Is this a scam

[WorkplaceLlama]

I listed something (furniture) about an hour ago on gumtree. I got a message asking if it was still for sale and if there’s any defects. I said no, all great and then I got this response.

I’m very suspicious this is some kind of scam - my guess, pay through G&S on PayPal, pick it up, claim it’s never been received.

Is it a scam? Or am I over cautious?

Hopefully will upload this time

A scam?

Just sounds like a time waster tbh. It's not uncommon for people to ask if things are available then never get back when you say yes. You are jumping the gun a bit to assume an elaborate PayPal scam.

Oh. Yes. Absolutely a scam.

Sorry my first post was before I saw the picture!

Sorry, the pic wouldn’t upload originally. It’s the response they’ve added. ‘In another city, far away from you’, etc. But bizarre, right?

Come on, of course it's a scam

Honestly, assume everyone on Gumtree is a scammer and you won't go far wrong

Haha. I kind of guessed, but eh, such a waste of time. It’s not even a high priced item. £20 for an old, wooden piece of furniture. I’d understand more if it was a games console of something like that

100% a scam

They pay through PayPal, pick up the furniture (or what ever) claiming they're a courier. Then raise a dispute with PayPal - as you didn't arrange the courier you have no proof anything was ever sent so PayPal issue a refund.

Yes I had one of these before!! It's a scam!!

Is this even the sort of furniture that would be worth couriering? No one does that for an IKEA wardrobe, for instance.

I'd assume a scam of some sort, and tell them it was cash on collection only.

It’s a rocking chair, for reference. Really nothing exciting. I can’t see anyone making the money worth it to get a courier to collect if I’m honest. Unless they specialise in wooden rocking chairs? No idea!

Not necessarily. I bought a couple of prams on eBay and arranged a courier to collect them

I payed through PayPal and gave them all the details of the courier and let them track it too.

Unless you've got something which is far more valuable than you once thought!

I once very nearly sent something to a charity shop. Good job I checked first - I got £700 for it on eBay, having assumed it was tat.

Do you really need to ask 😕 of course it is

This is typically how it works

www.paypal-community.com/t5/Payments/Is-this-a-Paypal-Scam-on-Gumtree/td-p/976894

Yes it's a scam. Gumtree is notorious for it sadly.

Tell them it's cash on collection and stand firm.

@Soubriquet

Not necessarily. I bought a couple of prams on eBay and arranged a courier to collect them

I payed through PayPal and gave them all the details of the courier and let them track it too.

You know that buying something on eBay and paying by paypal is exactly what you're meant to do to protect both buyer and seller?

Scammy texts in poor English via Gumtree is the Wild West of second hand selling

I don’t think I’ve ever been scammed before, but I when I very young looking for a flat bear uni I very almost did (on gumtree, of course). One of those ‘I am a reverend but no living in the area so can’t do a showing of the flat until you can prove you have the deposit. Send to a friend via western union and showing me the tracking receipt’ - luckily it was listed as a common scam and I picked it up before doing something stupid.

I only wondering because it’s just one of those standard pine rocking chairs everyone and their mum has owned at some point. Painted badly. It’s nothing special at all so thought it was a bit odd.

I realise that above comment made was gibberish. Maybe I have a future job as a scammer

It doesn't matter what it is, they don't want the item they are trying to steal money from you by faking paypal messages.

They send the same message to everyone, it's a numbers game and some sellers will fall for it

I’ve sold a couple of high value pushchairs cheaply in the last year and had people ask if they could arrange their own courier to collect, the difference was that they asked in their initial message if I would be open to them having a courier collect! Both times they provided me with the tracking details before collection so if they went missing I had all the details. The overuse of emojis and the fact that it’s a low value item makes me think it’s probably a scam in this case though.

Yes it’s very common

www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/belfast-news/gumtree-paypal-scam-warning-belfast-17046432

forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6166082/gumtree-paypal-buyer-scam

If you’re ever selling anything online and someone says they’ll buy it but need to send a courier (especially if there’s an attached sob story, urgency or a promise to pay over asking price) it’s likely to be the case. There probably are a tiny minority who live further away/don’t drive and genuinely will send a courier legitimately - but it’s not worth the risk.

They don't arrange a real courier firm. They will send a partner-in-crime round with a van who pretends to be a courier.

Tell them if they want it they can send a payment in cash on collection.

It’s a scam. Gumtree surely is for local collection. I’ve sold furniture on eBay and the buyer has to provide a code when they collect and the seller enters it on the site - that’s the sellers proof that the item has been collected.

Scam. I politely but firmly say collection and cash only and block the number.

Scam. Seen the same one FB Market Place. Please don't fall for it.