Gumtree Purchase and Paypal 11 July 2020 at 8:37AM in Local MoneySaving 5 replies 47 views

EmmaMelling

Hi Yes I am one of those who have paid for something off Gumtree and paid via my paylpal balance via friends and familyl.  Obvs the apple watch hasn't turned up and now the refund I asked for from the seller hasn't. 
After lots of excuses for why the watch hadnt arrived and delaying, I then was faced with why the refund hadn't come through. 
I guess getting my money back isn't likely but wanted to know if anyone had any advice (apart from not to use friends and family)
Thank you in advance

soolin

Nope, no advice at all I’m afraid. PayPal are very clear about the dangers of friends and family payments and by going ahead you were agreeing that you Understood  the risks. At one point it used to be worth contacting PayPal to see if they would make any sort of goodwill gesture re refunding, but the warnings are now so common that I haven’t come across a successful goodwill payment request now for some time. 

Sorry but your money is lost. 

EmmaMelling

Thank you, yes thats what I suspected.  Taught me a valuable lesson.  I never even knew about the dangers, I do now! 

jsmith9

Yes it is pretty much like putting used fivers into an envelope and posting it off to a PO Box number!

cymruchris

Agreed with the above -  sadly you’ve lost the money. The watch likely didn’t exist in the first place. But no point kicking yourself over it - what’s done is done - and you’re clued up enough not to let it happen to you again. Make sure you share it with your friends and family / not to look daft - but to ensure they don’t fall for something similar in future. We all learn from others mistakes.

cymruchris

Oh and another small tip / if your name happens to be ‘Emma Melling’ I would change your username on a public forum
- otherwise before you know it your Facebook inbox will be full of scammers offering you a replacement watch at half the price as they are so sorry that you got scammed.