nervous selling a vehicle using paypal for payment

[Rudy80]

Hello all.

this is going to potentially be my first time using PayPal to do a fairly large sale.  i am feeling very nervous accepting payment from someone i do not know and will never meet.  

I am selling my vehicle.  He wants to send me payment via paypal, and says once i accept the payment he will send a transport company to pick up.  Should i be suspicious or worried?  Once i accept the payment, am i good and clear? (he can't decline or take money back etc?)

Any thoughts or suggestions please.

[sharpiemarker · Accepted solution]

@Rudy80 

Vehicles are not covered by PayPal seller or buyer protection.

But what you do need to beware of is to check your PayPal account for the money first! Don't just believe emails.

And your payment may be subject to PayPal's 21-day funds availability hold. There are tasks you can do to get the money sooner.

Sellers/recipients have to add tracking/update order status first to get money sooner:

 - Click Activity at the top of the page.

 - Find and click the original payment for the item.

 - Click Add Tracking Info.

 - Select an order status.

Here's how buyers/senders can “confirm receipt”:

 - Click Activity at the top of the page.

 - Find and click the original payment for the item.

 - Click Confirm Receipt.

 - Click Yes to confirm that you received the order.

***Not all purchases require receipt confirmation.

But the scheme of having transport company arranged by the buyer for pick up is problematic. You need to be in control of the shipping company so you vet what kind of proof of delivery you get and ensure to get valid delivery confirmation/tracking even though vehicles are not covered by PayPal and be the one to provide this information to the buyer, not the buyer providing it to you as seller. This is for your own protection should there be a credit card chargeback or small claims court, if not a PayPal dispute.

My rule is cash and carry by owner themselves, otherwise, no go. Too many vulnerabilities.

[seamuswarren]

Me too! 

I am looking for a way to be confident a $22k payment won't bounce.

I just want to ensure once funds are listed in my PayPal account, they are guaranteed legitimate.