PayPal Experts, need advice!

[alnev]

So I'm selling my laptop on Craigslist for $350.
This guy sends me an email that he wants to pay via PayPal $500 plus shipping. The first thing I'm thinking that this is a scam, after he gets the laptop, he makes a chargeback and I am left without laptop and money.

So I wrote him that I will accept his PayPal payment, but the description on the invoice will have to be "non-refundable web-design services", I thought that this way I'll protect myself against his scam.
To my bigest surprise, today he said OK, I should send him the invoice.

What do you guys think about this, I am more than 99% sure that this is a scam, but will he win the PayPal case if he does a chargeback?
Any opinions welcome Thanks!

[jbluntz]

I've sold on craigslist via paypal before and had someone open a SNAD and it was closed within minutes in my favor, not sure about credit card charge backs though for items over $250 it's good to have signature delivery.

[alnev]

You see, even if I use signature confirmation, he can claim that I sent him a box of chocolate instead of a laptop and then PayPal will still give him the money back. Don't you think?

[GreenBean]

FFS, you have doubts about doing this.
DONT DO IT. Simples.

It's a con., scam, annoyance and dangerous for you. YOU could lose money.

Dont be fooled. AND dont be seeing if you can do something bad like that....

[jbluntz]

Maybe but like I said I already had an snad closed in my favor for a $100 item and I didn't even use signature confirmation that time but if he's paying with credit card it might be different.

[alnev]

Originally Posted by GreenBean™

FFS, you have doubts about doing this.
DONT DO IT. Simples.

It's a con., scam, annoyance and dangerous for you.

You are right, common sense says not to do it.
BUT It's fun to play with the idea of fooling a scammer
You know that feeling when you've been suspended from Amazon, but you still manage to create a new seller account, because you are smarter and you beat the system!
It's challenging, it's adrenaline pumping and maybe... fun

[jbluntz]

See there you go, FUN that's the key word, not harsh and serious like others make it out to be, it's all fun...

[rsot]

Hold the phone here - the buyer wants to OVERPAY you via pa yp al? That rings bells and whistles - my key motto is this: "When you can avoid pa yp al, do so" - especially for this kind of reason shrug.

[GrannyT]

No that's not a scam

I get people wanting to pay me over the odds all the time.

One very nice gentleman from Nigeria is sending me a cheque for $5,000 for a £100 item and he has asked if I will pay the rest to a friend of his who needs the money - he even offered me $50 for my trouble - I'm off down the WU office now

OF COURSE IT'S A SCAM!!!!!

[alnev]

Originally Posted by GrannyT

OF COURSE IT'S A SCAM!!!!!

We know it's a scam.
The actual question is: is there any way to play the scammer?

[GrannyT]

Originally Posted by alnev

We know it's a scam.
The actual question is: is there any way to play the scammer?

Oh yes - lots - I love playing scammers - I used to play on 419eater.com - if you want a bit of fun with it you can. Get them to pay you by WU

[rsot]

@GTran - how's about you just send me 200 quid in order to liberate the 10k quid that is waiting unclaimed here in Canada with your name on it? Cmon - I's a finunciel expurt

[GrannyT]

Wow - 10K? - for me? - that's fantastic!! - where do I send the £200 to? - it's a bargain!!

[KingRay]

Don t do it. I have a full peg board full of bank draft checks and business checks from scammers doing just this but with money orders. I mess with them and hang them on for a while just to piss them off.

No matter what do not do this. Think about it. Why would ANYONE pay more for it than they need to? you cant think of any reason and because its BS.

Just wait for a cash offer. If its a decent deal then it will happen. He will win a chargeback for sure. Doesnt matter what you say or have signed for. He will win and paypal will do nothing for you on it. Been there once already and it sucks.

You are just seeing dollar signs. Even you think its 99% a scam. That alone would say not to do it.

Jbluntz won his but do you want to chance $500? I wouldnt.

[SUVE]

Don't do it, move on from this.

Not worth the time or effort to get tangled up in some sort of cat & mouse game with the scammer in trying to outwit him/her.

[GreenBean]

Originally Posted by alnev

You are right, common sense says not to do it.
BUT It's fun to play with the idea of fooling a scammer
You know that feeling when you've been suspended from Amazon, but you still manage to create a new seller account, because you are smarter and you beat the system!
It's challenging, it's adrenaline pumping and maybe... fun

Agree with that concept.
But on a one to one,there will be a loser.

Is that you?

[happycustomer]

Spin roulette wheel in Vegas, not with paypal?

Urge them to send via WU. LOL

[GTB]

yeah it would really be temptin to scam this dude thinking he is a scammer,BUT

if he`s not,then you have just screwed over a genuine buyer

plus if he is a scammer,he wont pay by wu anyways

[vigilantex69]

Originally Posted by alnev

So I'm selling my laptop on Craigslist for $350.
This guy sends me an email that he wants to pay via PayPal $500 plus shipping. The first thing I'm thinking that this is a scam, after he gets the laptop, he makes a chargeback and I am left without laptop and money.

So I wrote him that I will accept his PayPal payment, but the description on the invoice will have to be "non-refundable web-design services", I thought that this way I'll protect myself against his scam.
To my bigest surprise, today he said OK, I should send him the invoice.

What do you guys think about this, I am more than 99% sure that this is a scam, but will he win the PayPal case if he does a chargeback?
Any opinions welcome Thanks!

DONT DO IT!! I GOT RIPPED OFF!!! What they are doing is stealing peoples credit card information. Then the person does a chargeback and paypal will take it out of your account NO MATTER WHAT!! I got ripped off from a digital camera this way. I thought I was covered even if they filed a dispute. It turns out the paypal account was being used with a stolen credit card, and read the fine print in paypal they will immediately take the money out from your account weeks later. I PROMISE! I LOST A $300 CAMERA THIS WAY!!!!

[vigilantex69]

Originally Posted by KingRay

Don t do it. I have a full peg board full of bank draft checks and business checks from scammers doing just this but with money orders. I mess with them and hang them on for a while just to piss them off.

No matter what do not do this. Think about it. Why would ANYONE pay more for it than they need to? you cant think of any reason and because its BS.

Just wait for a cash offer. If its a decent deal then it will happen. He will win a chargeback for sure. Doesnt matter what you say or have signed for. He will win and paypal will do nothing for you on it. Been there once already and it sucks.

You are just seeing dollar signs. Even you think its 99% a scam. That alone would say not to do it.

Jbluntz won his but do you want to chance $500? I wouldnt.

It is a scam. The guy that bought my camera payed $350 for it when I was only asking $150. I got ripped off through craigslist.

[SweetPea]

Right off the site..
You can sidestep would-be scammers by following these common-sense rules:

DEAL LOCALLY WITH FOLKS YOU CAN MEET IN PERSON - follow this one rule and avoid 99% of scam attempts on craigslist.
NEVER WIRE FUNDS VIA WESTERN UNION, MONEYGRAM or any other wire service - anyone who asks you to do so is a scammer.
⊗⊗⊗⊗ CASHIER CHECKS & MONEY ORDERS ARE COMMON, and BANKS WILL CASH THEM AND THEN HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE when the ⊗⊗⊗⊗ is discovered weeks later.
CRAIGSLIST IS NOT INVOLVED IN ANY TRANSACTION, and does not handle payments, guarantee transactions, provide escrow services, or offer "buyer protection" or "seller certification"
NEVER GIVE OUT FINANCIAL INFORMATION (bank account number, social security number, eBay/PayPal info, etc.)
AVOID DEALS INVOLVING SHIPPING OR ESCROW SERVICES and know that ONLY A SCAMMER WILL "GUARANTEE" YOUR TRANSACTION

[SweetPea]

Scammers also want the "excess" from the check/MO sent BACK to them