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Original poster

sorry....another ebay question:-)

26 replies

nicm · 20/02/2005 02:55

quite new to ebay and was wondering if anyone had any advice on how to pay for things if you bid on an international item? i have emailed to see if i can pay by cc, paypal or a postal order. seller says he doesn't have a cc, and doesn't know what paypal or p.o. is. wouldn't really feel safe sending it another way as seller has 0 feedback and it is about £300. advice would really be appreciated as auction is ending today.

tia

OP posts:

NotQuiteCockney · 20/02/2005 07:50

I don't think there is a safe way to pay internationally. You can send an international money order, but if the buyer isn't reliable, you're stuffed.

Oh, wait, if you can convince them to use these \link{http://www.escrow.com\guys) - they pay by wire transfer or cheque, and they hold the money in escrow so you're safe from non-delivery. The seller doesn't have to accept paypal.

(I tend not to bid if the seller doesn't take paypal. Too much like hard work.)

NotQuiteCockney · 20/02/2005 07:50

here

Cristina7 · 20/02/2005 09:32

I'd be very cautious paying £300 plus to someone who is a beginner on eBay, hasn't heard of PayPal and doesn't have a CC. In fact so cautious I just wouldn't do it.

misdee · 20/02/2005 09:33

i wouldnt do it either. can u get from a uk seller with more feedback?

kid · 20/02/2005 09:46

I wouldn't pay £300 to a beginner on Ebay either. What is it you wanted to buy from them? Keep an eye open for that item and watch what price they tend to sell for and then only buy it from someone with lots of positive feedback.

breeze · 20/02/2005 13:28

Again wouldn't buy something for that amount.

If not paying by paypal, i would recommend that you retract your bid.

Good luck

mishi1977 · 20/02/2005 13:30

I would recommend paypal only because if something goes wrong they can get your money back for u. I have claimed twice and been fully reimbursed both times

mishi1977 · 20/02/2005 13:31

meant to say i also wouldnt pay that much from a newbie who knows nothing of the ebay system especially if u have no way of tracing /retrieving money

Flossam · 20/02/2005 13:33

Avoid. I think there are strange things going on with Ebay at the mo, both DP and I sold our old phones recently, my phone was brought by someone who gave their address as in LA but wanted it to be sent to Nigeria, by fed ex (not offered) and wanted to use bidpay. Refused to pay any other way. Had to relist in the end, never got back to me. Someone else (or maybe the same re-registered person) asked if they could bid on DP's phone, on behalf of someone they knew in Nigeria. What was the item by the way?

Original poster

nicm · 20/02/2005 13:38

it's a bugaboo frog. but they are going much cheaper than the ones selling in the uk. i'll maybe just wait until i'm going and get one while i'm there. i wanted to use paypal as it seemed safer but they said hadn't heard of it? surely they have paypal on all ebay sites worldwide?

OP posts:

pixiefish · 20/02/2005 13:40

If he won't accept paypal then i wouldn't risk it for a biscuit.

They have paypal on all ebay sites- it's owned by ebay.

Also wouldn't send cheque for £300 to someone with no feedback.

Yorkiegirl · 20/02/2005 13:42

Message withdrawn

NotQuiteCockney · 20/02/2005 14:46

I think bugaboos are popular for fraud. If they'll use an escrow site, like I linked to below, then go for it - you give $$ to the escrow site, the escrow site tells seller they have the cash, the seller ships you the stuff, you tell the escrow site all is ok, they release the cash. Very safe for everyone. And the escrow site can give wire transfers or cheques, probably US cheques, which is what you'd want.

tamum · 20/02/2005 15:03

I would echo what the others have said, but also add that if it's outside the EU you'll almost certainly attract customs with a package that big, and duty plus postage could add a lot to the total cost. I don't know what country it is, but German sellers almost never use Paypal, so if it's from there then that in itself is not suspicious but I certainly wouldn't pay that much to a zero-rated seller. Sorry.

SeaShells · 20/02/2005 15:05

I know we all have to start somewhere but I prefer not to deal with 0 feedback people, whether buying or selling, all together!

Annner · 20/02/2005 19:53

A recent feature in the Observer (?) or Saturday Guardian (Can't remember which)showed the illustration of how the Bugaboo was being used as a vehicle for an elaborate fraud on ebay. Essentially the buyer is asked to pay via Western Union or similar, and conned into thinking that they are going to collect the buggy from somewhere close to them, via UPS or another carrier. The "seller" directs them to a fake site for UPS etc to make them think that the sale has gone through and that the buggy is available before scarpering with the cash.

I can't remember exactly when it was, but I wouldn't touch this seller with a barge pole.

leahbump · 20/02/2005 19:58

Yes the fraud scam is true!

I outted this in September last year when also looking for a bugaboo. I got a fake email from TNT and reported that to them to see if it was real or not ( was not) and when i looked into ebay rules I realised western union was a no no so I contacted ebay and they shut down the seller!!

I would only buy expensive items with paypal or escrow- and I would check out the feedback. The seller trying to sell to me had taken over someone elses account....so even good feedback isn't that reliable.

(we have also had our account taken over!!)

Annner · 20/02/2005 20:03

Found the article!

here

Original poster

nicm · 20/02/2005 23:02

thanks everyone. i ended up not even bidding on it. i wanted to read all your replies. i am going to look out for one when i'm on hol's there in their local 'buy and sell' if they have such a thing. that way i'll know what i'm getting.

thanks again for all your replies.

OP posts:

secur · 20/02/2005 23:27

Message withdrawn

pixiefish · 21/02/2005 08:01

that doesn't work either secur- you have logged a credit card with ebay - they simply take the chargeback back off your credit card. The best way to do this is to only send to people who have verified their address. paypal won't give the money straight back without investigation- if it's a fraud (ie stolen credit card) then they hand it back but if there's a dispute they expect you to resolve it and won't release the money until its resolved. hth

secur · 21/02/2005 21:49

Message withdrawn

pixiefish · 21/02/2005 22:14

i'm not doubting the scam secur- my dh has had it done to him- all i was saying was that drawing the money from your paypal account isn't the way to avoid it (as a seller) because paypal will get the money from you one way or another (that's what i was suggesting with the credit card). When I registered with ebay and paypal to sell I had to register a card- things may have changed since though- it's a few years since i registered and things have changed since then.

dh sells computers on ebay and sold 2 to a guy in scotland- cost of £600 for both. The pc's were duly delivered and about 25 days later dh had a chargeback- ie paypal took the money back from him. As his paypal account was empty at the time they just took it off his credit card. all they'd tell dh was that the card had been used without authorisation and it was therefore fraud. That's all they told him - no opther info, nothing- £600 gone and 2 pc's. he's had a few chargebacks and paypal cover themselves by saying that the address was unverified so no paypal insurance- a real sickner

secur · 21/02/2005 22:50

Message withdrawn

Original poster

nicm · 24/02/2005 12:28

hi
thanks for all your replies. i have now got the buyer to add paypal so i can pay safely. the question is now, how do i get the money in to pay for the stuff. my partner has it set up dd from his account but is there anyway i can put the money in using visa delta online? either that or can i pay and then transfer the money to the paypal account as it takes 7-9 working days to transfer?

TIA

OP posts:

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