Selling motorbike and received a strange email

Mike12421

Hello everyone,

I am currently advertising my Triumph Speed Triple 1050 on Autotrader. I have the telemarketing blocker enabled.

This evening I received a text from someone saying that they had seen my bike and wanted to know what my final asking price was. I replied with £4395. I have then just received an email from them stating that they will offer me £4450 via PayPal. They then go on to ask if there is anything outstanding on it and that they hope it is in good condition. They state that they will cover the 5.4% PayPal charges. Lastly they state that once they have paid me via PayPal they will arrange collection.

Now I know that this person is up to no good, I just don't know how. As if payment is made, and it was withdrawn from my PayPal account before the bike is released, I don't see how they can claim it back?

Any ideas?

Regards.

Fruit_and_Nut_Case

Here's how it works.

Richard53

1. They have offered you more than your asking price? Be very wary. I am the world's worst barterer, but even I would try harder than that.

2. Paypal payments can be reversed very easily. He pays, you give him the bike and docs, next day you check your Paypal account and find that they have reversed the transaction because he has claimed the bike was 'not as described'. Good luck with sorting that out.

I will accept Paypal for deposits (say £100) but I always insist on cash or equivalent for the balance. The whole Paypal/eBay system is loaded very much in the buyer's favour these days, and far too easy for scammers or chancers to cause the rest of us grief.

Nice bike, by the way. One is on my lifetime wishlist.

StrugglingApprentice

I would ask for a £100 deposit by paypal, the rest to be paid by account transfer.

Mike12421

Thank you for everyone's advice. I have just replied stating that I only accept CASH and that he would need to attend anyway to sign the V5. Let's see if he moves on to another victim.

fivetide

Ask him if he wants some panniers for it.

Only £500 (I'm hoping he'll offer £750 as a result of my opening bid)

Nodding_Donkey

I'll give you 50p (cash) for the bike. Which is 50p more than you'd end up with if you let someone collect anything paid for with Paypal

motorguy

Fruit_and_Nut_Case wrote: »

Here's how it works.

The bit that is actually how it works is

"One popular scamming method currently being used is where the scammer offers to pay the amount via PayPal.

The scammer then states that PayPal is holding the funds until you send the goods to the buyer.

You may even receive emails from PayPal that look real, but they are actually fakes

The PayPal mails then look heavy implying you are breaking some law by not passing on the car"

motorguy

Richard53 wrote: »

1. They have offered you more than your asking price? Be very wary. I am the world's worst barterer, but even I would try harder than that.

2. Paypal payments can be reversed very easily. He pays, you give him the bike and docs, next day you check your Paypal account and find that they have reversed the transaction because he has claimed the bike was 'not as described'. Good luck with sorting that out.

I will accept Paypal for deposits (say £100) but I always insist on cash or equivalent for the balance. The whole Paypal/eBay system is loaded very much in the buyer's favour these days, and far too easy for scammers or chancers to cause the rest of us grief.

Nice bike, by the way. One is on my lifetime wishlist.

They never pay you in the first place - but you will receive fake emails to imply paypal are holding the funds for you.

motorguy

StrugglingApprentice wrote: »

I would ask for a £100 deposit by paypal, the rest to be paid by account transfer.

Ask all you like - its a scam, they will never pay.