Author Topic: Is this a scam or what? (Read 329 times)

crobbins · « **on:** July 28, 2011, 08:37:25 AM »

I'm trying to sell a Cannondale Mtn bike on Craigs list. Here's an email I recieved..

I have a problem communicating via phone because am deaf email works better for me, and I send payment via PayPal. I understand some people have a hard time carrying so much cash but it will be a quick deal via PayPal. You can try and create the PayPal account if you don't have any already.Also need more pics to Make sure it is what am looking for and that it fits well. Let me know what you'd like to get done.Get back to me with your text phone number i can text you from my yahoo im

Thanks,

Mathew

glocke · « **Reply #1 on:** July 28, 2011, 08:50:19 AM »

Short answer yes.

Other advice, don't deal with people who don't know what paragraphs are, and stay away from Paypal unless the transactions are with blood relatives.

crobbins · « **Reply #2 on:** July 28, 2011, 09:01:39 AM »

Thanks.
Here,s a link to my ad.

http://ventura.craigslist.org/bik/2517573701.html

sonicus · « **Reply #3 on:** July 28, 2011, 10:28:29 AM »

We are all on this Planet together and in the interest of tolerance and diversity it might be wise to accept that we all have differences in the way that we communicate . Without having met the individual in person we really can't tell if they are a native English speaker as their first language ( my first language was German ) . Since the inception of consumer communications devices where TEXTING is a practiced the standard of the PARAGRAPH has also been modified. It also stands to reason that the other person who we have never met might have other disabilities.

Paypal has gone through many improvements within the last few years and I have literally used it hundreds of time without any complications. There was one incident back several years where I had purchased a Trumpet from a fellow in Alaska and payed via Paypal funded from my credit card. The seller had let his Bank account funded Paypal account fall in to Negative Integers in other words it had become overdrawn $1000.00 and as a result when I made my payment of $600.00 it still remained negative $400.00. He made accusations that Paypal had stolen my payment and he would not ship the trumpet to me until Paypal released my payment. After an investigation from Paypal they ruled that the error was due to his own negligence and then aided my credit card institution to go after this seller under the penalties of Credit Card Fraud under United States Law and funding protection under my credit card agreement. I was sent a refund for the full amount from the credit card institution as a result with a smile .

I would recommend to you that you ask the the interested allegedly deaf prospective buyer to have another person help him complete the transaction with you in person in cash . If you feel a warning signal from your intuition on this matter have one of your friends with you at the time of transaction.

The best of luck to you with your sale.

sonicus · « **Reply #4 on:** July 28, 2011, 10:49:00 AM »

Craig , You can also meet the buyer at his bank with your merchandise and collect your funds and complete the transaction inside the bank with the bank surveillance cameras viewing the whole ordeal . I purchased a Bass that way a few years ago. I like to be pragmatic and use what methods are at my disposal .

Wolf

hammer · « **Reply #5 on:** July 28, 2011, 11:03:48 AM »

As a professional who works with persons with disabilities, I concur with Wolf. This may be scam. On the other hand, persons who are Deaf and communicate primarily through the use of American Sign Language often do not read or write that well (the research suggests that by high school graduation many are reading and writing 3-4 years below what would be expected for students at their grade level. It's the equivalent of your being asked to write something in a foreign language. Asking the prospective buyer to have another person help him with the transaction is the way to go.

On the other hand, I have to say that I'm a bit skeptical that he did not inquire or ask further information about the frame size or suggest communication via TTY and the interpretation services that all states are required to provide for people who are deaf.

glocke · « **Reply #6 on:** July 28, 2011, 11:33:30 AM »

Sonicus,

Communication differences aside, it has been my experience that poorly worded responses to ads are typically scams.

As far as paypal goes, anyone (i.e. seller in most cases) who completes a transaction using paypal involving large sums of money is asking for trouble.

~1.5 years ago I sold some electronics items to someone, they paid using paypal. After about two months I get a notice from paypal saying the buyer never bought the items, and never had any contact with. Despite email correspondence I provided that proved otherwise, paypal proceeded with a chargeback against me. I was out almost 1k, and the items I sold.

Essentially it appears that as a seller you have no protection. All a buyer has to do is say they never recieved an item, or it showed up damaged or something and you could potentially be out your money and the item you sold.

If you google the phrase paypal+fraud you will find some very interesting reading.

OP, best of luck to your sale. I recomend a cash transaction in a well lit, populated place such as a bank as someone else suggested.

sonicus · « **Reply #7 on:** July 28, 2011, 12:03:26 PM »

Glocke , Yes ! that someone else was me who suggested a cash transaction in a bank in my post #1961 ; LOL !

At the time of the Paypal transaction that I mentioned in the second paragraph of my post # 1960 Paypal was having MAJOR problems with chargeback issues as YOU mention in your post #888 . I did GOOGLE paypal+fraud at the time of the incident and there were in fact , many stories of lack of seller protection at THAT time. Glocke,___ Do you think that Paypal might have remedied such issues in the present ? When eBay acquired control of Paypal I noticed fewer problems. One of the ways that you can avoid such Paypal Horror Stories where they freeze accounts , hold your funds and other wise tamper with your assets is to use a credit card as the funding source and not become as they callverified where they use your personal bank account. They can not do that with a credit card, this is really where U.S. Federal Law actually might help you along with credit card protection features .

(Message edited by sonicus on July 28, 2011)

glocke · « **Reply #8 on:** July 28, 2011, 12:50:15 PM »

Sonicus

To be honest Im not sure if paypal has that issue ironed out or not. Im not about to find out either.

I do know that last summer I tried selling an amp over ebay. The buyer paid me via paypal, but since I only use ebay a few times a year I was not able to access his payment, paypal was basically holding it in escrow until the buyer contacted them to say he recieved the item. Needless to say I was not happy about that at all and did not proceed with the sale.

This week I was contacted by a person who wanted to buy yet another expensive item from me. They wanted to pay me via paypal that day, and was insistent on me shipping the item that same day (while the funds were still in paypal land and before they were transfered to my bank account). Again this was something that I felt uneasy about so did not proceed.

IMO the whole ebay/paypal thing is a racket. When you sell on ebay you pay sellers and listing fees, than are REQUIRED to use paypal as a means of accepting payment, where you are again hit with more fees. In essence ebay/paypal dings you twice when you sell on ebay. Quite a racket they have..

sonicus · « **Reply #9 on:** July 28, 2011, 01:02:25 PM »

gloke , I added to my post #1962 regarding credit card protection.

I agree with you regarding the the ebay/paypal marriage seeming like a racket to just collect more fees . I was just wondering if in your experience there was an improvement over the years ? I certainly understand why you don't want to let them bite you again !

Best Regards _____

(Message edited by sonicus on July 28, 2011)

thumbsup · « **Reply #10 on:** July 28, 2011, 05:58:48 PM »

I have used paypal exclusively on e bay, craigslist and to members of this club as a seller and a buyer.
If you are a seller and get instant payment from a verified buyer into your paypal account you can then transfer funds into another bank account which can take a few days but which I believe now is also untouchable!.
If you want to be cautious you can wait to ship until your funds has transfered.
Also require buyer signature upon reciept of product.
This would make it a littile more dificult for a scamer/buyer to make a false claim...
It's always a trust issue and a gamble on any deal especially if its not a local pickup.
I would think buyers would be more warey of seller scammers?
I've only had one deal gone wrong.
It was a craigslisting.
I was a buyer!
Paid for some Beatles Albums and seller claimed he shipped to correct addres seveal times and claimed I was not giving him correct address.Would not furnish tracking info after many request.
After about 2 months of e mailing and cell phoning back and forth i gave up and wrote off the $100.
Like i said it all a gamble ...
win some lose some...
This is a buyer who did ask for more photos etc...and wants to PAY thru paypal!
I have sold several items and always leave my contact phone no and e mail.
9 times out of 10 the other party will not make personal calls but prefers to text or e mail!
I don't see a problem here...but it's not my nichol!
Overall I personally love paypal and have had little problems!
My 2 1/2 cents!
Steve

Opps Glocke! Forgot to indent for paragraphs (hehe)
But I do agree with Glocke on the grammar (or lack of) in some adds ....
Spot that you can that on away the mile yes

(Message edited by thumbsup on July 28, 2011)

(Message edited by thumbsup on July 28, 2011)

pace · « **Reply #11 on:** July 28, 2011, 06:23:14 PM »

Crobbins,

Regardless about the format or parameters of the transaction, it's all about YOUR comfort zone. If this scenario exceeds YOUR comfort zone, then don't pull the trigger......

For what it's worth, I hardly ever use paypal, but I recently sold a bass to a fellow club member, and between the funds landing in my account immediately, and UPS delivering the bass within 3 working days, I have to say it was one of the smoothest transactions ever. BUT.... if the buyer wasn't a club member, I would've insisted on a money order or cashiers check.

That aside, the National Technological Institute for the Deaf was on campus when I was at RIT.... I should still be able to distinguish between an authentic NTID (as we used to call them) and a Nigerian scammer...... Just have him call me......

glocke · « **Reply #12 on:** July 28, 2011, 08:35:58 PM »

Well after re-reading it maybe it isn't a scam.
Let us know how it turns out.

Nice paragraphs Mike!

crobbins · « **Reply #13 on:** July 29, 2011, 07:49:49 AM »

Thanks for the input everyone. Scam or not, I dont have a paypal account. I hoping for a deal where someone comes over looks at the bike, and hands me the cash. Simple deal....

xlrogue6 · « **Reply #14 on:** July 29, 2011, 08:47:06 AM »

I got a response pretty much identical to that one to a recent CL posting--and I'm up here in Sonoma County. I believe that qualifies for the same category as the my-agent-will-give-you-a-check-for-more-than-the-purchase-price thing, or the good old Nigerian prince.