Thank you Thank you Thank you

[oldworldlady]

My son, old enough to know everything, came rushing in to find me and tell me he'd sold his Land Cruiser on Gum.....

The guy was even going to pay with Paypal and have his mate pick it up as he was working offshore.

Thanks to all you lovely people on here who have publicised this enough for me to be able to warn him in time.

I told him to ask for cash or Western Union only.

He hasn't heard back, yet...

]:)

[kopenhagen5]

Sounds like the classic car scam to get info on accounts or sending a fake PayPal email that looks like the real stating they have paid with extra so all your son needs to do is transfer the extra to the freight company.

I have also heard Western Union is not safe either and I know ebay don't except them. But you won't be selling a car to a real person overseas anyway so won't need it.

Good on you, mum always knows best. 🙂

[davewil1964]

Western Union is perfectly safe for the receiver. Just like cash. That's why scammers use it.

[thesoulyearns]

Is there any way a pick-up only item can cover the seller or are pick-up items simply not coverable in any form?

[putney32]

Is there any way a pick-up only item can cover the seller or are pick-up items simply not coverable in any form?

not coverable, because the buyer is expected to Inspect and Test before handing over the money

[*bad*angel*]

Western Union is quite safe to accept as a seller as long as you dont hand over the item til you have the cash, it's as a buyer that you dont touch it with a barge pole.

As to whether there is any way to protect yourself as a seller with pick up items, getting details such as a drivers license number from the person collecting and getting them to sign for the item wont help with eBay but it will help if you have to follow up with the police or other authorities. I've even heard of sellers taking pictures at the time of collection.

[thesoulyearns]

not coverable, because the buyer is expected to Inspect and Test before handing over the money

I mean, you simply can't post a car... but if the seller is not covered in the transaction, it's a massive risk to potentially be scammed out of thousands of dollars... but there's no other way to sell it?? There must be something I'm missing here... not having a go at anyone, just very confused...

[patchoo78]

I mean, you simply can't post a car... but if the seller is not covered in the transaction, it's a massive risk to potentially be scammed out of thousands of dollars... but there's no other way to sell it?? There must be something I'm missing here... not having a go at anyone, just very confused...

If you buy a car, you should pay cash on pick up, at which stage the buyer is expected to inspect the car before handing over the cash

The seller can't be swindled, as they're the ones who will be receiving the money.. 

If someone is silly enough to pay PayPal, for a pick up item, I suppose they could, but as the buyer is expected to inspect the item before handing over cash they will probably lose if they try and open a Not as Described Dispute

[thesoulyearns]

Thanks, patchoo. So, the safest for both sides is a cash transaction by the buyer where they pay after inspecting the goods.

[oldworldlady]

There's NO WAY I would ever pay for anything with Western Union, but it's safe for the receiver to accept it. I think it was really meant for family transfers and things where trust was absolute.

It's rotten there are so many scammers out there, but at least son and his three mates learnt in time.

Thanks again, everybody.