Sold a Mobile Phone to a 0 feedback bidder!!!

vtmil

OMG!!

My friend (yes, really!) has sold and sent a c. £200 phone to a 0 bidder - she has sent it to an address in London.

Today, she showed me an email saying 'why no send it to me?'(being the tracking number for the delivery i think). As soon as I saw the poor english I said don't reply assuming it was a scammer and that she hadn't yet sold the phone. To my horror she then said she had already received the paypal payment and sent the phone first class recorded today. I don't know if the address was confirmed.

This has to be a scam, right? Any advice? I don't know her that well and she was a bit tetchy when I said it didn't look good, so i'll struggle to find out much more info!? she didn't even record the IMEI number!! But she's stressed at the mo so i'd like to know what to do should the worst happen

Agggggghhhhhhh......

Thanks, any help appreciated guys (I don't know how scams work, but just have been on this site too long to think this is going to be lar-de-dah!)

vtmil

pinkgem

does the transaction show as eligible for protection in paypal?

my other concern is that it was only sent by recorded as it only offers a maximum of £36 compensation. it should have been sent by special delivery!

alison999

It doesnt sound good but everyone has to start at zero sometime... If it was recorded delivery she should have insurance up to a certain amount so she canclaim from Royal Mail.

alison999

pinkgem wrote: »

does the transaction show as eligible for protection in paypal?

my other concern is that it was only sent by recorded as it only offers a maximum of £36 compensation. it should have been sent by special delivery!

you beat me LOL but im sure theres some insurance where its up to £200

babys*mum

The email asking for the tracking number does sound like the Nigeria scam but this time you say that the item was to be posted to London

Did your friend check that the payment was in her paypal account?

Believe transactions no longer show as eligible since the new policy came into place, if safe to post shows as

OK to post the item

Payment Status: Completed


What should I do now?

We recommend that you:

• Post to the buyer's address listed on this page.
• Post the item using an approved carrier.
• Save your tracking information and other proofs of postage

If there is no payment in her paypal account

Found this info elsewhere and is usually given when the item is being sent out of the country but expect the same may apply

It will depend on how long ago your friend posted it as have less than 12hours to try sort things

Go to the police

You will need to produce all of your email documentation and ebay screen prints.

Tell them that they need to fill in a RIPA (REGULATORY INVESTIGATION POWERS ACT) form which they fax to Royal Mail security - they should have the number or perhaps CID will. This gives Royal Mail the authority to look for and return this item.

If you are too late then this link may be useful

http://www.met.police.uk/mobilephone/

pinkgem

the maximum compensation for recorded delivery is £36

standard compensation for special delivery is £500 and you can pay extra for up to a couple of thousand pounds compensation

vtmil

sorry just realised I should have said Next day recorded - would this give higher insurance?

Pinkgem I don't know if its eligible for protection, will try and find out.
Thanks baby's Mum but its been more than 12 hrs.

It seems more positive than i thought now. Don't they do other scams though - not just damaged/not received? Then she couldn't claim via royal mail!

Thanks

notlongnow_2

Just because someones english isnt great, doesnt mean they are a scammer. When was it sold? Maybe it hasnt gotten there yet.

jasmineswhiskers

alison999 wrote: »

It doesnt sound good but everyone has to start at zero sometime...

Don't know about everyone else but my first foray into buying on ebay was certainly not for such a high price item! (Probable only a couple of quid if I remember rightly.)

alison999

jasmineswhiskers wrote: »

Don't know about everyone else but my first foray into buying on ebay was certainly not for such a high price item! (Probable only a couple of quid if I remember rightly.)

true, but like i said, everyone has to start at zero. some people have seperate buying/selling accounts so maybe theyre not new to ebay at all.

vtmil

Sorry notlongnow, I didn't mean to come across like that, I just felt the poor english was applicable as many mobile phone scams seem to originate from abroad eg. Nigeria.

Jasmineswhiskers thats what I thought too. But I am very suspicious