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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

Fraudlent??

21 replies

firsttimemum77 · 09/05/2010 19:39

Okay I got some stuff selling on eBay... Someone with no feedback ratings and only Been a member since 25th April enquirer whether I would take cash through post - I said no paypal only. The person went ahead and bought the item yesterday. I sent him the invoice and today he asked again if he could send cash by post or via bank transfer... As he hadn't yet set up paypal. I told him it takes minutes to set up paypal and that I noticed he had two big items selling on his account (a jeep and. £8000 boat!!) and he himself requests paypal payments!!!

I don't get it... Do u think he may be dodgy? Should I just relist and be done with??

Thanks in advance ( sorry for any spelling mistakes - I am using my iPhone)

OP posts:

sixlostmonkeys · 09/05/2010 19:44

if he wants to send cash let him. It's at his own risk and you will have no paypal fees.
If you don't receive the cash then you don't send the item.
Good luck.
Wish more customers sent cash like they did in the good ol' days of ebay.....

pop1973 · 09/05/2010 19:46

Why don't you ask for a cheque - and make it clear that you will wait until the cheque is clear before posting.

Original poster

firsttimemum77 · 09/05/2010 19:51

Thanks - yeh did think about cheque option..will do that I think. But what I really cant understand is why setting up paypal might be so complicated for him...

OP posts:

SoupDragon · 09/05/2010 19:54

Personally I'd stick to my guns and insist on paypal.

sixlostmonkeys · 09/05/2010 20:13

paypal can have chargebacks, cheques can bounce, cash can be spent on chocolate and cake and wine
not sure why you don't want cash but if cash worries you then then maybe ask for a postal order?

LynetteScavo · 09/05/2010 20:17

I wouldn't back down, and would insist on a paypal payment with in (3?) days.

Unless you got a 6really^ got price for what you were selling, I would then relist.

(If you did get a good price, let him go ahead and send cash - I mean , who would want to send cash through the post? )

SoupDragon · 09/05/2010 20:26

Cash can be fake

BuzzingNoise · 09/05/2010 20:28

I would say no. DOesn't he have to have a Paypal account to have set up an Ebay account?

Original poster

firsttimemum77 · 09/05/2010 21:53

Thanks all - he replied back and said that he would pay via paypal using a friends paypal account - I said fine! I just don't find the idea of money in the post reliable - just doesn't sit right with me...

OP posts:

sixlostmonkeys · 10/05/2010 03:39

if the cash in the post isn't reliable and doesn't reach you then you don't send the item
if he pays with friends paypal account you will need to send to his friend's address - if anything goes wrong with the transaction this could get very complicated

TheBride · 10/05/2010 04:59

Given that he wants to pay cash but receive paypal and is listing high value items he could very well be engaged in money laundering.

i.e. using the cash proceeds of criminal activities to buy items (people dont tend to use mastercard to buy crack so criminals tend to end up with piles of cash), which he then resells, receiving "clean money" back via paypal.

He probbaly won't default on the deal but money laundering is obviously illegal so it's up to you if you want to proceed or not as you could be helping out drug/people trafickers.

sixlostmonkeys · 10/05/2010 07:01

if he is selling a jeep and a boat then he won't be accepting paypal (he doesn't have to... for a jeep and a boat)

Tryharder · 10/05/2010 08:20

Postal order? Cheque?

I love it if people pay me by other means than paypal then I don't have to give paypal their cut nor is my money held back until buyer leaves positive feedback. Paypal is for the benefit of buyers, not sellers.

I would accept cash but he has to send it by registered post otherwise it will almost certainly be stolen or go missing. Surely postal order would be best (send recorded). It depends on the value of your item you've sold. If he's asking to post you a couple of thousand pounds, then, yes it's probably dodgy, a few pounds, probably not.

ilove · 10/05/2010 08:27

If he uses a friends paypal account you have to send it to the friends registered address by trackable delivery, otherwise if he files a chargeback and you have sent it to a different address paypal will refund him and take the money back off you.

Original poster

firsttimemum77 · 10/05/2010 08:29

Oh it's all very confusing!!
Just to say though that I have in the past ( few years ago) accepted cash through post...sent the item off and the got 'caught' in the shops using a forged note!!! I won't go into what happened next - am sure you can guess. Anyhows, this guy has bought another item aswell - paid via a friends paypal and left a note asking for the items to be sent to 'his' address not friends whose paypal is being used - so hopefully any problems I have that as 'proof of address' - thanks

OP posts:

marriednotdead · 10/05/2010 08:30

I'm with thebride on this one. Proceed with extreme caution.

sixlostmonkeys · 10/05/2010 08:46

that note won't be proof of anything I'm afraid. If you don't send to the paypal address then you are not protected. Like I said , it will get complicated and you will probably lose out.
I'd either ask for a postal order or cancel the lot, especially if you think he is a money laundering truck trafficking fake note sending scoundrel payments from his friends account will probably cause fluffy kittens to die..... or something.

Original poster

firsttimemum77 · 10/05/2010 08:55

You really made me laugh sixlotmonkeys!! Ahh well this is a learning curve! I'll just have see what happens eeeekkk this eBay lark is not easy!!

OP posts:

LittlePeopleCo · 10/05/2010 08:56

Unless it is too late in some way I would block him as a buyer and then relist the items. He sounds v dodgy and I think you might get taken for a ride here. I've had something similar and it was a nightmare from start to finish.

Send him an email through ebay explaining that you are uncomfortable with how things have turned out and you want to protect yourself.

sixlostmonkeys · 10/05/2010 09:09

good luck!
imo accepting payment from his friend's account is the worst of all possible options (and not just because of the ickle kittens)

SoupDragon · 10/05/2010 09:21

Do not send to anything other than the address registered to the Pay Pal account. That is, as been said, even riskier than the other options you discounted.

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