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Mark of a scammer...learn not to burn.

So, my ad says USA only and "zero feedback and lowball offers will be politely ignored". Mr. X says he'd like to buy it at my price - I never do "Buy it now", rather preferring to entertain offers only so I can be running the show..not him. I ask to have his phone number so I can discuss with him, answering his "how old. etc." questions directly (and figuring out if he is a knowledgeable sort of audiophile who would be buying a $7K preamp- we audiophiles love to talk audio). Here is a classic response, I think, of a scammer:

"From: (zero feedback guy)  
Aug 1, 2016 9:52pm
I live in Switzerland! You probably don't want to phone me (then there's the 6-hr. time difference). I would want the XXX shipped to my niece in Virginia. Give me your number and a convenient time to call and I'll phone you. What about 3:00pm (EDT) tomorrow afternoon?"

Maybe not a scammer....that's why I omitted (His?) names. But it has all the classical markings, I don't really want to point them out so as to educate any bad guys, but you can spot them. But if it looks like, smells like and walks like this....BEWARE. I'm sure he has a very nice niece but I didn't care to carry on a further discussion with someone in Nigeria or Jamaica. 

(This was a zero feedback chap but be sure to take a look at their feedback record and make sure it hasn't just been packed with recent co-conspirators- often zero feedback sorts themselves- feedback to have some "feedback".)

So now, I want to ask you a question. What worries me, and shouldn't I be worried, about someone with a stolen credit card using paypal? They would "send me money" and only later, after the unit has been sent, would I find out there was a problem with the card. Would paypal then want/pull money back out of my account to cover or is that what you are paying for with 3% fees? Insurance? Or does the credit card company take the hit and that is why they suffer such large losses....(and thought up DEBIT Cards)? Thanks for your help & Be Careful Out There.




truman
lak's avatar
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lak
4,529 posts
 
+1 albertporter & swampwalker.

truman OP
167 posts
 
Thank you Albert, good advice taken.

Further investigation alarmingly reveals:
From Paypal website, agreement form:
"4.3 Risk of Reversals, Chargebacks and Claims. When you receive a payment, you are liable to PayPal for the full amount of the payment sent to you plus any Fees if the payment is later invalidated for any reason. This means that, in addition to any other liability, you will be responsible for the amount of the payment sent by the sender, plus the applicable Fees listed in Section 8 (Fees) of this Agreement if you lose a Claim or a Chargeback or if there is a Reversal of the payment. You agree to allow PayPal to recover any amounts due to PayPal by debiting your Balance. If there are insufficient funds in your Balance to cover your liability, you agree to reimburse PayPal through other means. If a sender of a payment files a Chargeback, the credit card issuer, not PayPal, will determine who wins the Chargeback."

Yikes! Chargebacks are what happens when a credit card user or a bank files a claim because of a charge on a stolen card. Really, the bank will decide if you need to pay them back... and paypal can access your accounts to make it so? 

audiofreak32's avatar
audiofreak32
281 posts
 
I sold a set of speaker cables just recently to someone that was from Vietnam, but wanted the item sent to his friend in California.  I agreed, he sent the PayPal payment and I mailed his package USPS Priority with tracking.  I also even took photos of the package with address and the item in the package.  After a week or so, he says that his friend did not get the package and made a claim on PP.  So I replied to the claim with a lengthy reply to PP along with the tracking number and photos I had taken.  I also included a photo of the e-mail where he had asked me to send to XXX address.  PayPal sided with him anyway and I was out $250. 

PayPal = POOP
czarivey
5,680 posts
 
Even locals like to practice paypal chargeback.
It’s the scammer’s favorite schema using their pal.
Dealing with payment processors or payment processing companies is identical to the boxing ring where you must protect yourself at all times and keep your hands up or you’ll get the blow at any unexpected time.
I have about 6 paypal accounts linked to the generic prepaid card banks so to make sure I’m covered. If anyone provides to paypal their personal bank, they must be out of their minds, because hackers get through paypal all the time to grab your personal info. I always retrieve paypal funds ASAP after payment is received to the different paypal account via friends-family transfer. if they want to place one of my accounts negative due to the scam, i’ll let them do it and ignore forget all the communication.
So I'm charge-back proof. If I loose one of paypal accounts I use, I won't regret and I'll be all right.
jea48
4,268 posts
 
Sold item must be sent to the buyer’s verified address listed on the PayPal account. Period.
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