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Weary of PayPal

fireshot91

fireshot91

macrumors 601
Original poster
Jul 31, 2008
4,721
1
Northern VA
So, this guy in another forum wants to buy my phone. He has like 5 posts, in a matter of a year and a half, so he's not...new per se. Anyways, my description wasn't completely...detailed? It was mostly generic, and I said I would post pictures if they requested. But, this guy is asking about the phone. I listed it at $160, but when he PMd me, I told him somebody else was going to buy it for $175, and I said that if he can match that, it's his. So he's like sure, it's $15. And the other sale fell through, so now it's only him.

Now, he says "So, can we make this a deal?", and I'm thinking, yeah, sure, I'm ready to sell it to you...but you didn't even ask for pictures. The phone is described as a little scratched up, and has a minor crack. Yet, you don't ask for pictures..And are ready to shell out $15 more than the list price.


So, I'm a little weary. Is there anyway I can get screwed over if I use PayPal? He lives in CONUS, so it's not like I'm shipping somewhere out of country.
 
I'm sure there is a way that you can get screwed over in PayPal, but I've never known anyone to have problems with PayPal (off the Internet). I just don't think selling on a forum is a good idea in the first place, but that's me.
 
If you let him pay by pay pal the right way then you should be ok. However, I have to ask you this, if you listed it at $160 and someone offered you $175, weren't you questioning it then? You then tell someone else that you have another offer at $175, if he matches it then it is his. Hrmm, really? You have someone willing to go $15 over list and you didn't sell it then? At that point your first offer had not fallen through sense you referenced it. This second guy seems to buy into your supposed $175 offer and matches it sight unseen.

I think the entire deal looks shady. I mean no disrespect, this is the cynic in me coming out. If you truly had an offer $15 over list and did not take it right away then it would be me questioning you. If you had the offer but the guy had not paid and you were willing to let someone else snag it then I guess it's a free market and all, but it seems weird.

For me, if I say I have an offer I really do but if someone is willing to pay me list + then I don't hesitate to jump on it providing they're in the US and their English is good. ;)

Anyway, you should be ok under PayPal but I would send pics regardless to CYA.

@Firestar, I've bought and sold on forums for years and have done rather well. MR is the place where I've prospered most tbh.
 
jessica. said:
If you let him pay by pay pal the right way then you should be ok. However, I have to ask you this, if you listed it at $160 and someone offered you $175, weren't you questioning it then? You then tell someone else that you have another offer at $175, if he matches it then it is his. Hrmm, really? You have someone willing to go $15 over list and you didn't sell it then? At that point your first offer had not fallen through sense you referenced it. This second guy seems to buy into your supposed $175 offer and matches it sight unseen.

I think the entire deal looks shady. I mean no disrespect, this is the cynic in me coming out. If you truly had an offer $15 over list and did not take it right away then it would be me questioning you. If you had the offer but the guy had not paid and you were willing to let someone else snag it then I guess it's a free market and all, but it seems weird.

For me, if I say I have an offer I really do but if someone is willing to pay me list + then I don't hesitate to jump on it providing they're in the US and their English is good. ;)

Anyway, you should be ok under PayPal but I would send pics regardless to CYA.

@Firestar, I've bought and sold on forums for years and have done rather well. MR is the place where I've prospered most tbh.
Click to expand...



No, see what happened was, in another forum, I listed it as $175. There, that user was offering me $175 for it, and I was ready to take it. But before they paid (or finalized it for that matter), this guy comes and PMs me. And then while we're in the midst of our PM conversation, the other guy decides he doesn't want the phone.
 
I have seen posts by people like you who sold stuff and used paypal and did get screwed. The only way someone like you could possible get screwed using paypal is if the buyer claims he never got the item you sold him, and you can't prove that he did. So use Fedex, they have tracking numbers and its the best possible way to protect yourself from claiming he never got it. Also, take pictures of the item in the box, preferably powered on, so he can't claim he received the phone broken or in non working condition, this is the other way people scam sellers like you. Best way is always to do face to face meet ups if possible, so you can avoid all this, but obviously its not always possible.
 
Oh, well, my parents own a UPS store, so I'm thinking of getting a tracking number + label, and then wait until the payment clears, and then ship it off.
 
Well you wouldn't really have to worry because he's sending you the money first. Don't send the item out just yet not until you've received the full payment via paypal and once you do, transfer the money into your bank account once it is wired through. It takes about 3-4 days to fully wire to your checking account or whatever your paypal account is linked to. So you shouldn't have any problems with paypal unless you've shipped the item before he ever sent you any payments which would be dumb.
 
fireshot91 said:
No, see what happened was, in another forum, I listed it as $175. There, that user was offering me $175 for it, and I was ready to take it. But before they paid (or finalized it for that matter), this guy comes and PMs me. And then while we're in the midst of our PM conversation, the other guy decides he doesn't want the phone.
Click to expand...

Ah ok that makes a little more sense. The initial story however, does raise red flags but not as a seller.
 
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