Gumtree - would you trust them?!
So I'm selling some stuff through Gumtree at the moment, one of which is up for £500. I've just had someone called Captain Gerrard (who seems to have three different Hotmail addresses so far) email me and ask to confirm the price - it's not you is it Gerrardasnails?! Anyway, I'm assuming he wants to offer me less, so I reply saying it's £500 and not looking to take any less than this for the moment.
I then get a mail back saying he'll pay me £700 including postage and package and PayPal fees, but we must use PayPal as it protects buyer and seller. Now, maybe it's just me, but I'm kind of smelling a rat here(!) so I've just replied to say sorry, no, local pickup only.
Am I mad, or am I sensible?!
I've never sold anything online, but the wife has. She always says if in any doubt walk away. There's always going to be another chance to sale. Unless your desperate for a quick sale. £500 is a lot of money to loose.
Yeah, this is what I figured. When someone offers you £200 more than your asking for, something has to be wrong!
Have just read on PayPal's site that:
A key eligibility requirement of the Seller Protection Programme is that the seller must post the item to the address which appears on the transaction details page. If the item is delivered in person or if a seller posts the item to a different address (for example, if the buyer asks that you send to another address on the basis that it is a "work address" or a "gift" address) then you will not be eligible for re-imbursement under the terms of the programme.
Said Captain Gerrard is looking for this as a present for his son, so this means item must be posted elsewhere. He's extremely insistent I use PayPal as well. Have just sent another email telling him to take a hike!
This sounds like one of those Nigerian scams!
I put a portable DVD player up on eBay a year or two ago, and it sold for about £90. Then I got an email from the buyer, saying they'd pay me £300 if I could ship it to their son, who was studying at an exclusive university in Nigeria. I replied no, that the auction clearly stated it was UK only, and as the buyer had a London address I could only send it there.
They kept sending me emails saying please send to Nigeria, via a courier. I kept saying no, and sent the emails to eBay, who said it was a scam and not to send the goods.
I believe the scam basically works by people promising to pay you over the odds, as soon as you have sent the item by courier, and can quote the tracking number. Unfortunately, if you do send it, by the time you chase for the payment they'll have received the goods and scarpered!
If it smells wrong, it is wrong.
Thanks guys, since the very polite email I sent saying local pickup only, if no one can come to me with the cash, no sale, I've had no more emails. I also quoted the above seller's protection at him.
Scam avoided I think - thing is, should I do something to prevent him scamming others? What can I do - I have no real evidence he was trying to scam me...
ElectroMan:This sounds like one of those Nigerian scams!
I put a portable DVD player up on eBay a year or two ago, and it sold for about £90. Then I got an email from the buyer, saying they'd pay me £300 if I could ship it to their son, who was studying at an exclusive university in Nigeria. I replied no, that the auction clearly stated it was UK only, and as the buyer had a London address I could only send it there.
They kept sending me emails saying please send to Nigeria, via a courier. I kept saying no, and sent the emails to eBay, who said it was a scam and not to send the goods.
I believe the scam basically works by people promising to pay you over the odds, as soon as you have sent the item by courier, and can quote the tracking number. Unfortunately, if you do send it, by the time you chase for the payment they'll have received the goods and scarpered!
With ebay ive never sent anything out til ive had payment, which sounds perfectly reasonable to me.
I must admit, I took a flyer with my spendor speakers. They guy wanted £410 delivered to my door. I spoke with him, he seemed cool and knew his hi-fi, so wenrt with it.
Wired the dosh to him, and then no communication at all. I was just about to phone the rozzers, when a knock at the door, and my nice speakers turned up!
I must admit, it is all a bit dodgy to me, but if it is cash on collection, then all you have to do is make sure the cash is not fake, and job's a good one...
Have to say, the Nigerian scam has been going around for years.
I get mails saying "I am a man who has $41,000,000 in the bank, but cannot access it, can you help etc......"
Who has that much in the bank!! Why not pick a lower amount lol
With Gumtree, I'd be keen to pick up in person and pay cash. Ebay, happy to pay via PayPal. This case sounds like a bit of a chancer really...
HI,
Gumtree is totally infected by scammers and they are very slick - just do not budge on basics - insist upon cash on collection or personal cheque (send goods only after cheque has cleared PLUS at least ten working days so there can be no nasty banking surprises). Never accept Paypal - I have got quite a few Phished Paypal links that look very real and never give out your bank details. These guys rely on your desire and ignorance & trust.
Bazzy!
Just to make you feel even better about Gumtree ;-)
Agreed. I've used Gumtree a number of times to buy and sell, and only ever meet in person.
But take extra care when there's a large amount of money to be handed over - there was a story in the news yesterday about a guy who was jumped and stabbed when going to buy a car off Gumtree.
I sold my old home cinema in bits via ebay - due to the bulky nature, they were pick-up items, so I had to give out my home address. Luckily the buyers were genuine (although I was a bit suspicious of the four teenage lads that drove from Cardiff to London to pick up some mission speakers for £103!). The wife was much more suspicous of the young (and rather attractive) german girl who came to collect the amp!! Heh.
Your home address (or registered address) is on all end of auction notices to buyers anyway. 
There's another scam involving cheques (in the US at least), which is where somebody offers to makes a direct payment into your bank account, you check your account the following day and see the payment credited. If you don't check every day thereafter, you might not notice the payment being reversed because it was made with a counterfeit cheque!
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If I understand correctly then buyer-seller protection is eBay-PayPal deal. See here.