Using Paypal on Done Deal - pay as 'friends and family'?

[cglynn1]

Hi, I am trying to buy a playstation on either Done Deal or Facebook Market. People are currently avoiding meeting in person to exchange goods and money due to COVID-19 so most people are asking to use Paypal instead. Every person I have chatted to has asked me to pay through 'friends and family'. I saw lots of posts online about how this can be used to make scam sales and I offered to pay the transaction fee to make payment as 'goods and services'. However, some of the sellers have said it can take 21 days for them to receive payment if it is made as 'goods and services' and they don't want to post item until they receive payment. One person has said there is buyer protection when sale is made as 'friends and family' too. Is this true? Not sure what to do as I want to get a 2nd hand playstation for my boyfriend's birthday and COVID makes it a bit tricky! Any suggestions?

[kernowlass · Accepted solution]

@cglynn1 

A friends / family (or gift payment) is intended as a transfer of funds from family or friends to one another. For this reason, there is no processing fee when payment is made with bank or PayPal balance.
However as it is a gift payment, there is also no Buyer protection as no goods or services should have been exchanged.

If he was not a close mate or family member you should never use that option as it enables the seller to evade paying his paypal fees and negates your buyer protection at the same time.

You would also not be able to open a dispute apart from one citing an unauthorised transaction but that would be automatically closed as you did authorise the initial payment.

Be careful as using that option for purchasing goods is against Paypal rules and can lead to account limitation.