Does this sound suspicious?

VanyaHargreeves

I've not been actively eBaying for a few years now, just put up a few things to sell from Christmas.

One of my listings is a bottle of perfume that normally retails for £58. Someone has messaged me offering to send me £45 via paypal - marked as a gift - for it. She said she needs it asap, which is why she doesn't want to wait for the listing to finish (it's still got 9 days to go).

Is it just me or does this seem too good to be true? Does anyone know of any scams like this?

Thanks for your help!
Jenny

LittleMax

Do not accept payment outside of E-bay as you will not be protected. It is not unusual for buyers to ask for a buy it now price to end the auction early - but this can still be done within E-bay. The fact that she wants to do the payment outside of E-bay is suspicious. There is no benefit to the buyer to do this, as the paypal fees would fall to you, the seller, so the only reason I could see is that the payment would be withdrawn after you posted the perfume.

If it were me I would say no way.

Meadows

I think I would avoid, not sure what protection you would have here if the item is marked as gift, you could opt close the listing but then re list as Buy Now (which is what they might be after and also afford you seller protection) if you thought she was genuine but I think I would rather take the chance of it not selling (in which case you can re list with a buy now and an auction price) rather than be scammed (if that is what your gut tells you)out of the perfume/money.


Either way you proceed with this sale, unless you send tracked then they could receive the goods but claim it didn't arrive and eBay/PayPal would find in their favour as no tracking was provided.
Also selling not within eBay is against their rules if you decided to close the listing and sell directly to the buyer.

VanyaHargreeves

Meadows wrote: »

I think I would avoid, not sure what protection you would have here if the item is marked as gift, you could opt close the listing but then re list as Buy Now (which is what they might be after and also afford you seller protection) if you thought she was genuine but I think I would rather take the chance of it not selling (in which case you can re list with a buy now and an auction price) rather than be scammed (if that is what your gut tells you)out of the perfume/money.


Either way you proceed with this sale, unless you send tracked then they could receive the goods but claim it didn't arrive and eBay/PayPal would find in their favour as no tracking was provided.

I was actually planning to send it special delivery as I know how some people can be, but I've just emailed her telling her I'd rather let the auction run, or can provide a BIN price on the auction if she'd prefer.


Thank you guys for your help!

Strapped

VanyaHargreeves wrote: »

I've not been actively eBaying for a few years now, just put up a few things to sell from Christmas.

One of my listings is a bottle of perfume that normally retails for £58. Someone has messaged me offering to send me £45 via paypal - marked as a gift - for it. She said she needs it asap, which is why she doesn't want to wait for the listing to finish (it's still got 9 days to go).

Is it just me or does this seem too good to be true? Does anyone know of any scams like this?

Thanks for your help!
Jenny

Would depend on what the potential buyer's profile was like.

forgotmyname

They cannot claim item not received if its a gift payment though.

Gift payments are not for purchases and offer the buyer less protection.

Not sure about a chargeback though??

starrybee

forgotmyname wrote: »

They cannot claim item not received if its a gift payment though.

Gift payments are not for purchases and offer the buyer less protection.

Not sure about a chargeback though??

She could still make a chargeback on it.

vuvuzela

It'll be a hacked account that the scammer wants to use as soon as possible before the real owner gets it back. Don't sell to them, as you will lose the product and will have the cash taken back from you by paypal.

Juzza12

LittleMax wrote: »

Do not accept payment outside of E-bay as you will not be protected. It is not unusual for buyers to ask for a buy it now price to end the auction early - but this can still be done within E-bay. The fact that she wants to do the payment outside of E-bay is suspicious. There is no benefit to the buyer to do this, as the paypal fees would fall to you, the seller, so the only reason I could see is that the payment would be withdrawn after you posted the perfume.

If it were me I would say no way.

Gift payments are still open to chargebacks but for goods payments you get the same seller protection off Ebay as you do on it.

soolin

Juzza12 wrote: »

Gift payments are still open to chargebacks but for goods payments you get the same seller protection off Ebay as you do on it.

Juzzah is correct, are other people mistaking the OP for the buyer and not the seller?
Sellers get virtually no protection on eBay so selling privately is in some respects better for them, obviously against eBay rules, but certainly no more dangerous than selling on eBay.

Big_W

soolin wrote: »

Juzzah is correct, are other people mistaking the OP for the buyer and not the seller?
Sellers get virtually no protection on eBay so selling privately is in some respects better for them, obviously against eBay rules, but certainly no more dangerous than selling on eBay.

Bumping as this interests me.

Am I right in thinking that PayPal gift payments are actually more hazardous for sellers than normal Paypal goods payments?

For Paypal goods payments chargebacks on the grounds of unauthorised credit card payments can be defended by showing Paypal your certificate of posting (COP).
But for Paypal gift payments there are officially no goods changing hands, so there's no defence for the seller at all.

Is my logic correct?