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.

[applepie]

I am concerned about the whole aspect of fraud through paypal and  not clear about potential danger. The previous contributor is equally puzzled. If paypal is a secure method of payment and buyers unable to access your bank details why are these obvious criminals trying to pay money into your account ? Can they somehow trace your bank details? surely it has to be something like this or why would they bother.

I am looking for a secure payment method for receiving monies and not so sure about paypal now. 

[MrsREdwards]

It's not about bank details its about PayPal not supporting you with sales of motor vehicles. They buy your car transfer money and have t collected they tell PayPal they haven't got car so pay pal give money back but when u say u have given car there's nothing PayPal can do coz they don't support payments for motor vehicles. If your gunna sell ya car get cash or direct bank transfer!

[applepie]

I am looking for a safe way to receive money from a holiday cottage I want to let out, a friend suggested paypal rather than giving a stranger my bank details for a bacs payment.

The latter is the way we have always paid for any holiday homes we have stayed in and there has never been a problem but I am getting increasingly concerned about bank security. 

Thanks for the info re reason for the car purchase scam. Hopefully no one falls for the more obviouis scams.

[Willderbeast83]

Funnily enough I received the same email regarding a car I had for sale on eBay... It's good to read from you, just to let you know that i'm okay with the condition and price of this item, i'm seriously interested and ready for its purchase. Sorry i will not be able to deal locally as im a Petroleum Engineer once again I would have love to deal locally view what i'm buying face to face and pay in cash but i'm always BUSY at work,As i am away for work now. so my form of payment will be by paypal because i don't have access to my bank account online (i also don't have internet banking with it), I have my bank account attached to my PayPal account, and this is why i insisted on using PayPal to pay, all i will need to process the money into your paypal account is your PayPal e-mail address and if you don't have a PayPal account yet, you can set one up at www.paypal.com it won't take you less than 5mins to do that I have a Private Courier Service agent ready to PICK It UP at your location and the Courier Service money will be included in your payment to avoid delay and to enable Courier Service to schedule an appropriate time for the pick-up at your location after the money has been successfully been transferred into your PayPal account This is not my first time doing this so i have everything under control If you also have some more pictures, might want to have a good look. Please do get back to me with your PayPal e-mail and full name on so i can make out payment ASAP. I want your honesty in return to my faithfulness to you during this transaction. Your immediate response is really appreciated. Kind regards, Lucas This is obviously a scam too. Thanks for the other posts.

[rebann]

Just been contacted by "Mr <removed>" about buying my car. Still not sure how this scam works. If the money appears in my Pay Pal account, surely it can be transferred to my bank account before the car is taken. In that way, the scammer can't get it back. 

Has anybody, here, actually lost money and (presumbably) the item they were selling, as well? 

Or is this just a money-laundering exercise - the scammer/launderer sends it to a Pay Pal account and then retrieves it, so it becomes more difficult to trace its origin.

Any comments, please? 

[glozanomoran]

Here is another one I received for my car that is for sale: "Thanks a lot for the email. Am buying it for my son who just graduated ontop of his class in National University in California, he studied Business Law and Professional Ethics Minor and am so proud of him . I want it as a surprise package to appreciate him towards his achievement and to be delivered before my arrival home. I work with SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF and we are presently offshore in US Taranaki Basin on kapo project. We do not have access to phone at the moment,its 15days off and 15days on,which is why I contacted you with internet messaging facility. Where is it located at the moment? Does it have any history I should be aware of? and why are you selling if you don't mind my asking. I am already in talks with the courier that will handle the pick-up and delivery. As regards the payment, I can pay you through instant transfer using paypal transfer service. If you don't have paypal you can set up a paypal account proper at www.paypal.com and I will make the payment through paypal, this way, all I will need to proceed with payment is the following details : PayPal Name : PayPal Email : Final Price : I will be expecting your email. Thanks"

[mcgovern01]

just had this one - slight change to the story!

I confirm the receipt of your email and I am glad to know that the car is in good condition.

I have actually tried to get this car earlier but most of the ones I got either had one huge fault or the other while some have even had accidents in the past while the rest were really very exorbitant.

I am actually trying to get this car for my first son who will be adding a year to his age in about 2 weeks.  So I think its worth paying whatever the shipping charges will be just to put a laughter on his face.

As to the price, the £3700 seems to be very reasonable. To seal this transaction in earnest, I will be very glad to make the payment asap through my PayPal account as I am currently offshore and I won't definitely be able to make it to my bank to make bank transfer to you.

As to shipping, you need not worry yourself about how the car will get to me in Ireland as I will contact a shipping company here who will handle that.

Do get back to me asap with your PayPal Email address and Full name so that I can remit the payment asap.

Cheers,

Linda <removed>

BE AWARE!!

[adelep]

Thank goodness for this forum, just received an email from Kushadi Lasarda saying he wants to buy the car as a gift for his daughter as he knows she would love it, apparentlyyyy hes a Navy officer and guess what hes at shore! And he has to pay via paypal, hes not able to talk viaphone and an agent will collect the car! He even added a link to paypal formy convience if I didnt have an account! I laught when I read the email and thought 'really!' typed in paypal navy car purchase and low and behold here I am reading about how much of a scam this really is. How do I report this idiot?

[acebrodie]

Thanks mcgovern01.

Put my car on ebay last night and 'Linda <removed>' texed and emailed this morning from Ireland... She has not requested PAYPAL yet, but is wanting extra pictures.

I was always paranoid of scam, so took to google and found this post. Will see what they come back with and keep you updated. Is there anything else i should be worried about? She has my name, email and mobile number?

Just to confirm: WHAT is the best way to recieve funds for a car sale on ebay? Cash? or is bacs / electronic transfer any good?

[acebrodie]

Just recieved the following email from 'Linda <removed>' from Ireland whose email is<removed>

"I confirm the receipt of your email and I am glad to know that the car is in good condition.

I have actually tried to get this car earlier but most of the ones I got either had one huge fault or the other while some have even had accidents in the past while the rest were really very exorbitant.

I am actually trying to get this car for my first son who will be adding a year to his age in about 2 weeks.  So I think its worth paying whatever the shipping charges will be just to put a laughter on his face.

As to the price, I think £XXXX seems to be very reasonable. To seal this transaction in earnest, I will be very glad to make the payment asap through my PayPal account as I am currently offshore and I won't definitely be able to make it to my bank to make bank transfer to you.

As to shipping, you need not worry yourself about how the car will get to me in Ireland as I will contact a shipping company here who will handle that.

Do get back to me asap with your PayPal Email address and Full name so that I can remit the payment asap."

So quite clearly another ebay, paypal scam. Beware!