Should I be wary of this eBay buyer?

I'm currently selling a laptop online, and I've been contacted by an eBayer with her paypal email address to send a request for payment, as she could not select "buy now" due to being based outside of the UK (I listed the item as only post within UK).

She is offering me quite a bit more money for the laptop than it was listed, due to overseas posting fees.

After she sent me the message containing her paypal details, i received a warning from ebay saying that external transactions are not allowed for items that are listed on ebay.

Should I be wary of this customer? What shall I do?

Reply 1

Reality Check

22

Original post by Bezoar

I'm currently selling a laptop online, and I've been contacted by an eBayer with her paypal email address to send a request for payment, as she could not select "buy now" due to being based outside of the UK (I listed the item as only post within UK).

She is offering me quite a bit more money for the laptop than it was listed, due to overseas posting fees.

After she sent me the message containing her paypal details, i received a warning from ebay saying that external transactions are not allowed for items that are listed on ebay.

Should I be wary of this customer? What shall I do?

If you conduct the transaction out of eBay, then there's no comeback and you can't use their procedures for dispute. But I would have thought this was more of a risk for the buyer conducing the sale off eBay because if the item doesn't arrive after payment, they can't start a claim. As a seller, if you're sure you've received the money (and it's not going to be recalled from your paypal account for some reason) I can't see much danger in it for you. Others might have more experience of this sort of thing though.

Reply 2

somemightsay888

20

Where overseas?
If they couldn't click buy its because you chose not to ship overseas, which is the right thing to do tbh unless it's EU.
I've asked buyers to pay off site to avoid the fees and it's all gone fine, but it's no precedent.
If he pays via goods, it's difficult to see how he can scam you tbh, so long as you use tracked and signed postage.

Reply 3

SalazarSlytherin

19

take the payment then dont send the item

Reply 4

Kathy89

20

Some can recall the money from their credit card then you are not under eBay's seller protection.
I would not risk it. I could add the option for her county and ask to pay through eBay.

Reply 5

Good bloke

19

Original post by Bezoar

What shall I do?

Don't sell to them. This sounds exactly like this scam to me:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/gds/Sellers-Buyers-Beware-Nigeria-Scammers-about-/10000000001671927/g.html?clk_rvr_id=1259717271980&afsrc=1&rmvSB=true

Reply 6

stack__

16

Original post by Bezoar

I'm currently selling a laptop online, and I've been contacted by an eBayer with her paypal email address to send a request for payment, as she could not select "buy now" due to being based outside of the UK (I listed the item as only post within UK).

She is offering me quite a bit more money for the laptop than it was listed, due to overseas posting fees.

After she sent me the message containing her paypal details, i received a warning from ebay saying that external transactions are not allowed for items that are listed on ebay.

Should I be wary of this customer? What shall I do?

Thats all ******** they ask you to request money on PayPal from their email address and couple hours later u get a fake PayPal email showing the transaction as in they paid but it's fake I get it all the time don't trust no buyer outside eBay

Reply 7

username2459871

OP

18

Original post by Reality Check

If you conduct the transaction out of eBay, then there's no comeback and you can't use their procedures for dispute. But I would have thought this was more of a risk for the buyer conducing the sale off eBay because if the item doesn't arrive after payment, they can't start a claim. As a seller, if you're sure you've received the money (and it's not going to be recalled from your paypal account for some reason) I can't see much danger in it for you. Others might have more experience of this sort of thing though.

Original post by somemightsay888

Where overseas?
If they couldn't click buy its because you chose not to ship overseas, which is the right thing to do tbh unless it's EU.
I've asked buyers to pay off site to avoid the fees and it's all gone fine, but it's no precedent.
If he pays via goods, it's difficult to see how he can scam you tbh, so long as you use tracked and signed postage.

Original post by SalazarSlytherin

take the payment then dont send the item

Original post by Kathy89

Some can recall the money from their credit card then you are not under eBay's seller protection.
I would not risk it. I could add the option for her county and ask to pay through eBay.

Original post by Good bloke

Don't sell to them. This sounds exactly like this scam to me:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/gds/Sellers-Buyers-Beware-Nigeria-Scammers-about-/10000000001671927/g.html?clk_rvr_id=1259717271980&afsrc=1&rmvSB=true

Original post by stack__

Thats all ******** they ask you to request money on PayPal from their email address and couple hours later u get a fake PayPal email showing the transaction as in they paid but it's fake I get it all the time don't trust no buyer outside eBay

Yep you're right everyone, it's deffo a scam :lol:

I got the fake email saying they paid (even though it wasnt in my account) and the address was to some random place in nigeria even though the ebay account said they're based in the USA :lol:

I blocked and reported them.

Reply 8

Kindred

20

Original post by Bezoar

I'm currently selling a laptop online, and I've been contacted by an eBayer with her paypal email address to send a request for payment, as she could not select "buy now" due to being based outside of the UK (I listed the item as only post within UK).

She is offering me quite a bit more money for the laptop than it was listed, due to overseas posting fees.

After she sent me the message containing her paypal details, i received a warning from ebay saying that external transactions are not allowed for items that are listed on ebay.

Should I be wary of this customer? What shall I do?

Check paypal's seller protection policies etc. You want to make sure you are covered for if they pull out.
One way around it would be to re-list your item so they are able to buy through ebay though. If they are cool with that then do it, if not they sound dodgy.

edit: never mind. It seems you already got your answer. Well done for being cautious. :smile: