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Strange Offer

I have listed an iPhone 7 with a starting bid of £280.

 

A buyer sent me a message asking what is the minimum acceptable offer and I replied '£250'.

 

He has just sent me this strange (to me) message:


'Thanks for getting back to me.I will offer you 390 GBP including the shipping cost of this item via Royal Mail to SL2 5EN . i have a little issue with paying direct from my account you can kindly send your PayPal money request to my email so i can make the payment as soon as possible.'

 

Any words of advice?

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26 REPLIES 26

Re: Strange Offer


@blanketnook wrote:

Thanks everyone for your kind advice.

 

It seems I've atracted a second scammer:
'I'm buying it for my cousin who is studying abroad, I have confirmed postage cost and I will add extra £30 for postage to Abroad making total of £280 I'm currently at military camp and there is no way I could handle postage from here. Paypal payment is preferred, let me know if I should proceed with payment, If yes kindly forward or request your Paypal details to my email below:'


Ah, yes, military camp.  They can pay through Paypal on your listing, they DO NOT need your Paypal details.  

Message 16 of 27
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Re: Strange Offer

Haven't seen anyone mention it but there is a 2nd part to this scam. They will want you to get a $xxx gift card to amazon, walmart, visa, ect to send with the gift and they will send you the money to pay for it (HA HA)

 

I have been selling on eBay since 1997 but just set up a new ID to deal with some estate stuff and within 1 day of listing 6 items I got about 12 offers per item all from new account all with some version of this scam

Message 17 of 27
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Re: Strange Offer

I wonder how many of the accounts opened by criminals are counted as active eBay buyers when eBay boasts about "growth" in users to stockholders and the financial news. Probably 5 million+ throwaway accounts alone.

Message 18 of 27
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Re: Strange Offer


@plymouthsales4165 wrote:

Haven't seen anyone mention it but there is a 2nd part to this scam. They will want you to get a $xxx gift card to amazon, walmart, visa, ect to send with the gift and they will send you the money to pay for it (HA HA)

 

I have been selling on eBay since 1997 but just set up a new ID to deal with some estate stuff and within 1 day of listing 6 items I got about 12 offers per item all from new account all with some version of this scam


You're right~they can ask for gift cards, but that is not a given.

 

Wow, 12 offers per item!  You ARE popular!  (I know, who wants that kind of popularity!)

Message 19 of 27
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Re: Strange Offer

Why not paid via PayPal?
Message 20 of 27
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Re: Strange Offer

Block buyer and move on, He is setting you up!
Message 21 of 27
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Re: Strange Offer

SCAM!! Ive had the same thing, it is a SCAM. 

Message 22 of 27
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Re: Strange Offer

@blanketnook 

 

Why not paid via PayPal?

 

For a local pickup/paypal transaction, the buyer can prove that they paid, but the seller cannot provide tracking to prove shipment or delivery; it is possible for an unscrupulous buyer to file an Item Not Received claim and get the paypal payment returned.

 

Message 23 of 27
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Re: Strange Offer


@blanketnook wrote:
Why not paid via PayPal?

First of all, if they get your email address (which would also be your PayPal contact address), they can send you fake but very official-looking messages, telling you that you have been paid (you haven't), and directing you to ship the iPhone and upload its tracking number, after which the funds will be placed in your account. If you do all that, your phone will be gone, and no funds will ever appear, as that is not how real purchases are done.

 

You can list the phone as a fixed-price item with no Make Offer option. That will enable you to set the Immediate Payment Required option, so that no one can snatch your item off the market without actually paying you for it first. At that point you would be okay to ship (note that Signature Confirmation is required for sales of $750 or more), but you still run the risk of a bogus empty-box or damaged-item claim upon delivery.

 

Sellers with low feedback counts and big-ticket, high-scam items are a scammer's dream, and you will hear from many of them. You're really better off selling that item locally for cash. No one halfway across the country or halfway around the world has a pressing need for your phone. There are plenty of others over there.

Message 24 of 27
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Re: Strange Offer

I've blocked the 'buyers' and changed the listing to collection and payment by cash.

 

Thanks everyone for your time and kind advice.

Message 25 of 27
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Re: Strange Offer

Report it. Scammer most likely 

Message 26 of 27
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Re: Strange Offer

I didn't have to - eBay notified me later on.
Message 27 of 27
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