Customer requested code Possible scam !!! Fraud Alert !!!

[MarinaMUller]

Ok I have a person trying to buy a pair of jeans from me from Donedeal, we are communicating over What's App. Now the person claims that they have a business account and want to avoid paying taxes, the person wanted the code that they requested from PayPal and I suspect they try to log into my account, now I used this code to log in myself and the person said it would send it again.. in Any case I feel like I'm being scammed ! Anybody a similar experiences??? Thanks for the help.

[jerryab2]

No idea what they mean by requesting a "code" from Paypal. So, change your password to something they can't guess. I usually let Windows "suggest" some long nonsense password and use that. Paypal does not give that info out.

After the above security step is done, tell the buyer they need to provide a copy of their sales tax document from their state. That is how resellers and non-taxable entities (think the state itself, universities, etc) do not pay sales taxes on many of their purchases. And then see what happens next....

Agreed, this could be a scam attempt.

[MarinaMUller]

Yes it is bizarre because I received  a text message with a code, like you would get for the 2 factor identification, the person said they wanted that code. The way it is written it is not so obvious, but maybe I'm missing something. So here is the conversation after I gave my email so the person can send money.

Person: I tried adding you to PayPal said  they would send a code. 

Did you receive a code?

Me:  Yes and i used it to log in

Person: Oh no I needed to confirm that code I'll send it out again

see this sort of dialogue makes me suspicious, I never had a problem with PayPal before I send inside Ireland , UK and USA  and so I received as well money from the same countries no issues, as long as there was an email address.

I just want to double check ! Thank you

[jerryab2]

I also do not see why they need the code you received. To pay you, that happens on the web site where the sale takes place. They place an order at the sale web site and authorize Paypal to pay you when you ship. You ship, provide proof to Paypal, and they pay you. For sales tax, they need to provide their US state sales tax info--but only if you are selling with you in the US. If you are not in the US, then the sales tax is irrelevant for you. Are you in EU/UK? If so, then you have VAT, not a sales tax. For VAT, there is no way to avoid it unless you are shipping out of the EU/UK. Then you do not charge them VAT for your exports out of the VAT area. They pay VAT (if they and you are in same VAT area of EU/UK) and then get it back from the govt if appropriate. I have done that a few times, as we did exports from the EU to the US. We paid VAT on EU purchases because we were buying as a local (i.e. not US)  business in that market. We had a VAT number and were incorporated there. We then filed for a refund from the govt every 3-6 months (?) for the VAT paid on exports.