Scam????

[Kameleon18]

I’m selling a motorcycle in Canada and received a text message from someone in the United States asking about it. He said he would make payment through PayPal and arrange for someone to pick it up and courier it to him. Is this a scam? Is there a way for him to scam me out of the bike and the money? Sounds too good to be true, so I am definitely suspicious.

[kernowlass · Accepted solution]

@Kameleon18

This is a typical scam

They encourage you to accept a 'direct' Paypal payment. They don't quibble on cost and may also say they can't view the item as they are disabled or working abroad etc etc but they will arrange a shipping agent to collect it.
No funds or activity of the transaction shows in your Paypal account and any emails 'may' go into your junk or spam folders.

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 western union, moneygram or walmart etc BEFORE the funds are released to you.
They are not interested in the bike, they just want the western union etc 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 motor vehicle.
Delete any emails and ignore the scammers.