Accept paypal as payment for motorcycle?

[oil_film_movies]

Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
Originally Posted By: grampi
We are communicating via email. It is a woman claiming to want to buy the bike for her brother as a surprise birthday gift. She seems really urgent too. I smell a scam...I'm sticking to cash or cashier's check as my only acceptable payments...
Run !!!!!

Only trust them if they are a Nigerian king via email. Thats the only time I feel safe about it.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: grampi
We are communicating via email. It is a woman claiming to want to buy the bike for her brother as a surprise birthday gift. She seems really urgent too. I smell a scam...I'm sticking to cash or cashier's check as my only acceptable payments...


I would only accept cash, and I'd make [censored] sure the bills are not counterfeit.

 

[raytseng]

bills being counterfeit is a real thing. so do take the time to look over the bills for security features and if they look or feel different.
you can also ask them to bring id and take a picture of it to help you with the paperwork.

ultimately you are the seller so you can decide your terms as long as they are not discriminatory.
if she isn't meeting your asking terms, there shouldnt be hard feelings to either counter or walk away.

 

[Kira]

OK, we have a lot of time and typing invested into this thread.

How much is this sale for? (It's actually angering how little detail is offered in this thread).
Where is the buyer located relevant to the buyer? This is another glaring omission to the "story".

How can a guy named grampi be so married to a modern, scam-sounding, alliteratively named Pay-Pal? I swear, the name Pay-Pal itself raises suspicions.

As mentioned, the "Oh I'll buy it for your price" is right out of the scammers phrase book.

Grow up a bit, will ya please.

ALWAYS REMEMBER: When the conversation goes on and on about payment and financing and NOT THE VEHICLE you know it's a scam.

So tell us a real story including locations, prices and other meat or end this weak, barely trickling, infuriating thread.

People do things via the internet at a paranoid pace sometimes. The OP is carrying on with his queries at the same pace here. Kira

ps I just reread the OP and I forgot to mention, "Hey grampi, you already got burned or hassled by your Pals at Pay. Why would you walk onto that glue trap again?

Let the teeny boppers buy their tattoos and do-it-yourself facial piercing kits with Pay-Pal.

 

[mk378]

This is an old scam. They have hacked or phished someone's PayPal account. They will use it to send you more than the asking price. Naturally the payment will bounce in a few days.

The excess is said to be for you to pay their "shipping agent" who will arrange shipment of the car / bike / whatever. You are instructed to immediately wire the money to the "agent". That method is not reversible, so you will be out the money for good at the end of the scam. That fraudulent wire of a few hundred dollars is their objective.

They don't even want your motorcycle. You will never see any of the scammers in person. They are usually in other countries.

 

[Andrew1972]

Is this a craigslist. If yes assume sketchy and let buyer prove otherwise when they show up in person.

I would not even trust check of any sort. A check in hand unless you go to branch and withdraw cash then and there with buyer. Checks even cashiers don't mean funds are available till they are processed.

 

[Mr Nice]

No bank would issue a cashiers check if there isn't sufficient money in the account.

 

[tomcat27]

if you do use paypal, don't use the "friends and family" option. it reduces the fees, but limits some of your protection - although not totally.

 

[pbm]

Originally Posted By: pbm
Paypal is a legitimate company and an easy way to make/receive payments.
I would accept payment by Paypal but check with them (Paypal) that the money is in your account before
relinquishing the bike.



After reading all of these posts I am REVERSING my opinion.....don't do it....too risky.

I have used Paypal to buy things but have never used it to sell anything.....my transactions are usually for less than $100....I have never had an issue.....but after reading all the possibilities...I wouldn't do it.

PS: The "surprise gift for her brother" also sounds like a story made up to enable the SCAM.

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted By: pbm

PS: The "surprise gift for her brother" also sounds like a story made up to enable the SCAM.


Yeah her name won't be on any paperwork so the state won't have teeth to go after her.

Next email, just say, bring cash and meet me at the police station.

This will cut her off faster than any other method. If you just stop emailing her she'll stay on you for a week.

 

[Cujet]

Absolutely, positively a scam.

 

[gathermewool]

Originally Posted By: Kira
OK, we have a lot of time and typing invested into this thread.

How much is this sale for? (It's actually angering how little detail is offered in this thread).
Where is the buyer located relevant to the buyer? This is another glaring omission to the "story".

How can a guy named grampi be so married to a modern, scam-sounding, alliteratively named Pay-Pal? I swear, the name Pay-Pal itself raises suspicions.

As mentioned, the "Oh I'll buy it for your price" is right out of the scammers phrase book.

Grow up a bit, will ya please.

ALWAYS REMEMBER: When the conversation goes on and on about payment and financing and NOT THE VEHICLE you know it's a scam.

So tell us a real story including locations, prices and other meat or end this weak, barely trickling, infuriating thread.

People do things via the internet at a paranoid pace sometimes. The OP is carrying on with his queries at the same pace here. Kira

ps I just reread the OP and I forgot to mention, "Hey grampi, you already got burned or hassled by your Pals at Pay. Why would you walk onto that glue trap again?

Let the teeny boppers buy their tattoos and do-it-yourself facial piercing kits with Pay-Pal.


You don't use PayPal, huh? I'm in my 30s and have been using PayPal for as long as I can remember. Saves me from having to expose any more info than needed while shopping online. I've even received payments for car parts without issue. I've only ever sold to legit, long-standing forum members, not CL yokels, so that may have played a large part in my success.

Also, my wife and I have shared a lot of money via PayPal over the years, all for free. Sister-in-law pays for all of our Circus tickets and we pay back our share via PayPal; we pay for our trip to the beach for the six of us and the rest pay us back; etc. It honestly couldn't be simpler.

Agreed on all other points, though. Almost seems as if grampi is trolling.

 

[Kruse]

Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
Originally Posted By: grampi
We are communicating via email. It is a woman claiming to want to buy the bike for her brother as a surprise birthday gift. She seems really urgent too. I smell a scam...I'm sticking to cash or cashier's check as my only acceptable payments...


Run !!!!!


+1
Run, Grampi, Run!

 

[KD0AXS]

Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
No bank would issue a cashiers check if there isn't sufficient money in the account.



That may be true, but there are plenty of scams out there involving bogus cashier's checks. If they have money in their account to get a cashier's check, they have money in their account to get cash. Cash in hand or no sale....period.

 

[stephen9666]

Originally Posted By: KD0AXS
Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
No bank would issue a cashiers check if there isn't sufficient money in the account.



That may be true, but there are plenty of scams out there involving bogus cashier's checks. If they have money in their account to get a cashier's check, they have money in their account to get cash. Cash in hand or no sale....period.


Not really reasonable. You can call the bank to verify a cashier's check is real. Unless it's a relatively low amount, I don't want to carry or deal with cash.

If a Nigerian prince is fedexing you a zeroxed cashiers check, that's one thing, but cashier's checks are very safe. There's an Internet echo chamber of inaccurate comments from people who don't seem to understand cashier's checks.

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: Kira
OK, we have a lot of time and typing invested into this thread.

How much is this sale for? (It's actually angering how little detail is offered in this thread).
Where is the buyer located relevant to the buyer? This is another glaring omission to the "story".

How can a guy named grampi be so married to a modern, scam-sounding, alliteratively named Pay-Pal? I swear, the name Pay-Pal itself raises suspicions.

As mentioned, the "Oh I'll buy it for your price" is right out of the scammers phrase book.

Grow up a bit, will ya please.

ALWAYS REMEMBER: When the conversation goes on and on about payment and financing and NOT THE VEHICLE you know it's a scam.

So tell us a real story including locations, prices and other meat or end this weak, barely trickling, infuriating thread.

People do things via the internet at a paranoid pace sometimes. The OP is carrying on with his queries at the same pace here. Kira

ps I just reread the OP and I forgot to mention, "Hey grampi, you already got burned or hassled by your Pals at Pay. Why would you walk onto that glue trap again?

Let the teeny boppers buy their tattoos and do-it-yourself facial piercing kits with Pay-Pal.


Married to paypal? I think not. I don't like them and don't use them...and I believe I said I'm sticking to either cash or cashier's check as the only acceptable payments...

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: gathermewool
Originally Posted By: Kira
OK, we have a lot of time and typing invested into this thread.

How much is this sale for? (It's actually angering how little detail is offered in this thread).
Where is the buyer located relevant to the buyer? This is another glaring omission to the "story".

How can a guy named grampi be so married to a modern, scam-sounding, alliteratively named Pay-Pal? I swear, the name Pay-Pal itself raises suspicions.

As mentioned, the "Oh I'll buy it for your price" is right out of the scammers phrase book.

Grow up a bit, will ya please.

ALWAYS REMEMBER: When the conversation goes on and on about payment and financing and NOT THE VEHICLE you know it's a scam.

So tell us a real story including locations, prices and other meat or end this weak, barely trickling, infuriating thread.

People do things via the internet at a paranoid pace sometimes. The OP is carrying on with his queries at the same pace here. Kira

ps I just reread the OP and I forgot to mention, "Hey grampi, you already got burned or hassled by your Pals at Pay. Why would you walk onto that glue trap again?

Let the teeny boppers buy their tattoos and do-it-yourself facial piercing kits with Pay-Pal.


You don't use PayPal, huh? I'm in my 30s and have been using PayPal for as long as I can remember. Saves me from having to expose any more info than needed while shopping online. I've even received payments for car parts without issue. I've only ever sold to legit, long-standing forum members, not CL yokels, so that may have played a large part in my success.

Also, my wife and I have shared a lot of money via PayPal over the years, all for free. Sister-in-law pays for all of our Circus tickets and we pay back our share via PayPal; we pay for our trip to the beach for the six of us and the rest pay us back; etc. It honestly couldn't be simpler.

Agreed on all other points, though. Almost seems as if grampi is trolling.


Because you like paypal I'm trolling? You people crack me up!

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: stephen9666
Originally Posted By: KD0AXS
Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
No bank would issue a cashiers check if there isn't sufficient money in the account.



That may be true, but there are plenty of scams out there involving bogus cashier's checks. If they have money in their account to get a cashier's check, they have money in their account to get cash. Cash in hand or no sale....period.


Not really reasonable. You can call the bank to verify a cashier's check is real. Unless it's a relatively low amount, I don't want to carry or deal with cash.

If a Nigerian prince is fedexing you a zeroxed cashiers check, that's one thing, but cashier's checks are very safe. There's an Internet echo chamber of inaccurate comments from people who don't seem to understand cashier's checks.


That's right...cashier's checks are verifiable...

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted By: stephen9666

Not really reasonable. You can call the bank to verify a cashier's check is real. Unless it's a relatively low amount, I don't want to carry or deal with cash.


What if the forger imprints "Wells Fargo 866-555-1234" on the check and has that phone connected to an associate? Maybe half the time the victim will call that number instead of the one in the phone book.

The reddest of red flags to me, though, is how the con won't have her name on the bill of sale/ title. If the fraud proceeded much further you'd see she wants the stuff fedexed to a mail boxes etc and she'll throw in an extra $200 for the fedex and your trouble.

 

[bubbatime]

Originally Posted By: stephen9666
If a Nigerian prince is fedexing you a xeroxed cashiers check, that's one thing, but cashier's checks are very safe. There's an Internet echo chamber of inaccurate comments from people who don't seem to understand cashier's checks.


There is also an "Internets echo chamber of people" that dont understand that there are FRAUDULENT checks everywhere. You can print them on your home computer. I have received three fraudulent "cashiers checks" in the past 10 years. Now how safe is a "cashiers check" when its fake. The bank will even deposit them, and give you the money, for the first 10 days. Then the check bounces, and they rip the money out of your account.