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Hi,
I'm selling my bike on pinkbike and someone has asked about them arranging a courier for pick up. Could this be a scam attempt? The user doesn't seem to have any history on pb which sets the alarm bells ringing already.
I'm assuming they'd pay for it with PayPal, get a courier to pick up (or someone posing as a courier), and then claim it was never received and get a refund. Or something along those lines?
Evidence the pick up.
If they pay by PayPal normal payment (not gift) how will you obtain proof that it has been delivered to the registered PayPal address? That’s what PayPal will ask for. If someone else organises it then it might be impossible to get that proof.
I've suggested that I could arrange the courier and pass the cost on. I'll see if I get a reply.
If they pay by PayPal normal payment (not gift) how will you obtain proof that it has been delivered to the registered PayPal address? That’s what PayPal will ask for. If someone else organises it then it might be impossible to get that proof.
That's what would concern me.
PayPal gift or bank transfer before collection.
No issues for you then.
What Neal said. If they're not happy, tough shit
I'd prefer PP gift as cant be reversed, I believe Bank Transfers can (but open to be corrected)
What happens is that they pay by bank transfer, it goes through at first then theres a fault on it some days later so the bank takes the money back off you. So you have your bike stolen. Pink bike is full of these scammers.I always just say cash on collection only.
Pink bike is full of people from Nigeria who say that they are on holiday at the moment abroad in Africa. Thats why they need to send a courier. If someone is that interested in your bike that they want it they will come to collect it themselves if possible. I was getting loads of these messages when I once advertised a bike on there. Stick to Gumtree and Facebook marketplace if its a lower end bike.
Not just pink bike. Regarding my XC bike for sale in the classifieds 😉 I've had a guy from Lithuania with no forum history contact me, and last night from Gumtree a guy from Dundee wanting my address pre-paypal payment so he can send a "man in a van" yet refusing courier delivery of £27.
Naturally I don't want to be burgled so I said I'd release an address when I have cleared funds in Paypal. I haven't heard from him again yet....
OP, paypal gift or cash on collection (meet somewhere away from home). If they say no then ta ta to them.
Ask yourself this question:
Have you ever bought anything in the history of ever and felt the need to suggest to the buyer that you'd arrange a courier rather than them?
Had a genuine sounding message recently from someone via pink bike. He messaged me via WhatsApp and the number that came up was from Qatar....
Anyway I had a chat with the dude on the phone. Said he’s surprised I answered as not many people do when they see his number. Said he works in Qatar often and asked if he could arrange a courier to his dads address in the uk.
Nah mate, collection only like the add says!
Still not sure if it was a scam or not. He sounded genuine to speak to.
Mostly suspicious about the fact I can’t find him on social media or Strava....
Sold something on here a few years ago and they arranged their own courier, who turned out to be something like Polish. I was very very paranoid. All went very smoothly. Not sure I would do it again though!
I sold an antique table on ebay recently. He arranged a courier. Courier sent me all the collection details and signed for it. I took a picture of it in the van as proof it had been collected and the condition when it left my house. I also had the ebay messages. It wasn't an issue. Table arrived and buyer was very happy.
[i]Have you ever bought anything in the history of ever and felt the need to suggest to the buyer that you’d arrange a courier rather than them?[/i]
Yes. Try buying a suspended single passenger van seat, having watched two items on ebay.de for over a year I finally admitted defeat and accepted that I was not going to find one closer to home. Seller would not ship internationally so I had to arrange my own courier. It was a pain in the backside, so I would only imagine anyone would do this for a particularly special or rare bike!
PayPal gift CAN be reversed if they use a stolen PayPal account / claim their account was hacked.
Was it not someone on here about 6 months ago was scammed out of an Orange frame. It was more complicated than a straight sale but ultimately lost the money as it was paid from a stolen PayPal account.
I’d prefer PP gift as cant be reversed, I believe Bank Transfers can (but open to be corrected)
The opposite is true.
PayPal gift transfers can be cancelled if the buyer claims their account was hacked or if they use a credit card to fund the transfer and then initiate a credit card chargeback on PayPal.
Payment to your bank a/c by faster payment (the normal way these days) can't be reversed - unless the person recieving the cash consents.