Is this a scam

maria3104

I sold an item this morning, to be delivered Friday. 550 appeared in my bank account under transaction description automated credit. Purchaser has just messaged me his bank details and requested a refund as his circumstances have changed. Is this a bacs payment or another payment type? Am I right to delay the refund? 

HillStreetBlues

Personally I would send the item.
You don't know if it's the same account it came from and you could end up a money mule.

Tony5896

I would say so .. 

Shakin_Steve

You have no idea which account the payment came from, so no idea if you're refunding to the same account. This is how money launderers switch money between accounts without directly transferring it. 

Which platform did you sell the item on? Have you posted it yet?

Shakin_Steve

I'm not sure, others will know more, but can you ask your bank to return the payment to the originating account? That way you can be sure it's going back where it came from.

itsthelittlethings

You could send them a refund and then they recall the original payment, leaving you £550 down.

HillStreetBlues

itsthelittlethings said:

You could send them a refund and then they recall the original payment, leaving you £550 down.

How would they recall payment?

Newbie_John

HillStreetBlues said:

itsthelittlethings said:

You could send them a refund and then they recall the original payment, leaving you £550 down.

How would they recall payment?

If sale was made on eBay, if seller pays money back to the new bank account and then buyer asks for refund to eBay (who knows nothing about previous refund - and we don't even know it the same person).

Not sure about the rules in other places

Olinda99

this is a scam - beware

HillStreetBlues

Newbie_John said:

HillStreetBlues said:

itsthelittlethings said:

You could send them a refund and then they recall the original payment, leaving you £550 down.

How would they recall payment?

If sale was made on eBay, if seller pays money back to the new bank account and then buyer asks for refund to eBay (who knows nothing about previous refund - and we don't even know it the same person).

Not sure about the rules in other places

I can understand ebay refunding the payment (so op's account will be in the red),  but how do they recall a payment once it enters OP's bank?

boingy

Almost certainly a scam. 
What site did you sell on?