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eBay

If you buy or sell items on eBay, you will find tips and advice on this forum.

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Original poster

Buyer with strange feedback offering to pay by bank transfer instead of Paypal

54 replies

vacaloca · 30/04/2009 13:50

Could there be something dodgy there? her feedback is '0', although she has a couple of comments from 2007, one of them negative. Why don't they count?

She won something yesterday and she wrote first thing today to say she was having problems with paypal and could she send a bank transfer instead. I've now sent her my bank details, but suddenly got a bit worried in case this is a know scam of some sort.

OP posts:

Iklboo · 30/04/2009 13:57

You sent her your bank details?
If she has one positive feedback and one negative, the negative will cancel the positive one making her feedback zero (IYSWIM).
Sorry but there's no way I'd send anyone on ebay my bank details. I'd ask them to send a postal order or cheque if paypal was acting up.
Fingers crossed for you she is genuine

ilove · 30/04/2009 13:58

Erm, your bank details are all she needs to set upa direct debit...I'd be calling your bank pronto!

Original poster

vacaloca · 30/04/2009 13:59

Don't scare me! What can she possibly do with my bank details?

OP posts:

KingCanuteIAm · 30/04/2009 14:01

Set up dds etc. Get on to the bank sharpish!

samsonthecat · 30/04/2009 14:01

She can't do anything with your bank details, thay are on every cheque you write.

Original poster

vacaloca · 30/04/2009 14:01

on the phone right now. Can people set up DDs without your permission?

OP posts:

TheOtherMaryPoppinsDiets · 30/04/2009 14:02

fgs, the details are only on cheques anyway

that aside, I would set up your blocked bidders list in future to cancel bids by anyone with dodgy history/strikes etc.

Iklboo · 30/04/2009 14:05

Someone set up a DD on Jeremy Clarkson's bank account when he published them to show how 'safe' banking was. Mind you, it could have been someone at his bank doing it to teach him a lesson. £500 was debited before he got the bank to cancel it.
True the details are on cheques you write though - probably one of the reasons we don't send cheques any more (that and not having any money )

CompareTheMeerkat · 30/04/2009 14:05

Giving someone your bank details (assuming you have just given account number and sort code) does not mean that they can plunder your account.

Iklboo · 30/04/2009 14:07

Oh - and she would need more info to set up DDs than just your bank details I think - and your bank should check your signature and/or send you a letter about new DDs being set up on your account before they pay the first thing out

Original poster

vacaloca · 30/04/2009 14:08

Okay, just got off the phone with Natwest bloke who said it wasn't a problem. Phew. I have a business and the bank details are on the website for customers to pay me. That is common practice in many countries where cheques are not used, although it's true that I rarely see that in the UK.

I'll watch my account carefully in the next few days/weeks just in case though.

I'm still suspicious just because the buyer doesn't seem to have used their account since 07.

OP posts:

KingCanuteIAm · 30/04/2009 14:15

Hmm, well a dd can be set up with just the details you have given. Yes a bank should check your signature and yes, if it happened and they had not checked the signature then you should get the money back but, well, I would not risk it myself.

I was also told the only thing you can do with the details is pay in but that is not the case in reality!

Good that your bank is confident though, hopefully it will all be fine!

Original poster

vacaloca · 30/04/2009 14:28

I just spoke to my business bank now, just in case they had different advice. They're not worried either. He said someone could perhaps (although not that easy) go to an Orange shop and use my bank details to set up a direct debit. When I notice it going out of my account they would stop it and return it and then they would claim it back from Orange. There's nothing else anyone could do with just bank details. So I guess I just need to keep an eye on the accounts, which I normally do anyway.

OP posts:

cuppachar · 30/04/2009 14:49

I don't think you've done anything you need to worry about. For someone to pay you money you only have to give them your a/c number and sort code. This can't be used to make actual payments though (except maybe direct debit I'm not sure...). I've read before that you could paint your sort code and account number on the side of your house, they're really not that sensitive. The long number on your card, on the other hand, should be looked after more carefully as you can use it to buy things online, on the phone etc.

If she had 1 positive feedback and 1 negative, they wouldn't cancel themselves out, they'd give her a 50% feedback score. However the feedback score is only based on the last 12 months so if her transactions on ebay are longer ago that's why she has a feedback score of 0. hope this helps.

KingCanuteIAm · 30/04/2009 14:53

The thing is, my long nubmer on my card is actually my account number and sort code with the card reference digits (ie the ones that identify what type of card it is) you would actually only need to try out about 4 combinations and you would have my card number...

KingCanuteIAm · 30/04/2009 14:54

(I thiunk this is ormal for the type of card I have so it is not just me!)

vonsudenfed · 30/04/2009 15:00

The problem is not that they're going to set up a direct debit, it's that they're getting round the Paypal protection, so I'm afraid it may well be some kind of scam.

Don't send anything out until you have seen the money and it has cleared (bank transfers can be reversed, if I am remembering correctly for a few days). Also watch out for claims that it was broken/not received or whatever later on.

The eBay boards, while rammed to the gills with nutters, are quite useful for this kind of question, as it's pretty common.

wotulookinat · 30/04/2009 15:13

Feedback only counts towards your total for the last 12 months, although you can see comments from before that. I would have insisted on Paypal if I were you. Was it a large amount?

Original poster

vacaloca · 30/04/2009 15:53

I thought paypal protected the buyer more than the seller. It's for £67 in total.

OP posts:

Original poster

vacaloca · 30/04/2009 17:03

Just got back and apparently she's already made the transfer. Damn. I've sold very few things on ebay and kept thinking something like this would happen. It was a mobile phone and I already had the compulsory email from Nigeria offering to buy it straighaway.

OP posts:

Original poster

vacaloca · 30/04/2009 17:20

Okay, just checked my account and she's made the payment. 99p short. I guess I'll live with that. Might wait a couple of days till I post it though. Will check the ebay boards.

OP posts:

cuppachar · 30/04/2009 17:33

At least she can't try and claim her money back through paypal if she's unhappy for any reason, and you won't get charged any paypal fees, although it's a bit off that she transferred 99p less - I'd ask why if I were you as it's a bit cheeky.

wotulookinat · 30/04/2009 17:34

Don't send it until payment is received IN FULL.

Original poster

vacaloca · 05/05/2009 09:47

I'm happy to report that all this went well in the end. She's received it now and has left positive feedback. In the end I told her not to bother about the 99p but she transferred it anyway. Feel a bit mean now!

I posted on the ebay community board and everyone thought Bank transfer was a GOOD thing.

OP posts:

cuppachar · 05/05/2009 10:20

glad to hear it worked out OK - sometimes it's easy to be suspicious!!

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