Possible scam?

[irishbuddha]

I have a laptop listed for $1400 BIN. I just received an offer of $1400 from an international buyer with only 1 feedback. This seems fishy to me, why not just click buy it now? Has anyone run into this? Thank you!

[inhawaii]

Selling a laptop is risky, period.

They seem to attract scammers.

Go with your gut feeling.

[umccars]

I wouldn't. But that's me.

[rosszonebricks]

Offer likely was used to bypass the Immediate Payment Required of Buy It Now (Assuming you have that setting on.)

This gives them the opportunity to start plying to message them, whatever it takes you to reveal your email, and then send the fake 'You Got Paid' emails.

Only thing I can think of, but good luck.  Laptops and phones are scammer magnets.

[buyselljack2016]

They will ask to text, and then provide false payment notification in an attempt to scam you.

I would...................  not reply.

I would ..................  block the ID

Edit to add:  

 I would................. not attempt to sell a $1400 laptop on eBay.

[cardxcraft]

International buyer can't "buy it now" because your laptop is sold to USA only. 

With respect,  because of your low feedback and the item you're selling, scammers are coming to you like flies to ****.

[ckimodog]

@irishbuddha 

Tell the buyer you item is available for the amount you are requesting on your listing.  Beware of the "text me" scams, add a gift card, my sister is in the USA Marines so send it to this address.  Only ship to the address on the invoice. This message reeks of a scam.  The fact that you are not accepting returns concerns me.  This person can state they never received the item & since you don't accept returns, eBay will step in, refund their money and get to keep the item because you don't accept returns.  You'll be out the money and item.  New sellers should never be selling items of this price on eBay.  Watch out or you're going to get hurt in the wallet.   Ignore this person  & block them.  You should also change your return policy as well to protect yourself. 

Good luck!

[mordecai8614]

Can you even ship laptops international because of the battery?

[tools*]

Yes, your low feedback is attracting criminals. Although eBay generally welcomes criminals as long as they increase the appearance of traffic, your job is to resist the temptation to respond to people like that.

[dbfolks166mt]

     Others have already mentioned the risk associated with electronic items and your status as a new seller. However, since your item only ships to the US and this buyer is international, (what country) it is likely they are utilizing a freight forwarder to handle the international leg of the shipping. If that is the case then the international buyer poses less of a risk than a domestic one would since the buyers money back guarantee coverage ends once the item is delivered to the freight forwarder. Since the item is over $750 it will also require a signature receipt on delivery. 

     I would respond to the potential buyer and tell them there is no need to make an offer when their offer is the same as the BIN price. They should simply hit the BIN and hopefully you have immediate payment required turned on for that listing. 

     You currently do not accept returns but you need to understand that that does NOT translate to no refunds. It is useless unless it is for a remorse return. 

     If they buy the item and something else looks strange or odd return to this forum BEFORE you actually ship the item anywhere. The ONLY time you should ship the item is when there is a notification in your seller hub under the TASKS section telling you to ship the item. 

[ittybitnot]

International buyer can't "buy it now" because your laptop is sold to USA only. 

@cardxcraft 

@irishbuddha 

An international buyer is able to purchase a US only listing so long as they provide a US shipping address (typically a Freight Forwarder in FL, Oregon, Delaware, etc.)  The seller DOES have the setting that requires a payment source in order to make an offer.  That is so long as the offer was made through the normal channels, and the buyer is simply not "asking via messages".  

The question would be if the offer came through as a regular offer, would this user get auto-billed? The OP's settings suggest they would.   With a freight forwarder, so long as the SELLER knows what to do should the transaction go south (i.e. subsequent phony SNAD claim), it is relatively safe. 

@irishbuddha 

If you are unable to see the country of origin of your seller, place their ID in the box on this page:

https://pages.ebay.com/services/forum/feedback-login.html

Know as well that you are NOT obligated to accept an offer if you don't want to do so.   

[12345jamesstamps]

You are selling the laptop in the USA only...and no "freight forward"...or so you might think.

A buyer can still buy it from another country using "freight forward' so blocking the buyer doesn't always work.

You will need to check buyer "eBay ID" as to which country it is in. Ask the buyer where do they actually live.

And be prepared for a return...a total nightmare.

Don't you have anyone who would buy it where you are located....freinds, family, employees, etc.

Think of the shipping money you would save.

[wastingtime101]

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@ckimodog wrote:

The fact that you are not accepting returns concerns me.  This person can state they never received the item & since you don't accept returns, eBay will step in, refund their money and get to keep the item because you don't accept returns.  You'll be out the money and item.

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Sounds like you're mixing up a few different situations here.

- If buyer says they never received the item, that's a non-receipt claim and has zero to do with returns. Non-receipt claims rely on tracking confirming delivery to the address on the order, and sig conf if total buyer paid is $750+. Seller also has to respond to the non-receipt claim for seller protections to kick in.

- The buyer could file a return citing item is not as described which is what I think you meant to say? But even if the buyer filed that type of return request, that does not mean eBay will refund the buyer and not require a return. Seller is always given the opportunity to respond to the return and if they accept the return with a prepaid label then eBay will require a return before buyer is refunded. eBay may force a refund without requiring a return if the buyer claims not as described and the seller either rejects the request or fails to respond to the request.

- If the buyer files a regular remorse return such as "didn't like it" then the seller is free to decline the return with a no returns policy. eBay will not force the situation.

(All that said, I agree with the advice to avoid selling high value items as a new seller unless the seller is willing to take the risk of a full loss to a scammer.)