Scam?

[somecarguy280]

I have an item listed with BIN or best offer. I keep getting similar offers from different sellers from the same city in FL. The user name changes by just a few letters and the feedback is changing. I also get the same email saying I can pay right away. The item is listed for $275 but the offers start at $210. To combat the offers I moved up my auto reject amount to $240 and i just now got an email asking for my best price and cash in hand. 

Anyone know what their play is here? Not something I've seen in my 17 years one here.

[dtexley3]

It's likely that you have international buyers trying to purchase using a shipping forwarder.  It's your decision, I've used shipping forwarders with little issue over the years.  Decide what price you're willing to accept and take it.

[somecarguy280]

Do I need to worry about the "item not recieved" or "item damaged" scam? I know I need to use delivery confirmation and signature required and ship to the listed paypal address but these new seller metrics seem tricky as far as strikes and marks against us

[gwzcomps]

Not necessarily a scam. Just dishonest buying practices. Probably someone using multiple accounts trying to get you to think your price is too high. Not sure why people play childish games like that. I see it a lot with electronics. Tell the one messaging you to "Feel free to use the make offer button" 😛

[femmefan1946]

Doral FL is home to a lot of freight forwarders. There are others in Delaware, California and Washington in particular. 

This is a legitimate business used by many honest offshore buyers to buy in the USA from sellers (not just from eBay. The overseas buyers are shopping all over.) who don't want to or don't know how to ship overseas.

The user name changes by just a few letters and the feedback is changing.

Because the practice is common the name changes are no big deal.  That the feedback changes probably means they really are different accounts. But they may be disposable guest accounts.

I also get the same email saying I can pay right away.

This is a worry. Different people might make similar offers, but they write differently. Same words? Same writer. Probable scam.

I moved up my auto reject amount to $240

Sensible.

and i just now got an email asking for my best price and cash in hand.

You are not required to answer, but it is worth giving a firm price (and state that it does NOT include shipping, which is eBay policy) in case that one is a real customer.

You might tell the customer that eBay does not allow you to accept cash except if the customer is picking up at your shop. (Say shop even if you work out of the back room that doubles as a guest room. Like me.)

As you know, the Money Back Guarantee ends at delivery to the US address. You would not be responsible for delivery or damage in transit after that. And, although eBay is confused on the subject, you would only be paying return postage from the forwarder in FL to you if there were a Not As Described dispute.

The scam, if there is one, would be an attempt to get your PP info without an actual payment. Then you get a phoney email saying the money is paid, send now.

The forwarder is not part of the scam, usually, but they get blamed by a lot of angry sellers looking for someone to blame.

You send. There was no payment. You are out money and product.

There is nothing for eBay to help you with since the ID is either disposable or hijacked. Paypal was never involved. 

[femmefan1946]

I assume this is on the 'throttle body'? 

Are those hard to come by?

[somecarguy280]

This brand, yes, but not throttle bodies in general. As a matter of fact you can get Chinese ones for less than half the price. 

[somecarguy280]

Thanks for all the great and detailed information!