Hmmm??!

[Evia]

UK buyer contacts me asking if I take paypal and would I accept an offer, I answer yes to paypal via eBay, and point out the listing is already open to offers. Second message some hours later from buyer offers just less than asking price, + additional sum for postage (which in total is rather more than my original price and postage) asking me to send a money request invoice to an email address. Seller says bag is a gift for "someone important working on missionary field abroad" I'm smelling a rat and I'm guessing the follow up message, if I accepted, would be asking me to post somewhere obscure, and that this is a scam and I wouldn't receive the payment? Am I correct?

 

[whateve]

It sounds like a scam. I imagine you would get a spoof email that would look like you had just received money from paypal. They ask for the invoice so they can get your email address for the spoof.

 

[anthrosphere]

Yes, whateve is correct. I strongly suggest you add the buyer on your block bidder list, here: http://pages.ebay.com/services/buyandsell/biddermanagement.html

If they continue to message you, just ignore them and move on.

 

[BeenBurned]

Don't do it!

 

[Evia]

Don't do it!

No, I blocked the buyer and then told them to s*d off! I thought it might be a scam, as it was such a silly story, just wondered if it was a known one. I sometimes wonder if I'm being overly cynical re eBay buyers

 

[BeenBurned]

I thought it might be a scam, as it was such a silly story, just wondered if it was a known one.

Yeah, it's a pretty common one.

As @whateve described, he'd send a genuine-looking email with a Paypal header telling you that the payment is in escrow and once you provide tracking that shows movement, the money would be released to you. You'll never see the money and the scammer will get your item free.

 

[NouveauRicheOblige]

Why would a missionary want a luxury or designer purse while in the field anyway? Do scammers ever think of that?