Paypal question
 

I hope someone here can give me some advice! My bf and I put both of our motorcycles up for sale on a free classifieds site last night. For some reason my posting didn't go through until about 3 am, but his was up on the site around 9 pm. At around 10 I got an email already, with a guy saying he's very interested in bf's bike and do we have any more information to add. So bf emailed back and asked what else he wants to know. The guy said he just wanted to make sure we didn't leave anything out, and he's willing to pay the asking price, and can he pay with Paypal. He said he's not around right now but he'll pick the bike up from our location later.

The first red flag for me, is the bike wasn't even listed for an hour and he's willing to spend $6500 on something he's never seen in person, PLUS all of bf's gear without trying anything on?

Second, he asked for more pictures and my boyfriend asked what he wants pictures of, thinking he just meant maybe pictures of the jacket, helmet, gloves... but he just said "Just some more close-up pictures" ????? I don't mind sending more pictures if they know what they want to see... but we have put up pictures from all sides of the bike, and a close-up of the "dash" to show the KMs and display. He doesn't even seem to know what he wants to see.

Third, he's just being really pushy about "I need your registered paypal account email so I can send the money" like he wants to get on this RIGHT NOW.

There are many other bikes up for sale right now, and some are cheaper and newer than bf's (which is why we named a price and included OBO) so we don't know why he zeroed in on this one right away. I just have a weird gut feeling about it, and so does my bf. He thinks this guy is just weird.

If we give him our Paypal information, is there any way he can scam us? Or is it totally secure?? I've used Paypal before, but I've never dealt with someone who seems so sketchy.

When ever I use the free advertising sites I get emails almost instantly from people similar to what you got. I simply delete them...if someone is truly interested in what I have for sale they will call the number I put in the ad.

I don't use Paypal though so I don't know anything about their system.

Thanks for the reply! We didn't post our number in the ad, but my boyfriend gave his cell number in the reply email, and told him to call us in the morning if he had questions, and he also specifically said "I can send more pictures, just tell me what you want me to focus on" I'm assuming someone serious about buying a bike over the internet without seeing it would say something like, I want to see the bolts on the fairings, I want to see the tires, etc. But all he said was "Just some more close-up pictures" My bf also let this guy know that he has the original mirrors that he can include, and the guy didn't even seem to notice. He just doesn't care about the things he should care about, and that's what seems so sketchy :confused:

If it were me, i would get his email address and send him the invoice through paypal. That way you will be covered by paypal's system. If he doesn't have a paypal account, you will see that when you send the invoice. I think paypal has a new policy now that they hold the funds for 21 days. This allows the buyer to change their mind or file a chargeback on you. If this happens, he will have the bike and get his money back too!! :eek: Paypal is on the side of the buyer right now so please be careful! I wouldn't release the bike until that time period has expired. I would read up on paypal's policies about this before selling something that expensive.
Go with your gut...it's usually right! :)

Thank you for that information!!!

I think we might just tell him we'd be more comfortable if he came by with a bank-issued certified cheque instead. Obviously he needs to come by to get it anyway.

:rolleyes:

I said we would be more comfortable with a certified cheque, and I understand he's away right now but I asked when he might be back and able to come see the bike and gear for himself. He just replied "Not coming back anytime soon" :rolleyes: It feels so much like there's something else going on here.

I think I would be worried too. Sounds like something strange may be going on here.

I asked if he'd have a friend willing to look at the bike for him in the meantime, and I also asked when he planned to pick it up, if he wasn't coming back "anytime soon" He said "In a weeks time and if I had a friend I wouldn't be bothering you."

:confused::confused:

I told him we can hold it for a week if he wants to come back with a certified cheque then. If not, we'll sell it to someone else. This guy seems like such a sketchpad :rolleyes: I think we're wasting our time with him.

Listen to your gut. When I am selling something expensive on craigslist I always say cash and pickup only. There are too many scams out there and I know I am not well versed enough to prevent myself from getting taken.

FOR GOODNESS SAKES after I said he can bring a certified cheque in a week when he comes to pick it up, he replied again "not coming back anytime soon"

I'm not aware of scams through PayPal like that but I would say follow your gut if something doesn't seem right.
If it smells fishy, tell him to take a swim. JK :p :D
To be safe, cash only.

Listen to your intuition. If it doesn't feel right, then it probably isn't. I would agree with cash only, and be sure you have one of those marking pens to be sure that you don't get any funny money.

We both decided to just be done with him. I'm not replying anymore. I have bought things off this site (kijiji) many times, and if I can't be there to pay and get it as soon as possible, I let them know WHY so they don't think I'm being fishy. I don't know if this guy doesn't live around here, if he is away for work, or what is going on, because he's not giving any information and that just seems sketchy. "I will not be back anytime soon" "I will pick it up in a week" "I will not be back anytime soon" It's just not normal. We'll just wait for a normal person.

I wouldn't use Paypal for something like that. Most people don't realize that Paypal can reverse a Payment if the buyer empties their band account after the fact.

That happened to me once. I sent an order of bows that were paid through Paypal, then found out the payment was reversed a week later. My buyer had overdrawn their account and the bank wanted to recoup it's money so they reversed her recent Paypal payments. :eek:

In my case, it was a repeat customer who just sent me a money order. It was also only $25 worth of bows.

I had no idea Paypal payments could be reversed by a buyer's bank before this happened.

I'd insist on a cashiers check from anyone who buys the motorcycle.

Thank you!!! This morning we were feeling uneasy about it but thought Paypal was safe so we were just going to go through with it anyway. I'm so glad I asked here!!! Plus I really don't want to sell something like this just over the internet :rolleyes: I do want to meet whoever is buying it. Our bikes are kind of our babies and we want them to be taken care of too!