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.

[bandelejc]

I got the same message.  They even have a linkedin account that they connect with you on, and sure enough, shows some marine biologist who works for NOAA.  He has all sorts of degrees, even a JD, but his English is pretty poor for such an educated guy.  He's also pretty gullible trying to pay for a car online that he's never even seen.  They also wanted a $950 pick-up charge sent by moneygram to a pick-up agent and gave the address to send it to.  When you google the address, it's a foreclosed property in Bloomington, Illinois.

It seems that they don't want to pick up the car at all.  They're just trying to get you to send the pick-up fees and then they'll disappear with the money.

[Morrischris1982]

@ Jjaef Hi I have had email today also apparent marine from Aberdeen. Lol. I sort of knew it was to good to be true but opened a paypal account and told him that it is fine for him to have a haulage company come sand get the car but only once I am satisfied that the money from PayPal has been transferred to my bank account. He said this was fine. But then when came to the actual transaction. He said the haulGe company needed paying upfront that PayPal had quoted him 400 pound. But had to pay via credit card. And he did not have this so he said he would transfer the money for the car plus 400 pound to my PayPal a account and that he was putting his money in my trust. Lol. I told him that I now knew it was defo a scam as my father in law had looked up PayPal scams for me earlier and it seems there are trusting people out there that do pay for the persons haulage company and don't check that the money is in there PayPal account first. I'm guessing it's the scanner turning up to pick things up not cars but smaller items and are more interested in getting the cash off the people and the item that they wanted is just a bonus. I canst believe people don't check there PayPal account and then if it is there withdraw it into there bank account before they do anything like that. But it's happening to lots of people. But hopefully with these forums people will be a lot more not trusting and tell the scammers to do one !!! Can't believe it.

[broncs713]

hi jjaef,

the same thing just happened to me and i have the same questions on my mind... How do they scam you?

if they wait till the payment clears and then send someone to pick it up how do they get out on top?

From what i am gathering since paypal doesnt have buyer seller protection on cars, they most likely file a dispute and they must have a pat down way of doing it so they get their money back, and then we are out of luck because our car is gone....

thats probably why they try to hurry and buy wthout much info... so they can say we didnt tell them everything that was wrong with it... i cant really think of any other way..

if you find out please let me know

thanks 

broncs713

[LChanelle]

From what i understand the payment clears, the retreieve the vehicle but then they refund the pay pal payment n apparently with cars your unable to dispute the claim so they are automatically refunded their money . so your both the car and money and theres nothing you can legally do about it. Thats what i have understood from reading the posts.

[escaped73]

Hi i just received this email  yesterday, i was dubious and i am now so glad i found this thread

My email read as follows

"Hi there sorry for not replying sooner, Can you assure me that it's in good state and that i will not be disappointed with it.I'm ready to pay your asking price and to be honest, i wanted to buy this for someone very close to me, but the issue is i am an oceanographer and i do have a contract to go for which starts tomorrow and am leaving any moment from now.The contract is strictly no call due to the lack of reception on the sea area. But I'm able to access email anytime as we will make use of laptop so my only quickest payment option is PayPal as i can send money via PayPal anytime.Since I'm requesting this transaction to be done via PayPal, i will be responsible for all the paypal fee/charges on this transaction and if you don't have an account with paypal its pretty easy, safe and secured to open one.Just log on to www.paypal.com. I hope we can make the purchase as fast as possible? I have a mover that will come for it once payment clears and they will get it to my son's location safely,So i look forward to hear from you soon."

[kernowlass]

@LChanelle

This is how the scam works  >>

They encourage you to use paypal.

They don't quibble on price or want to view the car. They often say they can't view as they are working abroad / in the military / disabled etc etc.

You will get/got a "fake" email that looks as though it is from paypal.....it isn't.

It will say the buyer has paid ...you won't have been paid.

If the item requires shipping that fake email will tell you that they have paid you extra but you must pay the courier / agent via western union / moneygram 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.

They also threaten legal action...have a laugh at that one and ignore it as its rubbish.

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.

Delete any emails and ignore the scammers.

[mcgee1128]

Don't do it! It's a major scam. I am in the process of selling my car and I clearly state CALL me but I just get emails. I've updated my listing to say CASH only. (you can buy those markers that will tell you if cash is fake or not for like $2 at staples).  I have even told the "scammers" that I thought they were phoney and they haven't responded. Which proves to me that they are. I understand that it's paypal but I don't think paypal covers cars so I would only do a cash transaction. I hope that helps.

[BrianSYR]

Here's mine.

Hello,

Thanks for your time. I don't have the chance to come and view it because am currently out of town for now due to my wedding preparation,i am buying this for my uncle,and can you by any chance send close up photos? as it will help in my decision since i will be buying sight unseen.Payment will be made via PayPal only as PayPal is my only payment option i can access here(if you don't have a PayPal account yet, it pretty easy to set up and it very secured. All you have to do is to log on to www.paypal.com) it can"t take you less than 3 mins to do that. Since I'm requesting this transaction to be done via PayPal, all the charges is on me and i have a specialized mover that will come pick it up once payment clears. I hope we can make the purchase as fast as possible?

Thank you,

Wayne.

Here's how I replied:

Wayne,

After doing some research on Paypal payments for a car, it looks like it would be too risky on my end to accept a payment through paypal. I'm sorry about this, but if there was a dispute, I would not be covered through Paypal policy. If you really have a mover to come pick up the car, maybe you can arrange through them for the cash payment. If you will be back in town soon, then we can do the transaction then. Otherwise, I cannot sell the car to you.

If you are still interested, let me know what you would like pictures of and if you have any questions about specific details of the car.

Let me know,

...We'll see how this goes!

[babtani]

I have a car posted on a New Zealand Trade site. I just recieved an email similar to what you are talking about. This time however, he is in the Army (with a capital A). The first contact I got from him was actually a text. The phone number he texted from was unknown with the name appearing as '<removed>'. He was also 'satisfied' in his first email:

Hello.
> >
> > I'm satisfied with the condition, I'm ready to buy this car, Please
> > tell me your final price so that we can discuss further about the
> > payment

I'll admit that at first I thought it may be genuine but after a search on the internet, and thanks to this forum I have come to realise it is a SCAM. Here is his follow up email received just today.

> Hi, how i wish i could come to inspect this car but currently i'm
> working away from the country. I'm in the deployment who's on a
> mission right now in Afghanistan with the Army.so i'll be buying the
> car without seeing it, Due to the distance as me being in Afghanistan
> presently, i'll arrange the pick-up of the car with a Private Courier
> Service as soon as you get your payment, I need you to provide the
> following details so that i can proceed with the Payment...
>
> Your PayPal e-Mail Address :
> Your Mobile Number :
> Price is ok
>
> Soon as i make the payment and you get the funds, the Courier
> Service will come and pick up the car at your home at your convenient
> time also the courier will help me sign the required papers.
>
> Cheers

I did actually give him my paypal email adress and account number but I have not confirmed him the sale so hopefully thats the end of him.

[Eneitzel]

I just recived a text regarding my d

Ad on criagslist 

Thanks for the prompt response.. I am ready to buy it now as a gift
for my Son,I am at sea at the moment as i am a marine engineer and due
to the nature of my Job.....phone calls making and visiting of website
are restricted but i squeezed out time to check this advert and send
you an email regarding it. I really want it to be a surprise for my
son i wont let him know anything about it until it gets delivered to
him, i am sure he will be more than happy with it. I insisted on
paypal because i don't have access to my bank account online as i
don't have internet banking, but i can pay from my paypal account, as
i have my bank a/c attached to it,Get back to me with your paypal
email and the price so i can proceed with the payment quickly or you
sign-up for a paypal personal account www.PayPal.com it is very fast
and easy to set up. I have a pick up agent that will come and pick it
up after i have made the payments.

Thanks