Sent money via Paypal for car chip - Advice please

Know_Nothing

I had a minor accident in my car, which was my fault. The other car involved ended up with a very small paint chip on edge of door. (he opened door as I was pulling over)  The other driver said he didnt want to go through the hassle of insurance companies. I gave him all my details. A few days later I get a text from this other driver saying the damage is not that bad and he will fix it himself and materials would cost £30. He sent me his bank details by text. I said I would send him £30 (he text baxk and said that was not very generous, so decided to send £50.   As this person is not someone I know I decided to send money via Paypal.   When I added this persons telephone number on Paypal his name came up, and so I sent his £50.  Minutes later I get a text saying he doesnt have a Paypal account, so he cant get the money.  I contact Paypal and tell them this, and then Paypal tell me this person does have a Paypal account and he has the money.  This person denies that he has a Paypal account twice to me.    I contact Paypal to tell them this person insists he doesnt have a Paypal account, so can I please cancel the payment, as he hasnt and cant get the money.  Paypal tell me the only way to get my £50 back to to start a case againt him, or  for him to give me a refund.   In Paypals resolution centre there is not exactly my predicament of the recipient denying he has an account, so I have to start a case saying goods not received as advised by Paypal. but there was also an area where I could explain the exact circumstances.     This person then texts back to me that he hasnt got th £50 as Paypal are holding it as a case has been opened.  Paypal tell me if the other person doesnt not respond, then I will get my £50 back. All this has happened over a week, and today this guy texts  me to say that Paypal have charged him £62 for not sending goods (£50 plus £12 for Paypal inconvenience.    I should get the £50 back in my account in about 5 days.  I cant understand why this other driver insisted a few times that they didnt have an account, and accept the money I sent, and caused all these problems and stress.   This other driver doesnt seem trustworthy in his dealings, but as it was my fault, I still feel I owe him the £50, but dont want to deal with him directly.  Should I still add the £50 directly to his bank account, is that still safe?  Any advice please

Veteransaver

Very strange. Did you swap insurance details? Unlikely he'd ever make a claim against you (doesn't even sound like it was even your fault if he opened his no door onto you?)
It's possible he does have a PayPal account but it was unverified and he couldn't get at his money.
I don't know where that £12 would have come from, it wasn't attached to a sales transaction so  it sounds dodgy.

cymruchris

So he doesn't have a paypal account - and repeatedly stresses this and says 'I haven't had the money' - and then when you claim it back the same person complains they've been charged £50 plus £12 fee by Paypal? How's he been charged by Paypal if he doesn't have a Paypal account? Did you take his registration number at the time of the incident? Have you checked that he is actually road legal with MOT and insurance?

Know_Nothing said:

I had a minor accident in my car, which was my fault. The other car involved ended up with a very small paint chip on edge of door. (he opened door as I was pulling over)  The other driver said he didnt want to go through the hassle of insurance companies. I gave him all my details. A few days later I get a text from this other driver saying the damage is not that bad and he will fix it himself and materials would cost £30. He sent me his bank details by text. I said I would send him £30 (he text baxk and said that was not very generous, so decided to send £50.   As this person is not someone I know I decided to send money via Paypal.   When I added this persons telephone number on Paypal his name came up, and so I sent his £50.  Minutes later I get a text saying he doesnt have a Paypal account, so he cant get the money.  I contact Paypal and tell them this, and then Paypal tell me this person does have a Paypal account and he has the money.  This person denies that he has a Paypal account twice to me.    I contact Paypal to tell them this person insists he doesnt have a Paypal account, so can I please cancel the payment, as he hasnt and cant get the money.  Paypal tell me the only way to get my £50 back to to start a case againt him, or  for him to give me a refund.   In Paypals resolution centre there is not exactly my predicament of the recipient denying he has an account, so I have to start a case saying goods not received as advised by Paypal. but there was also an area where I could explain the exact circumstances.     This person then texts back to me that he hasnt got th £50 as Paypal are holding it as a case has been opened.  Paypal tell me if the other person doesnt not respond, then I will get my £50 back. All this has happened over a week, and today this guy texts  me to say that Paypal have charged him £62 for not sending goods (£50 plus £12 for Paypal inconvenience.    I should get the £50 back in my account in about 5 days.  I cant understand why this other driver insisted a few times that they didnt have an account, and accept the money I sent, and caused all these problems and stress.   This other driver doesnt seem trustworthy in his dealings, but as it was my fault, I still feel I owe him the £50, but dont want to deal with him directly.  Should I still add the £50 directly to his bank account, is that still safe?  Any advice please

marcia_

 This guy is a liar and trying to scam you imo. Best off waiting for your money back and telling him to go via insurance then put him on ignore. 

prettyandfluffy

In addition to the comments above, I'm not even sure this was your fault as you say.  You shouldn't open your car door into oncoming traffic, one of the useful features of having wing mirrors.  Sounds like a scam.

Marvel1

Tell him yoiu are going through insurance, if he doesn't like it then tough it's what it;'s for, ignore his request for whatever he is trying to claim as he said himself he doesn't have Paypal.

mexican_dave

I agree this might be a scam, but you have made mistakes too! Typing a name into PayPal and coming up with an account, without proof of an exact match is niave to say the least. So lets not assume this poor guy to who you sent the money is a scammer. Your fault - let's park that.
Now the other guy who's door you clipped, it only took a chip out of the door, he was so carelessly opening. No fault on your part? If true then you owe him nothing, but you made him some kind of offer. So with regard to this issue, either you welch on your offer or you ask him for his bank details and pay up.
Once you have made that decision, you can go back to the PayPal incident, I believe you have made a "gift". That money is gone - be more careful in future! Lesson learned?

cymruchris

mexican_dave said:

I agree this might be a scam, but you have made mistakes too! Typing a name into PayPal and coming up with an account, without proof of an exact match is niave to say the least. So lets not assume this poor guy to who you sent the money is a scammer. Your fault - let's park that.
Now the other guy who's door you clipped, it only took a chip out of the door, he was so carelessly opening. No fault on your part? If true then you owe him nothing, but you made him some kind of offer. So with regard to this issue, either you welch on your offer or you ask him for his bank details and pay up.
Once you have made that decision, you can go back to the PayPal incident, I believe you have made a "gift". That money is gone - be more careful in future! Lesson learned?

I think the OP found him by his phone number rather than just by searching for a random name, so if the other driver gave his mobile number that the OP had had contact with, that's a fairly reliable way of ensuring you've got the right person. The OP has already had their money back - but is asking advice on what to do next.

Know_Nothing

Thank you for your comments, and yes probably naive, as my first incident with a car in 35 years. I should have handled it better, but am in it now.   (I dont understand what OP is  from one of the comments). So I dont trust this person at all now. If he really doesnt have an account, and Paypal would have returned the money anyway. Then to get two more requests from him via Paypal to send more money, is again odd if he hasnt got an account.   It has now escalated and he said its more than a scratch now, and that I hit him with my car and he is in pain Total utter lie, I have now contacted my insurance, lesson learnt, I should have done it sooner

prettyandfluffy

Know_Nothing said:

Thank you for your comments, and yes probably naive, as my first incident with a car in 35 years. I should have handled it better, but am in it now.   (I dont understand what OP is  from one of the comments). So I dont trust this person at all now. If he really doesnt have an account, and Paypal would have returned the money anyway. Then to get two more requests from him via Paypal to send more money, is again odd if he hasnt got an account.   It has now escalated and he said its more than a scratch now, and that I hit him with my car and he is in pain Total utter lie, I have now contacted my insurance, lesson learnt, I should have done it sooner

OP = Original Poster, the person who started the topic (you).

user1977

If you have evidence that you sent the £50 then that should at least be treated as an initial payment, whether or not he acknowledges having received it.