eBay

laserbo_95 · ‎10-23-2018

I am trying to sell a refurbished laptop and I have been approached 3 times by people saying they want to purchase it without taking their chances at auction. They ask me what I'll take for it and agree, but they always ask for my Pay Pal email so we can do a direct money request. I am assuming that these are all attempts at scamming me. However two of the three are individuals with high feedback scores from people with high feedback scores. I don't know what to make of that. Any advice.

nobody*s_perfect · ‎10-23-2018

Yes, those are scammers. As a brand-new seller with an electronics item, you are a scam magnet. Think of it this way: Who else BUT a scammer would purchase a $2000 computer from a seller with no history?

I recommend that you end the current auction, and relist it a a fixed price listing with Immediate Payment Required and without Best Offer. This will require using the Advanced version of the listing form (not the Quick version or the app) but it's your only chance at having a legitimate transaction.

7606dennis · ‎10-23-2018

If you have listed it for sale at auction I would advise you to let it run until its conclusion. If you listed it as an auction with a BIN, they should use the BIN option to purchase it before the that option disappears if they are afraid that they will be outbid in an auction.

The requesting your PayPal email address is probably a part of a scam or attempt to get you to engage in an off-site transaction in violation of eBay policy. I would block those buyer ID's immediately.

"It is an intelligent man that is aware of his own ignorance."

lewisburggold · ‎10-23-2018

Yep what they said. Untill you get established there are going to try to scam you every chance they get. The best seller protection is yourself. Try buying a few thing get your account headed in right direction. Best regards

nobody*s_perfect · ‎10-23-2018

@7606dennis wrote:
... The requesting your PayPal email address is probably a part of a scam or attempt to get you to engage in an off-site transaction in violation of eBay policy...

Worse than that, it's part of a scam in which the scammer will send a fake email from PayPal telling the seller that they have been paid, tricking him into sending the item without being paid.

laserbo_95 · ‎10-23-2018

How is it that these scammers have such a high feedback score.

nobody*s_perfect · ‎10-23-2018

Usually, hijacked accounts.

7606dennis · ‎10-23-2018

@nobody*s_perfect wrote:
@7606dennis wrote:
... The requesting your PayPal email address is probably a part of a scam or attempt to get you to engage in an off-site transaction in violation of eBay policy...
Worse than that, it's part of a scam in which the scammer will send a fake email from PayPal telling the seller that they have been paid, tricking him into sending the item without being paid.

Yep! That's part of the scam I was thinking about.

OP! Regardless of any email you receive. Always go to your PayPal account, log in and verify that payment has actually been received. Never click on a link in an email to go to the PayPal site. Use a separate browser window to go to it.

"It is an intelligent man that is aware of his own ignorance."

castlemagicmemories · ‎10-23-2018

High feedback? Possibly hijacked accounts? Or hoping to pay less if they can get you to take it off Ebay? Don't do that.

They don't need your PP address and may want it to send you a fake you've been paid email in hopes you will just ship it.

Scams.

castlemagicmemories · ‎10-23-2018

Laptops can be very problematic to sell, especially at auction. Decide the price you will accept and you can list it as fixed price, immediate payment required.

numismaticsource · ‎10-23-2018

Either tell them to buy it through eBay and you will refund the difference, or don't complete the transaction.

YOur account can be suspended or closed for making a transaction outside of eBay. And yes, they will catch you.

siamdao · ‎10-24-2018

Just say no. eBay scans messages for e-mail and phone numbers. This is especially risky for new sellers. We don't reply to messages such as the ones you have received--best you just ignore the requests.

vintagecraze50 · ‎10-24-2018

Long time well worn scam attempt where they lure you into thinking you are paid when you are not paid. When will these people give it up on here doing this stuff.? REPORT the user ID to ebay. They can research if this is a compromised account, hacked account, whatever bad account and get them gone.

castlemagicmemories · ‎10-24-2018

@siamdao wrote:
Just say no. eBay scans messages for e-mail and phone numbers. This is especially risky for new sellers. We don't reply to messages such as the ones you have received--best you just ignore the requests.

@siamdao

Just a heads up. Ebay has stated it is best to answer these messages with, I only sell and communicate ON ebay. This way your response is documented and can be read by CS if need be, and they can see that exactly what your intentions were.

Ebay has advised to NOT ignore the message.