Help identifying if buyer is a scammer.

[cynthcan]

Hey everyone.

Just started getting rid of a lot of camera equipment and I'm getting offers from VERY new profiles with no feedback of any kind that seem questionable to me.  After reading a little about this I see I'm a prime target for scammers, i.e. I'm a new seller and I'm selling high dollar items. 

I got through my first sale ok after a little listing hiccup that forced me to decline an offer that was WAY over asking. Like several hundred over. No message from them, no nothing. It was later picked up by an actual person who messaged me with item specific questions.

This profile just sent an offer, but I don't trust it.  It's another brand new profile giving an offer when the listen has been for less that probably 8 hours. 

I'm still new to this and just want to know what precautions to take or what to do to protect myself in this instance? Should I contact them directly or decline it? 

The price is fixed, but I didn't add "immediate payment" I'm assuming that's something that would be in the description and not something that can be "checked" or did I miss something? 

Thank you.  

[bonjourami]

You dont have fixed price with a best offer option, so you cant add immediate payment required. The mods will remove that feedback link you posted, not allowed.

[ckimodog · Accepted solution]

You need to add that immediate payment required.  If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

If they ask you to "text" them...it's a scam.  If they want your paypal info to pay you, it's a scam.

If they want you to ship to a relative, it's a scam.  

Check off the immediate payment required asap.  Also no best offers either.

You won't see this persons profile again. 

They're in Canada anyway and it looks as you only ship to the US. 

Glad you could see through it.  Good luck with future sales.  

[donsdetour]

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@cynthcan wrote:

Hey everyone.

Just started getting rid of a lot of camera equipment and I'm getting offers from VERY new profiles with no feedback of any kind that seem questionable to me.  After reading a little about this I see I'm a prime target for scammers, i.e. I'm a new seller and I'm selling high dollar items. 

I got through my first sale ok after a little listing hiccup that forced me to decline an offer that was WAY over asking. Like several hundred over. No message from them, no nothing. It was later picked up by an actual person who messaged me with item specific questions.

https://www.ebay.com/fdbk/feedback_profile?username=Javic-526

This profile just sent an offer, but I don't trust it.  It's another brand new profile giving an offer when the listen has been for less that probably 8 hours. 

I'm still new to this and just want to know what precautions to take or what to do to protect myself in this instance? Should I contact them directly or decline it? 

The price is fixed, but I didn't add "immediate payment" I'm assuming that's something that would be in the description and not something that can be "checked" or did I miss something? 

Thank you.  

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Simple thing to keep in mind:

If you can not afford to lose the item and the money paid for it: do not list it on the Internets.

[cynthcan]

Thx for noticing. Yeah I'm still trying to figure this out. I guess I juat assumed that the "buy now" tick was that. I also didn't think I had "or best offer" ticked but I apparently got that wrong too. 

[stainlessenginecovers]

Remove all auctions and list all as Buy In Now- with IMMEDIATE PAYMENT Required.

Remove all 'best offers'

Selling to a new account is not an issue. Selling high dollar items could be.

Important to HEED what is stated in Post #4

[deltilogical]

"If you can not afford to lose the item and the money paid for it: do not list it on the Internets."

That is similar to the advice I used to hear as a youngster about the stock market - if you can't afford to lose it, don't buy stocks.