Hello all, I'm pretty sure someone is trying to scam me on ebay but I haven't a clue how the scam works.
I listed a trailer on there. Someone made a reasonable offer and said 'look at my good feedback'. I was immediately suspicious because
that's not what people say and looked at the feedback from multiple sales which was indeed good but everyone had written exactly the same phrase!
So told him not to waste my time.
He then clicked by now and paid with paypal (full asking price). Asked to come pick it up tomorrow and then quickly put a case for return in saying I
didn't provide address etc. Funds are in my paypal account but unsurprisingly only to be released on delivery of item. I reported it to ebay
although only through the automated system, couldn't get in touch with a human.
Surely this is a scam but I'm not sure how it works, I assume they expect to take the trailer away and then get their money back through paypal?
Or expecting me to give a refund by some other means. In either case I guess I just ignore and let things run their course with ebay.
He's sent vaguely threatening emails but not really enough to make a big deal about 'are you going to let me pick up the trailer I payed for
or do you want ebay to get my money back off you' 'your good feedback will be ruined (I don't care, I' don't do this for a
living)' 'I know where you live through your ebay purchases and pictures of your van in the background (that's a bit more sinister but
that's not where the trailer or I live anyway)'.
I hope it's not just an incredibly weird legitimate buyer! Any thoughts.
Yeah, they'd take delivery of the trailer then put a case through Paypal saying that it's garbage, get a refund and leave you with no cash
and no trailer.
So yes, let the case finish, don't do them any favours by closing it early by the way. Then the next time you advertise it, state cash on
collection.
Definite scam and unacceptable threatening behaviour. Tell them if they turn up, their image and details will immediately be passed onto the police.
Follow up:
Other than to report the buyer I took no further action and let eBay handle it. They refunded the buyer, I had to fight to get a refund on my seller
fee but got that in the end, so all sorted I think. Hopefully I inconvenienced the chap long enough to not want to pull that stunt on anyone else.
Interestingly when I went to relist it there is no longer the option to pick and choose what payments you accept! So that's the end of me selling
anything major on ebay again.
Anyone want to buy a trailer? - here's the original listing:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/155834561093
quote:
Originally posted by luke2152
Follow up:
Other than to report the buyer I took no further action and let eBay handle it. They refunded the buyer, I had to fight to get a refund on my seller fee but got that in the end, so all sorted I think. Hopefully I inconvenienced the chap long enough to not want to pull that stunt on anyone else.
Interestingly when I went to relist it there is no longer the option to pick and choose what payments you accept! So that's the end of me selling anything major on ebay again.
Anyone want to buy a trailer? - here's the original listing:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/155834561093