Gumtree help.

[Darrell]

I’ve just sold a phone that I had advertised for £260 to a guy in Ireland. I truthfully told him that he was in a queue with 2 other potential buyers and so he offered me £350 incl DPD delivery.

He’s paid the money into my Paypal account and so it’s got his name, the amount and it now says it’s pending.

The buyer has told me that when I send it using DPD,the funds pending automatically become available.

What’s the score here.

 

[Chrishazle]

Sounds iffy to me, I suspect as soon as you send it by DPD that pending payment will be cancelled and you'll have lost your phone.

Be worth asking Paypal, maybe via online chat or phone.

 

[clk320x]

Don’t do it... this is a common scam!!!

 

[DoberMan]

Unless it shows payment 'complete' or something like that, it would be possible for him to reverse the payment once he has received the phone.

He could also have selected 'pay 14 days after delivery', which doesn't help you.

I would request he completes the payment before you send it.

Sounds like one of those 'too good to be true' scenarios.

Put it on eBay to get protection through paypal.

 

[clk320x]

Why would someone offer £90 more than the asking price? If it sounds too good to be true etc.

 

[clk320x]

Unless it shows payment 'complete' or something like that, it would be possible for him to reverse the payment once he has received the phone.

He could still do that after he received it even if it says complete!

 

[Oldbarrack]

Don't post it until you have cleared funds in your bank a/c - most definitely

Nest time ask a buyer to do a bank transfer, Paypal is always potential to be a nightmare.
If a buyer is legitimate, they will not object in my experience.

I've broken several cars once I've taken the reg # off and only take payments by bank transfer.
Paypal affords you no real protection at all.

 

[clk320x]

Don't post it until you have cleared funds in your bank a/c - most definitely

It can still be reversed regardless if sent under goods and services and within the time window.

 

[m80]

Unless it shows payment 'complete' or something like that, it would be possible for him to reverse the payment once he has received the phone.

He could also have selected 'pay 14 days after delivery', which doesn't help you.

I would request he completes the payment before you send it.

Sounds like one of those 'too good to be true' scenarios.

Put it on eBay to get protection through paypal.

I only see eBay as protecting the buyer.
Buyer buys and pays for phone, if tracked can't deny receiving it but claims faulty and gets a refund.
You get a different phone back, or brick, and had to pay postage both ways.

 

[Oldbarrack]

It can still be reversed regardless if sent under goods and services and within the time window.

Yes, I know and agree, but having gone down that road that's the best he can hope for.
Personally I would reject the Paypal payment, it really isn't worth it with bank transfers being so easy.

 

[E55BOF]

With a fairly valuable and very easy to sell on item like a mobile phone, I'd insist on a bank transfer in these circumstances; unless you've under-priced it, being offered a good deal more than the asking price, with a 'pending' payment, would ring a large alarm bell for me.

I also found this: "If your...Order is in Pending PayPal status, this likely means your payment is currently in an unclaimed status with PayPal. ... To resolve this, you will need to go to your PayPal dashboard, and manually accept the payment to receive the funds."

I have difficulty believing there is any sort of link between DPD and Paypal which will automatically make a payment once something is despatched. You have nothing to lose by claiming the payment, though, and seeing what happens.

 

[DoberMan]

I only see eBay as protecting the buyer.
Buyer buys and pays for phone, if tracked can't deny receiving it but claims faulty and gets a refund.
You get a different phone back, or brick, and had to pay postage both ways.

I had a dispute with paypal and both buyer (me) and seller were compensated. He was adamant it was sent, I was adamant the item was not received.
I persevered to get a refund after it was rejected the first time.

Two months later the item was found by my neighbour under his bin!
I should add it was only a sheepskin wash mitt so low value.

 

[Darrell]

Just messaged him back saying it all seems to be a bit fishy and I would like it if he could pay the funds into a bank account instead.
I’ll let you know what happens.
Thanks guys.

 

[m80]

I had a dispute with paypal and both buyer (me) and seller were compensated. He was adamant it was sent, I was adamant the item was not received.
I persevered to get a refund after it was rejected the first time.

Two months later the item was found by my neighbour under his bin!
I should add it was only a sheepskin wash mitt so low value.

I've had deliveries dropped in one of our bins, lucky we went to the bin to collect our surprise before bin day.
Last summer a card detailed delivery as 'Mower', so I went door to door starting at the houses that looked like they had cut their grass. I reported no delivery to the courier who responded that they would check their GPS thingy and get back to me, they never did. A few days later being frustrated at not having my very important bit of kit I had a brain surge. The kind delivery chap had made his way round the back of our house and placed it on the 'mower', in the shed, in the dark, surrounded by the rest of our confusing garden stuff.

 

[Darrell]

According to PayPal’s T&C, funds are released pretty much as soon as I email them proof of sending. It’s all tracked etc. so theoretically I get my dough before he gets the phone.
This is not an eBay sale and I’ve only ever used PayPal with an eBay sale.

Re His high offer. He is in Ireland and the shipping is almost £40.

 

[Bellow]

[QUOTE="m80, post: 2719617, member: 109436"
Buyer buys and pays for phone, if tracked can't deny receiving it but claims faulty and gets a refund.
You get a different phone back, or brick, and had to pay postage both ways.[/QUOTE]

Variation on the same theme - where an empty parcel is delivered to your postcode - but not your address (depriving you of the opportunity to reject unsigned). Your 'neighbour's' signature triggers the refund. You are left waiting and eBay (where this scam is most common apparently) are happy the whole process is as it should be.

 

[Steveml63]

Hi,
PayPal seems to offer more protection to buyers than sellers.
I would not accept a Paypal payment for a mobile phone - especially from a different country.
If he really wants the phone and is a genuine buyer - get him to arrange a bank transfer or even Western Union.
Cheers
Steve

 

[MercedesDriver]

Because the money is pending it means it's not on your account and the transaction didn't happen yet, you don't have to send the goods.
If you send the goods with DPD to the address PayPal gave you, you should upload the tracking number into PayPal and you must keep a DPD proof of shipping which clearly shows the buyers address as instructed by PayPal - you are protected, even if the address you sent it to is a non existent one.
If DPD can not deliver the parcel they will return it to you. If DPD delivers it, you will have a buyer signature as a proof he/she has received the parcel.
The only problem you can have is if you don't declare the value to DPD and check that their insurance will cover you in case of a parcel loss/damage.

 

[Darrell]

Because the money is pending it means it's not on your account and the transaction didn't happen yet, you don't have to send the goods.
If you send the goods with DPD to the address PayPal gave you, you should upload the tracking number into PayPal and you must keep a DPD proof of shipping which clearly shows the buyers address as instructed by PayPal - you are protected, even if the address you sent it to is a non existent one.
If DPD can not deliver the parcel they will return it to you. If DPD delivers it, you will have a buyer signature as a proof he/she has received the parcel.
The only problem you can have is if you don't declare the value to DPD and check that their insurance will cover you in case of a parcel loss/damage.

What you are saying is what the buyer said apart from the fact that he gave me his address rather than PayPal.

 

[MercedesDriver]

What you are saying is what the buyer said apart from the fact that he gave me his address rather than PayPal.

Don't send the phone until the payment is cleared and money is on your account as available.
You must send to the address which is on PayPal. If there is difference between those two then it is a scam.