Advice about selling a car, recieving payment via paypal.

hasey
Contributor
Contributor

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.

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407 REPLIES 407

wyandra
Contributor
Contributor

I almost got caught too.Robert <removed> emailed me to say he is a marine engineer on a ship and wanted to buy my car, without seeing it. I foolishly opened a PayPal account. He wanted me to transfer $650 to an American private courier service who would pick up the car and handle the paperwork. yeah sure. But it looked convincing. I asked for a copy of his passport, drivers licence no and home address. Obviously all fake. Fortunately I phoned PayPal who said it was a scam. I usually do not fall for this trickery. I am a bit wiser now? I never transferred the money.

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NotGetinScamd
Member
Member

I too have received this "to good to be true" response to a car ad I have on autotrader and craigslist. A marine engineer at sea looking to pay the asking proce for the car that will be a present for his son's birthday and picked up by his mover.

 

What I don;t get is how exactly does this work to get information or even worse my car? What is the scam here? 

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I am getting g the same message scam he's taking me to court and this and tht he ain't seen my bike and he is away on business I have 2 in one night asking me all them question think it bang out
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dcec6490
Member
Member

this is just unbelievable that I come here for advise and hear an almost identical story.

we are selling a car on cragslist and the buyer wants to buy from half way across the united states, send a certified check to my address and then when it clears send someone else to pick up the car.  I called my banker to inquire about certified check scams and she said that it could happen.  if I brought the check in and they funded me within a day or 2 they still have to wait for the bank where certified check came from to reimburse them what the fronted me.  that gives the buyer just  enough time time to withdraw/cancel the check and then my bank will come back after me.  she told be to advise the buyer to send  "driver" on and to send money via western union in the drivers name.  once they arrive they can take receipt of the money and hand me cash.  I advised the caller of this and then he turned around with his "story" of i'm an oceanographer and presently on assignment, can access email anytime and would like to now pay with paypal and that he is buying for "uncle"  What a load of CRAP...  I'm going to tell this guy CASH or take a hike!

Thanks.. your story helped my decision.

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crlowell
New Community Member

Well, here it is Feb 3 and I've gotten emails from a guy that scream "scam" all over them.  Same deal--he's in the Navy, will buy the car, send a representative and do it via PayPal.  Only he wanted additional photos of the car.  Which I sent.  But when I told him I wasn't selling my car via PayPal, he balked and told me not to contact him further.  What is your advice as to the most secure way to receive payment for a transaction like this, where I'd be transferring title to a new owner.  Cashier's check?  Certified check? What?

thanks for your reply!

 

 

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wantmebed
Contributor
Contributor

Hi i have just put up a post about this subject CASH ONLY is my dads new policy now

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Hyden
Member
Member

Yeah, i got the same message like you. The first time is a marine solider  and the sencond time is buy my car for his dad as a suprise gift. Thanks for sharing. Cash or check is more safty. Dont use paypall payment


@Gab_PCC wrote:

I have just received a similar email (see below) and came looking for an answer to the very same question. Sounded very dubious as he wanted to buy the car without even seeing a picture. Sounds like a scam. Here's the email received:

 

Hi there, Thank you for getting back to me. I'm ready to pay your
asking price.To be honest, i wanted to buy
this for my father as a surprise birthday gift,he has being there for
me and doesn,t deserve something less but the issue is I'm a marine
contractor and i just got a contract which i am doing presently and
The contract is strictly no call,
due to the lack of reception on the sea area,,But I'm able to access
email anytime as we will make use of laptop so my only quickest
payment option is PayPal as i can send money via PayPal anytime.Moreso
i choose paypal for this transaction cause i want to avoid the scams
going down on the internet this days,and want the both party to be on
a safe side cause paypal security measure is unbeatable.Since
I'm requesting this transaction to be done via PayPal, i will be
responsible for all the pay pal fee/charges on this transaction and if
you don't have an account with paypal, its pretty easy, safe and
secured to open one. Just log on to www.paypal.com. I hope we can make
the purchase as fast as possible? I have a mover that will come for it
once payment clears and they will be handling the title for me.So i
look forward to hear from you soon.


 

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JaniceMenifee
New Community Member

I received the same email...Marine biologist story.  I told the "buyer" to have the person that would be picking up the vechicle to bring the cash.  Didn't hear back !

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PayPal_Siobhán
Moderator
Moderator

Hi there JaniceMenifee, 

 

Thanks for sharing 🙂 

 

Siobhán

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audiq7
New Community Member

i receive email from John <removed> Thanks for your response..I'm quite satisfied with the condition and price,and I need you to understand that i am willing and ready to purchase it right away, end the advert, consider me as your favorite buyer. I will be paying the PayPal charges (3.4%) from my account and will be paying directly into your PayPal account without any delay, and I hope you have a paypal account. If you have one already, just send me the address to send it to, which is the email address you use for it or you can send me a paypal money request, so once i receive the details i will go ahead with the payment through PayPal and then I will contact my shipping company after you get the payment. I will need your home address for it to be Picked Up by the Shipping Company..... do not trust

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