Advice about selling a car, recieving payment via paypal.

[hasey]

I'm selling my car (not on ebay) and have had someone offering to buy via paypal and send someone for collection. I know all about these scams where buyers say I'll pay with a bankers draft and add shipping fees and the seller has to sort it out with the shippers. I've always disregarded these and said cash on collection only but this one says he'll pay in full via paypal and arrange for someone to collect. I just want to know where I stand on the security of the payment. Do I have to wait any particular time for it to clear? Can he cancel payment once cleared or request a refund?

You hear so many scams going on I just want to be sure, I'm already dubious due to the fact he's saying he'll send someone else to collect. Or am I just best sticking to my guns and demanding cash on collection? Please help.

[drhippo]

Glad this site exists....I, too, had very similiar experiences within a day or two of being on cars.com

one was an email from a marine in iraq--wanted to buy for his father...same types of questions as others have noted (e.g., extra keys, transmission damage, father a handy man etc)....had a "mover" to collect the car

the other was a text from US, but would not give name, and same type of deal...using paypal.....wanted my paypay email (which is no secret) and full name (also no secret)...also had a "mover" to collect the car.

but, that's as far as I got before turning to this forum, and reading about the likely "movers" changes.  Thanks!  and, beware!

[SamAmy]

This is all sounding very similar to my situation! Super dodgy!

Here is the email I got:

Hi Samantha,

Thanks a lot for the email. I'm away at sea at the moment, and we are presently offshore on project. We do not have access to phone at the moment,its 15days off and 15days on,which is why I contacted you with internet messaging facility. Where is it located at the moment?

I will like you to get back to me with the present condition,How many owners has it had?Has it ever been in a crash?Has it been kept in a garage and i want it delivered before my arrival.I won't be able to come for the inspection due to the nature of my work and i would have called but our calling is restricted.Regarding the payment,  pls get back to me with your final asking price and your PayPal details so i can process the payment,you can alternatively send your acc name,bsb number and acct number if you have no PayPal acct. I have also contacted my courier who will come for pick up after the whole fund has been cleared into your acct.

Please dont bother to reply back if you are not okay with my payment method.

Regards

[Blatta]

Here was the wording of our email.... sounds a bit familar!

Thank you for the mail, i am okay with the condition Likewise your asking price is quite reasonable and affordable considering others I've seen lately, I'll have it for the listed price. I'm interested and consider it sold as am buying it for my first son as a surprise birthday gift and which i don't want him to know about it until is picked up, so can you assure me i will not be disappointed? I work with the military air-force and presently in camp serving the nation which is strictly no calls. My Mode of payment is PayPal because i don't have access to my bank account online, but i have it attached to my PayPal account. Since I'm requesting this transaction to be done via PayPal, I will be responsible for all the PayPal fees/charges on this transaction, if you don't have an account with PayPal, it's pretty easy, safe an secure to open one. Just log on to www.paypal.co.uk. I hope we can make this transaction as fast as possible. Less I forgot, I have a Mover that will come for pickup once payment is cleared in your PayPal account and they will be handling the title for me, as I look forward to hearing from you with your PayPal information as requested below.

Your PayPal e-Mail Address :

Full name:

Firm Price:

Address for Pick Up:

Phone Number:

Awaiting your response asap

All sounding a bit dodgy now!

[David4]

I have an email using identical wording to this mail. This proved to me that I am being scammed. This criminality is so blatant and would not have been accepted years ago as it is now. Fraud is simply not taken seriously enough. Organisations like PayPal become targets of the scammers and 99% of the time they get away with it. Unless Paypal can effectively counter this they will lose the Trust of their customer base.

[luckyrose27]

Do not do it!

[tylernorfffffff]

I just had the exact same story about the marin buying his father a birthday gift, wanting to buy it right away without seeing it and having someone pick it up. SCAM. And another SCAM about he was too busy and wanted to pay right away full price without seeing it and someone coming to pick it up. CASH ON PICK UP PEOPLE

[kassi_zaba]

So I have a question...

(I also have had 5 different people try this with me in the last 48 hours.)

What is to stop us from teaching these a-holes a lesson and taking the tranfer they send through paypal and give them a bum address? I feel like THEY should be the ones getting burned.

I am tempted to play stupid and try to keep their transfers. There MUST be something that prevents this? (haha protect the scammers...)

[rab80]

Wow I just got the same story with someone wanting to buy a truck I have for sale .. About being a marine biologist & all the rest ,, almost an exact same e-mail .. I think I will stick to face to face trasactions !!!!

[Klacto]

Don't use PayPal to receive money from a car sale. Use bank transfer then make SURE the funds can be DRAWN not just cleared. Prob a good idea to shift the money out to another account just to be sure. Or take cash to the bank and have it verified.

BE VERY CAREFUL

[FW1901]

Many, many thanks for your posts as I was completely taken in by this scammer until I read your welcome advice.

I live in London, UK and have advertised my 1999 MGF on GumTree for £1250. I've just received this message this morning from Richard <removed>("Richy") <removed>

Hello thanks for reply, i am a marine engineer, i am at sea right
now.I am buying this for my son as a surprise gift. However,does it
haveany history I should be aware of? and why are you selling if you
don't mind my asking and I will really appreciate if you can email
more info and if possible more photos. I can only pay through paypal
at the moment as i don't have access to my bank account online(i dont
have internet banking with it), but i have it attached to my paypal
account, and this is why i insisted on using paypal to pay,all i will
need is your paypal email address to make the payment, and if you dont
have a paypal account yet, you can set one it cant take you less than
3mins to do that, i will be expecting your paypal email so l can pay
and your phone number. I have a pick up agent that will come for the
pick up after payment has been sorted, l will be waiting for your
reply asap...

I've replied:

Hi Richard,
I sell for cash only.
Sorry to disappoint your son on his birthday - but there are too many scammers out there!