Paypal Question

[shane_c]

I'm selling a camera and someone a few hours away wants to buy it. He has a friend locally and I suggested he transfer the money to him, he pays me cash, and then takes the camera. His friend would prefer the funds are transferred to me and for him to just pick it up.

He asked for my account # to transfer the money but obviously I don't feel comfortable doing that.

Is there any way I could get ripped off if he transferred it to my paypal account?

Or would it be safer if he was to mail me a money order?

[squiggs96]

It sounds like a scam, but I'm usually skeptical on these things.

That's not really how PayPal works either. You can send him an invoice or he can send a payment to an email address, but account numbers aren't needed. Ask for a payment through an Interac E-Transfer. PayPal accounts can be hacked and false payments can be made. It's really tough to fake an E-Transfer though, since the payments are made from a bank account and not necessarily from a credit card in PayPal.

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

Go money order. Paypal takes forever, in my experience.

[return to the red]

Speaking from past experience I have had no problem with paypal but I would suggest you do the following things:

Document everything, what you have sold, the agreed upon price, sold "as is", any correspondence that you have had about the sale, etc

Make sure the money is transferred into your paypal account before handing over the goods, also note that paypal will take a fee for using their service.

[T@T]

The minute Ebay got their scruffy hands on paypal it turned to

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by shane_c

He asked for my account # to transfer the money but obviously I don't feel comfortable doing that.

That makes zero sense. Any time I've used paypal it's been an email address, not an account #.

Why would his friend care if he gets the cash to pay for it or you get paid directly?

I'd tell him interac or cash only.

[MrSector9]

email money transfer is the way to go.

instantly in your account, he can put a memo in the send "for camera model:#####" when you accept you can put a note in there. you only have to give him your email address, he makes up a "question/answer" and lets you know it so only you can accept the money.

[Northendzone]

I will pay you for the camera plus an extra $1,000 and the just send me the camera and the change....

[sun]

This is very likely a scam and not worth the hassle of dealing with if not. ONLY deal locally when selling things on craiglist, kijiji, etc. Did this guy haggle with you on price at all? If not, that is another red flag. I have bought/sold a bunch of camera gear on craigslist. Cash only, face to face in a public place are my rules.

[REDVAN]

If someone comes to meet you wish cash for a camera, do you really care what happens after?

I mean, if the guy (his "friend) giving you the cash is the one getting scammed, maybe you should warn him, but as long as you get your money and get rid of the camera, I'm not sure I see where the issue is...

On the other hand, once he asked for your account number, maybe he is just a dumbass? Give him a safe email address, and have him email you the money- then you can give the camera to his friend.

I can't believe you need to ask people online about common sense.

[Nage Waza]

Originally Posted by return to the red

Speaking from past experience I have had no problem with paypal but I would suggest you do the following things:

Document everything, what you have sold, the agreed upon price, sold "as is", any correspondence that you have had about the sale, etc

Make sure the money is transferred into your paypal account before handing over the goods, also note that paypal will take a fee for using their service.

I am not so sure about that...if the paypal account is hacked, then you are simply handing over the item, then days later you find out the funds have been yanked.

This is a scam, stay far away. Anything that is not perfectly straight forward is not worth the time.

[Rathji]

Don't use paypal for a transaction like this - almost all of the 'safety' features of paypal do nothing outside of ebay and actually make it more likely that the scammer can create a transaction that appears real.

As has been mentioned, cash or email interac only, if it was me. Also simplifies your conversation with him, because as soon as he refuses, you know for 100% sure he is a scammer.

[shane_c]

Originally Posted by REDVAN

I can't believe you need to ask people online about common sense.

I didn't come on here to ask if it would be safe to give him my account #.

I told him to transfer the money to his local friend, his friend pays me in cash and then I give him the camera. How he gets the camera to him I don't really care once I have the money.

His friend didn't want to do this (for whatever reason) so he asked for an account # so he can transfer me the money. As I said in my OP, 'obviously I don't feel comfortable doing that'. I told him that no I would prefer cash so he said he would figure something out.

Since I'm unfamiliar with paypal and how people make payments that way I decided to ask on here since I know a lot on here use it and could give me some info on if it's a safe way to accept payments... in case he should ask to pay that way.

I'm pretty sure it's not a scam. His email is from a university a few hours from here. It's in a little town so if you want anything you'd likely have to go on the internet to get it. Judging by his name I'm guessing he's an international student and may not be familiar with how things are done here. He told me his friend goes to a university here, which happens to be the one I work at.

[shane_c]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

I will pay you for the camera plus an extra $1,000 and the just send me the camera and the change....

Someone emailed me something along those lines when I was selling a camera a few years ago. Except he was going to send me the $1000 and I could keep the change for my troubles in sending it to him in the UK. He was much more generous than you.

[shane_c]

Originally Posted by kunkstyle

That makes zero sense. Any time I've used paypal it's been an email address, not an account #.

Why would his friend care if he gets the cash to pay for it or you get paid directly?

I'd tell him interac or cash only.

I'm pretty sure he's an international student so maybe he's not using the right words.

[Gobsgraham]

Send him your email address and tell him you will only accept a Paypal gift payment wit the buyer paying the fees. Otherwise walk away.

[Reaper]

Originally Posted by shane_c

I'm pretty sure he's an international student so maybe he's not using the right words.

"I am an exchange student from Nigeria..."