Can't figure out the scam

jthree

Turbocharged
Joined
Nov 9, 2008
Messages
678
Location
Ontario, Canada
Ride
2007 Rocket III Classic
Can anyone enlighten me as to how this works. I have advertised a bike and now have received two, almost identical, "offers". Here's the latest...

"I will purchase at your listed price.Payment will be sent using PayPal and ill handle the PayPal surcharge if they are any.Let me know if you are ok with this,so that I can arrange for pick up as i wont be able to do it myself as i am out of town at the moment.I would appreciate if you email me with more pictures (if available) too,since i won't be be able to see this in person,what's the PayPal email to send funds to in order for me to pay you ASAP."

Like I said, the first one was very similar. There has to be a scam here but I can't figure out how it works... Anybody?

Cheers

Jthree
 
There has to be a scam here but I can't figure out how it works... Anybody?

Probably some variation of the Nigerian bogus check scam. Maybe they only want your paypal email address. Surely suspicious.
 
I received a very similar email a few months ago when I was selling a drumset....
"Buyer" wanted to send funds ASAP via PayPal, but was out of town and would arrange to have a "service" pick up the set for him.

I declined his offer and moved on. While I cannot think of how obtaining your PayPal info - which is typically just an email address - would result in some type of fraud without having your passwords and security info....would probably be best to move on to the next buyer.

Or....take a chance and see if the funds show up in your account. If they do...what have you lost?
 
If you do something like that, go into your paypal account and remove all of your checking accounts. If it is a scam and they take credit card money that's one thing .... but if they take your cash, it's gone (at least for awhile).

I believe that if they are serious and honest, they will just hit the paypal button and pay. Asking for weird stuff is not only unnecessary, but fishy.

I guess I'm old school, but if someone calls me on the phone and says "$100 check is in the mail, will you hold it for me?" it's done. If they can't get here for a few days because they are making a living, no problem. Just don't foozle me with electronic nonsense ... make a phone call.
 
from what I see on the net, this appears to be a scam. they pay you and receive the item then dispute the payment.

I'd get in touch with Paypal to see how to proceed.
 
With the check cashing scam, they send money but want some back sent back, and in a couple weeks (you think the check cleared) the bank says the check's bogus, give us our money back. I'm having a hard time imagining they'd send a service to pick up your bike... but stranger things have happened. It's the ASAP, I'll send money plus expenses that really makes you think scam. Let us know how it all works out for you, lol.
 
They must be relying on the PayPal delay somehow. I had heard that paypal could lock up your money indefinitely based on a single complaint. Folks have gone out of business waiting for paypal to release their funds.

It must allow them time to export the vehicle before it can be reported stolen.
Still, what an elaborate scheme just to steal a vehicle.
 
Search confirmed, they send the money, then say they are happy, then say they are sad, then contest with paypal and get a refund. Sale reversal. You are stuck with no vehicle, and paypal riding your ass for their money back. Of course you never see your vehicle again. Frakked.
 
the bear claw saga ....from albertaduke to the captains on this forum it appears that av8r4fun is real and he replied to my email just today, to tell me that being busy he had not had time ..etc..etc yet he cashed my M.O . anyway soon we will know if that bear claw show up on my front porch then I will retract my earlier statement about con- artistry
did not mean to hijack the thread but it is same sad story. the nigerian scam, the libyean scam etc etc
 
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