Buyer asking for my paypal details

[Patchy1]

hi, I’m selling an item on gumtree. A prospective buyer asks for my email and introduces himself with a name that is different to the name on his email address asking me to confirm my email address. Then in his second email he is keen to buy my item, can’t view its condition because he is at military camp but wants to send furniture removalist to collect it. He asks to pay through PayPal thus asking for my email and name. He signs this second email with the correct name that appears in his email address. Does this sound dodgy /a scam and can my account cc details be obtained etc? Thanks.

[kernowlass · Accepted solution]

@Patchy1 

SOUNDS LIKE THIS SCAM, READ IT TO CHECK.

SCAM.

They encourage you to accept a 'direct' Paypal payment.
No funds or activity of the transaction shows in your Paypal account and any emails 'may' go into your junk/spam folders.

They don't quibble on cost and may also say they can't view the item as they are disabled or working abroad / in the military but they will arrange a shipping agent / courier to collect it.

You will get/got a "fake" email that looks as though it is from paypal.....it isn't because they don't actually have a Paypal account and have no intention of paying you.
It will say the buyer has paid ...you won't have been paid.

The 'fake' paypal email will tell you that the buyer has paid for the item + shipping costs but you must send those shipping costs to the courier/ shipping agent via anther payment processor than Paypal OR via providing some vouchers or tokens before the funds are released to you.
They are not interested in the item, they just want that couriers/shipping funds and you will never see money in your paypal balance.

Paypal NEVER tell you to send an item before the payment is showing in your paypal account.
Paypal NEVER expect you to use a rival money transfer service eg Moneygram or Western Union etc.
Also their is no seller protection on paypal for any type of item that is collected by the buyer.

Delete any emails and ignore the scammers.

[Patchy1]

Hi,

Thanks for this advice...it did sound a bit weird.  Luckily I have another local buyer so will ignore this one.