I've been fending off SCAMS left and right. A NEW VARIATION on the local pickup scam. Sellers beware

[techdude10]

Lol, these scammers think they are so smart. They may get me somewhere else, but not for this scam.

Not today.

So I had this guy purchase one of my most EXPENSIVE items in my store. Paid cash through paypal/managed payments, sure, whatever.

The payment went through. But then, his supposed "employee" emails me and asks me if I would allow local pickup, and they would send their personal "Courier" to pick up the item.

Then his supposed "Boss" emails me with another ebay account, saying the employee was his tech person. Still, a little weird to do it that way, but ok. That can be legit too.

I first said, sure, I can do local pickup as long as you mark the item as "received or delivered" and provide positive feedback saying your recieved it on the spot, I can allow them to come and get the item.

This is because they already sent payment online. If they messaged me before paying, I would simply hold the item for them, and wait for them to bring cash. But they already paid. This is the key...

As I pondered this, then I said, wait a minute...

I realized the scam. You see, the first clue is that they purchase the most expensive items I have.

They send the payment, so you think all is good. But, if I was to actually allow the supposed "courier" to come pick up my item, what proof would I have that the item was received?

None. And yes, I know of the QR code thing, but that too is shaky at best. Will ebay take my side for a QR code when they file a "not received case?" Lol.

The thing is, I didn't have local pickup on the listing. I always ship my items. So the scammer suggesting local pickup after payment was a red flag.

Now the thing is, I have done local pickup before. I have even gone and picked up items myself from people as well.

But I always bring cash, or require cash as payment. ALWAYS.

But this bright scammer, when asked about cash, said that the courier couldn't bring cash.

I told them I would cancel the order immediately. I then informed them that I wouldn't do business unless the item was paid for with cash for local pickups.

Then I thought better of it, and just outright blocked them.

Be careful out here guys. Scammers and revenge buyers exist on this forum. They purchase your items and try to scam you, or open false SNAD's to get back at you for posting and destroying their weak arguments on this self-same forum.

Seems like I have a few stalkers, lol! Have had 2 already from people who dislike my posts  :.)

I have had to block several people already.

In any case, just posting here to inform everyone about this new type of variation on the local pickup scam.

Carry on  :.)

[albertabrightalberta]

So you know, this isn't a "new type of variation on the local pickup scam." It's the same old same old!

[luckythewinner]

eBay has an established verification system for local pickup - they give the buyer a code, and the buyer must provide this code to the seller at delivery time. 

This scam only works if the seller is foolish enough to let the buyer change the terms of the transaction after the fact. 

[a_c_green]

---

@techdude10 wrote:

So I had this guy purchase one of my most EXPENSIVE items in my store. Paid cash through paypal/managed payments, sure, whatever.

The payment went through. But then, his supposed "employee" emails me and asks me if I would allow local pickup, and they would send their personal "Courier" to pick up the item.

Then his supposed "Boss" emails me with another ebay account, saying the employee was his tech person. Still, a little weird to do it that way, but ok. That can be legit too.

I first said, sure, I can do local pickup as long as you mark the item as "received or delivered" and provide positive feedback saying your recieved it on the spot, I can allow them to come and get the item.

---

Did any of those messages come from the ID of the buyer? If not, that's just a routine post-sale scam.

A bot does a periodic sweep of recently-sold items in big-ticket categories, and sends off messages similar to what you describe (though for efficiency, the actual name of the product sold is usually not mentioned, but instead called "the item" or similar), hoping to fool sellers into redirecting their shipment (or, in your case, allow a local pickup).

Your actual buyer probably knows nothing about this. If you think there's the remotest chance that the messages come from your buyer, just tell them that you can only communicate about the sale through messages to the buyer account. You will probably not hear back from the scammer after that. If your buyer has paid as you said, then ship it out to the address received with the payment.

[pburn]

---

---

@techdude10 wrote:

I first said, sure, I can do local pickup as long as you mark the item as "received or delivered" and provide positive feedback saying your recieved it on the spot, I can allow them to come and get the item.

They send the payment, so you think all is good. But, if I was to actually allow the supposed "courier" to come pick up my item, what proof would I have that the item was received?

None. And yes, I know of the QR code thing, but that too is shaky at best. Will ebay take my side for a QR code when they file a "not received case?" Lol.

The thing is, I didn't have local pickup on the listing. I always ship my items. So the scammer suggesting local pickup after payment was a red flag.

In any case, just posting here to inform everyone about this new type of variation on the local pickup scam.

Carry on  :.)

---

---

Sellers who have familiarized themselves with the local pickup process or who know better than to make these kinds of accommodations for buyers are not going to be scammed by what you've described. Most sellers are already savvy enough to know not to change the shipping arrangements after the fact. If it's a legitimate request, the seller should cancel the transaction and relist the item with local shipping inncluded as an option. That's really considered to be Shipping 101.

I'm unclear, though, about the PayPal "cash" payment you described. Can you give a bit more detail on that?

[pburn]

---

@pburn wrote:

. . . relist the item with local shipping inncluded as an option.

---

That should, of course, read " . . . relist the item with local shipping included as an option."  🙄

[sextons-sweet-deals · Accepted solution]

You did the right thing! Thank you for posting. 

[onlinecentral]

Can you clarify some things since it is not crystal clear what has actually happened?

His supposed "employee" emails me and asks me if I would allow local pickup, and they would send their personal "Courier" to pick up the item.

Then his supposed "Boss" emails me with another ebay account, saying the employee was his tech person. Still, a little weird to do it that way, but ok.

Were you communicating with your email account or did you follow procedure and communicate through the eBay Message Center?

Paid cash through paypal/managed payments, sure, whatever.

Paypal would not get involved until/unless the buyer filed a case. I hope you realize a payment notification from Paypal is fraudulent because everybody is operating on Managed Payments now.

Did you compare the address attached to the Managed Payment and consider how distant that is from you?

Does the 'buyer' you have been communicating with live within a normal pickup distance?

Did they ask for a refund of the shipping charges?

Is it possible that you cancelled the sale with the legitimate buyer because some scammers distracted you?

I know of the QR code thing, but that too is shaky at best. Will ebay take my side for a QR code when they file a "not received case?" Lol.

I don't think a QR code becomes available to the buyer and seller unless Local Pickup was used when making the purchase.

Once in a blue moon a seller will ask a question about what to do because they forgot to get the QR code from the buyer. This system seems to work flawlessly for the overwhelming majority of people.

[itsjustasprain]

---

@techdude10 wrote:

Then his supposed "Boss" emails me with another ebay account, saying the employee was his tech person. Still, a little weird to do it that way, but ok. That can be legit too.

---

Did any of these post-sale messages come from the account ID of the buyer?

[wastingtime101]

---

@techdude10 wrote:

And yes, I know of the QR code thing, but that too is shaky at best. Will ebay take my side for a QR code when they file a "not received case?" Lol.

---

The QR code would only be available if local pickup was offered on the listing.

When scanned, eBay accepts the QR code for seller protection on item not received claims.

But if the buyer were to file a not received claim by way of a credit card chargeback, no you would not be covered with an eBay QR code scan. I guess there's a chance you could be, but so far I've CCs rule against two different sellers in this situation.

Nothing will protect you from a not as described claim. I guess that's kind of irrelevant because I could say the same thing about a shipped transaction.

[onlinecentral]

I told them I would cancel the order immediately

The reason a seller selects for cancellation is a potential issue.
Out of Stock is a definite strike.
Problem With Buyer's Address can be appealed by the buyer and result in a strike.
Too many strikes result in selling limitations.

[dbfolks166mt]

     Not really a new scam but this is the first time I have seen it on eBay in this form. VERY common scam on CL but usually involves a cashiers check although they have move to electronic payment as well. Cashiers check is bogus but takes several days to clear, the electronic payments are simple chargebacks after they have done the pickup. 

[mjdi_7926]

someone wants me send money then ship a truck?

[a_c_green]

---

@mjdi_7926 wrote:

someone wants me send money then ship a truck?

---

No! That is an old scam. No one is going to ship you a truck. That is not how sales on eBay work. Never buy a vehicle on eBay before either you or a trusted friend have actually seen it and inspected it before the purchase.

[kensgiftshop]

---

@mjdi_7926 wrote:

someone wants me send money then ship a truck?

---

If you found this truck on another site, it's a scam.