they didn't receive the item I posted, and ebay make me repay them?
Surely they could do that if they'd paid by PayPal as well (and stand more chance of being repaid as PayPal would just give it yo them from my account?)
I'm very confused. This is why I don't post. I like to see the person at my door with the cash in their hands. and I always get them to sign when they collect it.

[MagdalenLaundry]

I think it can appear as though the money is in your account then they reclaim it

[19lottie82]

Wow! Why all the hysteria?

No scam involved, perfectly safe. You can’t get back a BACS payment once it’s been sent.

It leaves the buyer open to being scammed, yes (as seller could just not send item) as they have no protection, but if you’re selling an item, it’s no problem. Just make sure the money is in your account before you send the item.

[dementedpixie]

Bacs payments can be recalled

[treaclesoda]

BACs is usually a business thing, for one organisation paying another. Is it possible she meant a bank transfer?

If you make a transfer to someone else's account you can't recall it. Even if you have sent it to the wrong account by mistake. It's probably safer for you as a seller than PayPal would be, since PayPal would refund the buyer automatically if they claimed not to have received the item.

[MongerTruffle]

BACS isn't used for personal accounts anymore. It's been replaced by FPS.

[MontytheSpookyMouse]

I use bacs/fps quite genuinely to but things. I've had some issues with PayPal so I would rather transfer without them or bung the cash in the bank myself.

[19lottie82]

My mistake I’m guessing the buyer means a bank transfer then, yes, which is completely safe and no reversible. If that is what she means, no problem or risk.

[MontytheSpookyMouse]

*buy

[Yeeeha]

A lot of people just use “bacs” as a generic term meaning bank transfer.

As long as the money hits your account before you ship goods I can’t see why anyone would be stressed.

If anything’s it is cheaper and safer for the seller than PayPal is.

We ship tens of thousands of pounds worth of kit a month based on people paying by bank transfer and have never had a single issue

[gluteustothemaximus]

PayPal protects the buyer, not the seller. If anything is a scam it’s PayPal.

Bank transfer is safe, and better for the seller. Not so good for the buyer as they cannot get the money back.

Plus no PayPal fees!

[amistillsexy]

Sorry, my mistake. I meant Bank Transfer...I didn't know that it was different from Bacs.

The bidder in question won the item, so time will tell.

Thanks, everyone, for your input. I'm sure all will be well 😊.

[mammmamia]

I was also wondering about this as have a similar situation.
Is it safe to give a stranger your bank details?