Advice about selling a car, recieving payment via paypal.

[hasey]

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.

[leelee1788]

I had the exact same email from good old tereza with the same email address today so it looks like she's still going, also one from <removed> who's a "marine engineer."  When I said I didn't wish to do business over Paypal he said he could make a direct payment from his Paypal to my bank account, sounds like he's trying to link my name to own his fraudulent account if this is possible.

[MrsREdwards]

I have just had exactly the same email, thought it was to good to be true and asked him to view and pay cash said he couldn't view because he was a marine biologist and the couriers wouldn't carry cash. 

Am Matt i live at Werrington, Peterborough. I Agree with price you willing you sell as i will be happy to paying directly into your paypal account without any delay. I would have prefer to see or inspection the car but am busy and due to the nature of my work as i'm a (marine biologist) I'm buying the car for my dad as a birthday gift and i won't let him know anything until the car get delivered to him .

As for the payment..i will be paying you with the fastest and secure way to pay online(PayPal).

I have a private courier agent that will come over  for the pick up after the payment have been made, .You can now send me your PayPal email so i can pay in right away and also include your address in your reply.If you don't have a paypal account, you can easily set up one...log on to www.paypal.com and sign up. its very easy.I await your reply asap

  I googled and found this forum so told him that PayPal didn't cover cars, simple got back "god bless thank you" 

blatant scam unreal hopeople get away with this!

[Tink76Brownie]

Just had exactly the same scam -  He wanted to buy my car through paypal - i told him I wasn't happy with that.  He wanted to buy it for his dad, he is a marine biologist who can't get down to where i live due to work.  So glad I looked on here and realised, I need this money to go on holiday and buy a cheaper car, without the car or money, I'd have no job as I would't be able to get there and no money for my holiday in 7 weeks.

I did think it was a bit odd, but asked the advice of a few people who seem dubious about it, and I was too.  Only cash in hand on collection now for me!!

[Grim85]

I know this is not car related but i actually got a text from one of these scammers! I thought they all stuck to email but apparently they are adapting to the digital age! I am selling a camera on CL and i got a text about him wanting to send it to his brother in africa and he would pay 80 is shipping charges and all of this would transpire through PayPal. So i will take this opportunity to scam the scammer because i am tired of hearing about them prey on people. I told him what my PayPal email was and to send the payment there. He said he would need an invoice, so i took the opportunity to start flipping the words around and make this look like a donation. I said ok i will send you a reciept for tax purposes for your genrouse donation. I then said be sure to let me know when your dontation is sent. I then texted them again and said, be sure that when you send the payment you send it as a gift this way niether you or i will be charged any fees for your donation. I received a text back saying ok so hopefully this works.

[zcg4755]

I just recieved this:

I'm very interested in your 2011 Dodge Dakota & i'll like to make an offer of $26,000 & i'll also like you to confirm to me that it is in a good working condition.  Let me know if you accept my offer, i'll pay through paypal & do contact me via email for further communication regarding it.

Sounds fishy to me.  This looks to be very similar to the rest of your inquiries.  Has anyone seen this before?

[Pen1]

Hi

Thank god I found all these messages I only put the car into exchange and mart 48hrs ago and already had that dreaded e-mail I have read so much this was mine   

Thank you for the response,Can you assure me that it's in good state
> that i will not be disappointed with it?,i am so much interested in
> purchasing it and Ok with your last price,but i will not be able to
> come and view it cos I'm presently off-shore,i would love to know it's
> present condition and the reason why you wanted to sell it and i will
> arrange for the Shipping Company/shipper agent to pick it up at your
> residence after the payment might been clear,so kindly get back to me
> with your PayPal email address. So that i can proceed with the payment
> as soon as possible.

I have  just sent an email back and kindly declined to accept payment by pay pal,

I was lucky thanks to everyone on here.

it said his name was Jim Camastro

[natashamarie73]

I've also been contacted my Jim <removed>!!! Grrrr thought it sounded dodgy so glad I researched it!!! Grrrrr. We've just replied to Jim..... Jim Someone from umpa lumpa land came and paid me in smarties unulcky!! Lol 🙂

[HRE]

I can't believe I nearly fell for this!

I'm selling a car on Autotrader in the UK, have a had a lot of genuine interest and this person emailed me asking if it's available still, so I said yes. He then sent this...

"Good,I will offer you £3695 .Any outstanding on it?Does it have a current MOT ? Hope its still in 

 perfect condition?What about the AC?Hope you operate PayPal.If no, do go ahead now and set up one 

 and get back to me with the detail while i get  the money arrange. 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 

 will make arrangement for pick up after payment,

 Thanks"

Sent from AlexWilliams371 using a gmail dot com email account. 

I was concerned about receiving so much money via paypal, so my instinct said to phone paypal.

I asked them if there is a limit as to how much money you can receive. I said it was for a car I'm selling and the lady very kindly explained that I wouldn't be protected by Paypal Seller Protection, because there would be no evidence of the transaction or the buyer receiving the car.

The Scam:

She said, "what could happen is he could send the money, you would receive it into your account, he would then contact paypal saying he hasn't received the goods, then the money would be taken straight out of my account and refunded to him".

I have to say, the lady I spoke with (didn't get her name) was extremely helpful and knowledgable. She also saved me from being a victim of fraud!

Like someone else said - CASH ON COLLECTION - and have the buyer next to you when you deposit the cash into your bank!!

[julesmat]

there is still someone doing this, telling different story about his son instead of a father. 

[glozanomoran]

This is an email I have received for a car I have for sale (I am from Belgium and this guy is supposedly from Denmark):

"I'm quite satisfied with the condition and price of  €49 000. I need to let you know that the shipping agent will be coming for the pick up as soon as the payment has been complete and approved by PayPal and the shipping agent will be the ones to help me handle all other necessary details to complete the deal when they get to your home address for the pick up.
So i will be paying directly into your PayPal account without any delay, and i hope you have a PayPal account for the payment and if NO i will like you to kindly log on to www.paypal.com and create an 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 the merchandise to be Picked Up by the Shipping Company as soon as the Payment is completed.

I can't wait to hear from you..
Thanks and Best Regards"

Can someone please explain me how exactly these "scams" work because that is not clear to me. Beause nobody is going to give their car without receiving payment first and if I would receive payment the first thing I would do is transfer it to my bank account.