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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mm718
Contributor
Contributor

Just received this email from Seth <removed>. So said they portray someone from the military. So glad I Googled the questions and found all the response!

 

Do you have the extra keys, Do you have the spare tire, Where did you get your car serviced, Have you ever had any transmission repairs and Is there any rust on the vehicle? I'm ready to pay your asking price but not cash in person because I am serving in the US Army and currently been deploy to Fort Huachuca Military Base , Arizona  and calls are restricted at the moment and my only  payment option is PayPal, its safe fast and secure and i will be responsible for the PayPal transaction charges so you can get your expected amount. If you don't have an account with PayPal, its pretty easy to open one, Just log onto www.paypal.com and sign up. I hope we can make the purchase as fast as possible? As I am buying the vehicle for my dad and I'm very sure he will love this vehicle, his a mechanic I and a handy man, so if there is anything that need to be fixed in it just let me know he will handle it. I have a mover that will come for the pick up once payment clears in your account and he will handle the title for me.I would appreciate if you email me with more pictures (if available) too since i won't be able to see this in person. You may receive an email like this from other people because I told my colleagues and teammates to help me lookout for the vehicle as well,, so deal with me directly , I look forward to hear from you with the information below. I look forward to hear from you with the information below.

 

Your PayPal e-mail Address :

Full name:

Firm Price:

Phone no#: 

Zip code for pickup:

 

Thanks

Seth 

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LucaCornelus
Contributor
Contributor
Hello again, I am glad to inform you that i have made the payment! PayPal said that they have sent you a confirmation email so kindly check the inbox of your email. I had a little problem with the agent they said they can only schedule the pick up date and time after they receive their pick up fee in their headquarter office via Western Union, but due to me being in wheelchair i'm unable to get to a Western Union shop to send it. I added the £260 they charged for the pick up and £40 for the Western Union charges, you will receive the total sum of £580. You'll send £260 to them via Western Union today and here is the details needed for the transfer below. This is the email what I received from buyer. I don't have money to pay for him £260 + £40. He wants to pay tomorrow. Otherways PAYPAL will start the procedure against me. I requested £280 for the car not for services. What can I do?
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Eli27
Contributor
Contributor

It's a scam. Don't send them a penny!!!!! You will lose money if you do!!! BEWARE!! Don't have any further contact with these scammers. You went a little too far already, but if you are not out any money, you win. 

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dkenszii
New Community Member

It is a scam, here is what I respond with when they sent me messages like these.  I tell them to use paypal card to send me the money through western union. Instant cash lol. I even offer to pay the western union fee, if they use it.  They will leave you alone after that lol.

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P0
New Community Member

From the Web:November 20, 2014by  Christina <removed>Attorney, FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection

Selling your used stuff online has become commonplace. So have scams taking advantage of the good names of reputable online companies. At the FTC, we’ve heard from people stung by scammers spoofing PayPal. The scam generally goes like this: You post a high-value item, like a used car, for sale online. In no time at all, you get an email from a buyer willing to pay full price — or more! But he sets conditions; he is only willing to pay by PayPal or insists the sale must happen right away. What’s really going on? A ruse to steal your personal information, money or merchandise.

Here are some suspicious situations to look for and steps to safe selling online:

Scenario One: The buyer claims he can only pay via PayPal. Don’t have a PayPal account? No problem, he says. He’ll send you an email with a link so you can set one up.

What should you do? Don’t take the bait. The link will send you to a website masquerading as PayPal. Any information you enter will be collected by the bogus buyer, and may be used to commit fraud. If you need to set up an account, go directly to PayPal.com.

Scenario Two: “Check your email!” The buyer claims he has sent payment to your PayPal account with additional funds so you can ship the merchandise ASAP, but oops, he sent too much money. He asks you to return the extra money via a money wiring service. It’s all a lie, including the extra money the buyer says he included.

What should you do? Log into your PayPal account. Make sure you’ve been paid before you ship. Never follow links in emails from people you don’t know. The safest approach is to open a browser window, navigate to PayPal.com, and log in yourself. Also, if the buyer claims to have sent extra money, and asks for some back, that’s a big red flag.

Scenario Three: The buyer sends you real money through a real PayPal account, and you ship him the car. Problem is, the PayPal account belongs to someone else! You might need to return the money even though the scammer has your wheels.

What now? Contact PayPal and ask them to open an investigation. The company offers seller protections so you aren’t liable for unauthorized transactions. Also file a complaint with the FTC and your local police department.

Learn how to recognize and avoid common online scams. And contact PayPal at spoof@paypal.com if you’ve been stung by a PayPal spoof. The company wants to hear from you.

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MelG0
Member
Member
I've got a similar situation. I have someone contacting me offering to put the money into my account via PayPal and then have the car delivered to him by a transport company. He's told me that he cannot view the car as he is a disabled man that I buying the car for his daughter. I asked for his address to see if I could take the car to him but he's 4 hours away from me in Scotland. I don't know whether to trust him. He's told me that the person collecting and delivering the car would sign all documents etc on collection. It seems too good to be true
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kernowlass
Esteemed Advisor
Esteemed Advisor

@MelG0

 

It is.....

 

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 or 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 etc etc but they will arrange a shipping agent 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 western union, moneygram or walmart etc BEFORE the funds are released to you.
They are not interested in the car, 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.


Advice is voluntary.
Kudos / Solution appreciated.
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Danomite
Member
Member

I smell a scam. I posted my car online and within minutes received the email below. It is the same as many scammer emails in this thread ... Seller Beware!

  I appreciate your email,
      Firstly, I would like to introduce myself to be in the military. My name is Travis <removed>, but I go by my last name. I serve in the USAF. I am a MSGT, am positioned in the disarming bomb section. We are not allowed to make or receive calls frequently as phones communication are restricted but we do have internet access and that is our major means of communication to the outside world. I have been protecting and defending my country and I don't think I can stop doing that. I am proud of America.  FYI, I'm purchasing this for my brother as a special birthday gift and he's  not aware of me doing this because am making it a surprise.

I've got a few questions for this below.

 

  • What's its current condition?
  • Does it have any damages?
  • Are you the first owner?  
  • Does it have any mechanical issues?
  • Would love to know the reason why selling it?
  • Do you have the title in hand?
  • Can you send me more pictures of it?
  • Do you have an account with PayPal?
  • Do you have any offer's yet?


I have a carrier agent who will come for the pickup once payment is completely confirmed.

Looking forward to hearing from you and I hope you can respond and answer my questions appropriately in your next e-mail

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kernowlass
Esteemed Advisor
Esteemed Advisor

@Danomite 

 

Smell a scam???

Did you read my post directly above yours?


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Kudos / Solution appreciated.
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smigon
Contributor
Contributor

Ha! I got that same email from “Travis <removed>” too (you totally don’t need to protect a scammer’s privacy) and within seconds an almost identical one from “Fred <removed>”. Both overseas in the military, both buying cars from their sons. Cue the (tiny) violins. I just led them both on and gave them each other’s email address. Travis caught on early but Freddie stuck with me for about 36 hours until I got tired of playing and he finally asked “Why all this am not here for game are you trying to run away with my money?” and I replied “Why are you trying to run away with my BMW?”. He replied “What do you mean? Did you receive the payment confirmation emails from paypal?” and I told him “Contact the email you sent it to. He is in your line of work.“. I haven’t heard anything from him since, and the address and phone number I gave him are that of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, so he can go collect his BMW there. It’s fun to play with them.

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