Is This a Scam or is it Legit?

[a-stray-s]

Hi,

I have an item listed and someone from South Africa has asked to buy it and said to send them a paypal invoice and they want to have me send it to South Africa.  They are a new ebay account.  It sounds dodgy but I am wondering if they have my bank account details or they pay via paypal can they do anything to hurt me like steal my money or my identity?  Ive never had something like this happen before.

Thanks heaps in advance everyone.

[a-stray-s]

This is the email but I have deleted out the email they used and amount just in case its real.

Thank you for getting back to me, I will be offering you AU$XXX for the cost of the items including  shipping cost to my son, as am sending the item on my behalf to my adopted-son as a Christmas Gift, he is currently studying in a missionary college in  Southern Africa.I want the item sent to him Via (AUSTRALIAN POST EXPRESS with Insurance) for Fast Delivery, I will like to know the present condition of the item.

Kindly send me a paypal invoice money request to my email so that i can make the payment, or get back to me on my email using the item number as the subject and also with your bank details or to this so that i can make payment. and you can post the item to him.

[digital*ghost]

It is a scam.

Don't reply to it at all, and it will probably help make sure you have the right blocks in place by going to My eBay > Account > Site Preferences > Buyer requirements, and activate the blocks buyers from purchasing when their postage address is in a country you don't post to. (The phone verification block can also thwart these types of scammers).

[nevillesdaughter]

If you send them an invoice stating that you only accept Paypal, you are both protected - the buyer sees no details at all. Exchanging bank details for direct deposit is riskier and you have no seller protection if things go pear-shaped.

If he doesn't pay, just proceed with a non-paying bidder claim after 4 days and you'll be fine. Your fees will be refunde and you can re-list after another 4 days. Just don't accept any other payment apart from Paypal, and make sure you factor in enough postage.

Good luck,

Marina.

[nevillesdaughter]

Apologies - I replied before seeing your second email. I agree - it's a scam.

Marina.

[a-stray-s]

Thanks so much everyone.  I had a bad feeling but I had never seen this before.  And I always thought if you use Paypal you are protected but I was worried that there is some new scam/method of stealing that I have not learned about yet.

[digital*ghost]

They can send fake payment emails and tell you things like the money will be released when the item is received, or even offer to send a higher amount than the item and postage, then get you to wire transfer the so-called extra funds to their "collection agent", but ultimately it works out that you send money and/or item, then get nothing in return.

Plus they farm any info you send (they don't need your bank details to make a PayPal payment).

[kopenhagen5]

Even if the scammer doesn't get the item they then try to use to information they gained through the transaction.

Many scams, although appear to scam an item or money, are designed to only gain and marry up information from email, ebay account and PayPal account.

That's why digi suggests not to communicate at all and block them.

Edit, Ah I see digi is on the ball as per usual.  (Merry Christmas DG )

[go-tazz]

Just follow the first part of this guide on how to deal with it,

http://www.ebay.com.au/gds/Nigeria-is-a-scam-Fake-shipping-agent-Contact-Live-Help-/1000000001695207...

[digital*ghost]

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@kopenhagen5 wrote:

(Merry Christmas DG )

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And to you, kopes. 😄