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Original poster

Is this a scam? How?

40 replies

Chipbutty67 · 15/02/2019 15:49

Hey MN,

Need some help. I’m selling a relatively high value item (£400+) on Gumtree. Shortly after I posted it, I got a message from a very interested buyer offering full price.

The bit that gives me pause is the buyer wants to have it picked up by a courier. I agreed and asked for the courier to pay cash or a bank transfer but the buyer has just messaged to say they only have access to Paypal as a payment method.

I’ve used PayPal before and I know it’s fairly secure, I just find it odd that no other method is available.

Am I being paranoid? Or is this some obscure scam?

Thanks,
Fariha

OP posts:
greendale17 · 15/02/2019 15:50

Scam, don’t do it

GottenGottenGotten · 15/02/2019 15:50

It's a scam. You have no proof of delivery, so they will do a charge back.

RosemarysBush · 15/02/2019 15:51

What’s a charge back?

Racecardriver · 15/02/2019 15:51

Paypal is used to take the money back once they have the item,

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 15/02/2019 15:52

My friend got sent a fake paypal email for a phone she was selling and didnt check her actual account- luckily she managed to beg the postoffice to return the package she had just dropped off when she twigged. Beware.

BreakYourselfAgainstMyStones · 15/02/2019 15:52

Scam, stay away.

If they have access to PayPal they have access to a bank.

LaurieFairyCake · 15/02/2019 15:53

Yep, scam. They just say they've never received it and you can't prove it so they get their cash back

LooksBetterWithAFilter · 15/02/2019 15:54

This is the second post this week about the exact same scam. If you google the wording of your email you’ll see loads of info on it being a scam.

GottenGottenGotten · 15/02/2019 15:54

I guess it's technically not a charge back, but the buyer will complain it hasn't been received and with no proof of delivery, PayPal will give the buyer back the money.

Kitsandkids · 15/02/2019 15:54

Definitely a scam. I had the exact same message the other week when I listed something fairly pricey.

I’m assuming the scam is that they’ll claim the money back from PayPal and be left with the money plus your item.

SmellsLikeAdultSpirit · 15/02/2019 15:54

You should only do cash on collection with collect only items as you have no proof of postage
It's a well known scam on eBay and PayPal. They pay electronically then collect. They then claim to not have collected /received the item and get a refund

GahWhatever · 15/02/2019 15:55

Apparently very common scam: they transfer the money, you release the expensive goods to them. They claim to paypal that you didn't send the goods, you have no proof that you did or that they received them. They claim back the money.
It's practically an industry. bastards.

Coffeeisnecessary · 15/02/2019 15:55

Definitely a scam. They pick it up, then claim they never got it and request a chargeback on PayPal. Then they have the money and your item, don't fall for it!

Oddsocksandmeatballs · 15/02/2019 15:55

There is some stuff on the PayPal forums about these scams.

FunkyBrownie · 15/02/2019 15:55

See this is tricky, because as someone who works in the fraud industry I know the advice to buyers is never to pay by bank transfer as it offers no protection to them, and that cash isn’t ideal as it leaves no audit trail - the industry would recommend a buyer pay by PayPal or another secure method for their own protection... but I also know that there are so many cases involving couriers where they are scams too!

Sorry, no sound advice here, but wanted to play devils advocate and point out why they might only want to pay by PayPal...

ReflectentMonatomism · 15/02/2019 15:55

Scam. It's not worth analysing the details: any transaction where one party says "I can't do the normal thing, let's do this weird thing, because complex reasons" it's either a scam, or going to go wrong for other reasons. Don't do it.

ReflectentMonatomism · 15/02/2019 15:56

Sorry, no sound advice here, but wanted to play devils advocate and point out why they might only want to pay by PayPal...

Of course they want to pay by pay pal. The scam is around the "courier", and they are building a case which allows them to keep the object while doing a charge back to get the money back too.

DoneLikeAKipper · 15/02/2019 15:57

There’s just been an identical thread on this scam:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3506956-To-think-someone-is-trying-to-scam-me-photo-attached#prettyPhoto

FadedRed · 15/02/2019 15:59

It’s a well know scam. There was a thread on this same topic yesterday.
The ‘courier’ (who is part of the scam) will collect your item, the scammer will then deny receipt, and PayPal will refund their money. You will lose the item and the money.
What was the reason they gave for using a courier? Did they say they were disabled, a wheelchair user, or just had major surgery? Or something similar?
This is a barge pole job, Op. Just ignore ( or tell them to fuck off)

Sukochicha · 15/02/2019 16:07

Scam

They will do a charge back

Cash on collection only

purplecorkheart · 15/02/2019 16:08

As others said it is a very well known scam. Never accept paypal for an item that is being collected as you have no proof that it had been collected/sent.

Haffiana · 15/02/2019 16:14

Tell them you don't use Paypal but will accept a bank transfer or cash.

Simple.

longtimelurkerhelen · 15/02/2019 16:16

It is a scam. but I would let them pay via PayPal and box up one of those jack in box things to scare the bejesus out of them

NunoGoncalves · 15/02/2019 16:16

Strange coincidence!

About 5000 people let the OP of the other thread know that it's definitely a scam, so maybe you'll get another 5000 of the same in this one, OP!

ReflectentMonatomism · 15/02/2019 16:16

Tell them you don't use Paypal but will accept a bank transfer or cash.

They're a scammer, who is planning a scam. You're a random bystander, who want to sell something, but doesn't have an indepth knowledge of payment fraud. They show their hand, and you know they're a scammer. So now, you think you're clever enough to choose another means of payment to do business safely with a known scammer?

If you're just been cheated at poker, don't accept an offer to play backgammon.