New/0 feedback buyer purchased iPhone for more than BIN price, do I cancel the sale?

[jj893x]

Hi everyone,

I'm a bit concerned about a sale that was made this morning and I'm hoping to get some advice from more experienced sellers.

Basically, late last night I decided to sell my iPhone 6 Plus, so I went and made the listing for $250 or best offer (which I set to accept if someone made an offer over $240).

Within two hours I had two accounts message me, both with 0 feedback and according to the bottom of the messages, the accounts were created on June 10th. Both messages were grammatically incorrect, worded similarly to messages I've received after purchasing something from China. One said they wanted the phone as a surprise graduation gift and one just asked for my PayPal so they could send the money, but both wanted to complete the sale outside of eBay and they offered more than what I had the phone listed for (the first was for $280 and the second was $310).

I told both that I wasn't planning on selling to someone with brand new accounts (mainly because I had been reading about people who had been scammed with similar messages. Also, I realize how hypocritical this may sound considering I have a relatively new account).

So then this morning I wake up around 8 and I find an alert that says my phone sold for $450, to someone who has 0 feedback and their account was created three days ago. They did not pay yet, but two hours after the sale was made I received three emails saying the buyer requested my contact information and I received theirs as well. I've asked family members who've sold on eBay for over a decade if that's ever happened to them but their answer was no.

While I'm happy the phone sold for more than what I asked, I'm also pretty concerned about that and not having any protection as a seller (I've read articles about people selling their phones on eBay but buyers scamming them claiming it wasn't a phone and sending back a t-shirt, or that they never got it, then they got their full refunds). I've checked to see if the shipping address was a real house/apt, but I've found that the way the buyer provided it was spelled correctly. The address exists in the city listed but the street is spelled wrong and maybe I'm just being paranoid about being scammed.

I'm also concerned that they requested my information. I didn't even know that was a thing, so I thought it was one of those spam emails. I'm mostly concerned about this fact because I don't want them to send a check, which I've read is another way to scam sellers.

Anyways, I was hoping someone could give advice on if I should cancel the sale / what reason should I give, or if the buyer actually pays (hopefully via PayPal), what steps should I take in order to ensure that I'm fully protected in this case?

[loveyourimagination49]

Scam!

[odditiesandantiquities1]

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@libbyx71 wrote:

Hi everyone,

I'm a bit concerned about a sale that was made this morning and I'm hoping to get some advice from more experienced sellers.

Basically, late last night I decided to sell my iPhone 6 Plus, so I went and made the listing for $250 or best offer (which I set to accept if someone made an offer over $240).

Within two hours I had two accounts message me, both with 0 feedback and according to the bottom of the messages, the accounts were created on June 10th. Both messages were grammatically incorrect, worded similarly to messages I've received after purchasing something from China. One said they wanted the phone as a surprise graduation gift and one just asked for my PayPal so they could send the money, but both wanted to complete the sale outside of eBay and they offered more than what I had the phone listed for (the first was for $280 and the second was $310).

I told both that I wasn't planning on selling to someone with brand new accounts (mainly because I had been reading about people who had been scammed with similar messages. Also, I realize how hypocritical this may sound considering I have a relatively new account).

So then this morning I wake up around 8 and I find an alert that says my phone sold for $450, to someone who has 0 feedback and their account was created three days ago. They did not pay yet, but two hours after the sale was made I received three emails saying the buyer requested my contact information and I received theirs as well. I've asked family members who've sold on eBay for over a decade if that's ever happened to them but their answer was no.

While I'm happy the phone sold for more than what I asked, I'm also pretty concerned about that and not having any protection as a seller (I've read articles about people selling their phones on eBay but buyers scamming them claiming it wasn't a phone and sending back a t-shirt, or that they never got it, then they got their full refunds). I've checked to see if the shipping address was a real house/apt, but I've found that the way the buyer provided it was spelled correctly. The address exists in the city listed but the street is spelled wrong and maybe I'm just being paranoid about being scammed.

I'm also concerned that they requested my information. I didn't even know that was a thing, so I thought it was one of those spam emails. I'm mostly concerned about this fact because I don't want them to send a check, which I've read is another way to scam sellers.

Anyways, I was hoping someone could give advice on if I should cancel the sale / what reason should I give, or if the buyer actually pays (hopefully via PayPal), what steps should I take in order to ensure that I'm fully protected in this case?

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I would be very worried about the request for contact information. Certainly seems the intent is to try to purchase out of eBay. I wouldn't, and would insist on an eBay purchase. That being said, I would call CS and tell them about the circumstances. See what they recommend. They may suggest to cancel the sale, since asking for the information is against the rules.

I'd be rather scared of being scammed at this point. If they do purchase through eBay, make sure you ship insured with pictures taken of it in the box and being sealed.

[victorjunkman55 · Accepted solution]

This whole thing is nothing but a scam. They want your Info. to send you a phony email saying you were paid, ship now. No buyer needs any info from you to pay you. Always check your pay pal account for payment Before shipping, and pay pal says OK to ship. New or low feedback sellers selling high end Items such as phones, are targets for scammers here on eBay. Good Luck to you.

Do not cancel sale, you owe fees on this "sale", Open non payment case in the Resolution Center, bottom of this page, 48 hrs. after sale ends. This is how you get those FVF fees back.

[lintbrush*]

No no no.

It's a scam.  Their offer was over the auto accept limit so it accepted.  They are hoping you'll be so blinded by the money  that you'll give up any common sense.

All eBay transactions can be paid for on eBay through the listing using the Pay Now butto .  DO NOT GIVE THEM YOUR PAYPAL EMAIL ADDY.  You would get a really convincing fake email telling you that you've been paid so ship now.   

There will be no money.   Because phones are a high scam magnet, I suggest that you actually log into PayPal to see the transaction.  If paid it will show and say OK to Ship.  Don't accept any substitutes.

[badwolf12]

@jj893x As noted above, this is a scam.

The buyer will send you fake paypal or ebay messages saying payment was made. Never click on a link in those messages. Go directly to paypal to check on payments.

This is one of the reasons why I set auto-decline on best offers, but I rarely set an auto-accept.

I don't know if you were selling the phone on this account because it's not in your sold history. If it was on this account, a 1 feedback account, I would suggest not relisting the item after your UPI is closed out.

Electronics are a high-scam category and sellers with little to no feedback are targets for those scammers.

Build up your feedback. Once you do, list the item as a fixed price listing with immediate payment required and no best offer. Limit the sale to US only through your account settings.

If you want to sell it now then list it locally for cash on pickup, but wait until this transaction closes out first. As others advised it will likely be a UPI situation. I hope it's a UPI situation because that's your best case scanario here!

[chrysylys]

The account you're posting with is also brand new, just created today. The iPhone shows as 'completed', not 'sold'.

This is another perfect argument for restricting gadget sales to more experienced sellers.

[ersatz_sobriquet]

There's a gray bell at the very top of the page on the right next to the words "My eBay". Hover your mouse over it. Does it say your item sold now ship? 

This is the fastest way to know if you have a sale. Then, you go to Paypal and verify that there is MONEY there and that Paypal says "ok to ship". 

Of course neither of these things are true in your case. So now you know. 

Buyers can't pay more on ebay than your Buy it now price, even if they wanted to! 

[jbbowers12012]

scam! scam! scam!   they want your contact information so that they can send you a FAKE paypal email stating that your item has been paid for & its ok to ship in an attempt to relieve you of your item. do nothing until 48hrs. has passed then file an unpaid item case...BEST OF LUCK TO YOU!!

[castlemagicmemories]

Although sometimes offered as advice, post after post by sellers say that seller pictures prove nothing, nor does eBay accept them as evidence.  

A picture of the item in a box does not prove what was actually shipped to the buyer.

In addition, you would want to call ebay Customer Service, and ask for Trust and Safety, if you feel the need to contact them.  They may cancel the transaction for you and get the buyer on their radar.

Just some observations.  Good luck to you.