Uneasy about buyer. Trust my gut?

bulletproofsoul

bulletproofsoul

Always on the hunt
O.G.
Jan 18, 2007
4,692
43
#1
Hi all, I just wanted to get some opinions on what to do with this buyer. I sold a necklace via buy it now to a buyer in France. Because paypal cannot confirm the address as they are outside the US, I have no seller protection. This buyer is pressing me to undervalue the item (sold for $300.00), gift wrap it (I did not state anything about gift wrapping in my auction) and send it to the same address but a different name. The name on the paypal account was a non-French very ethnic sounding name, but C/O a French name and address. This person has already changed their ebay user name as of a day or so ago, and had a listing removed under the previous user name via ebay this weekend. All 49 of their feedbacks are positive so I decided to look further into it this morning. Almost all listings were "private" but when I clicked on the sellers' feedbacks for these items, and looked into their current auctions almost ALL of them were 1 cent ebooks. Now I am very nervous and I am thinking about just refunding this person. They keep telling me to ship as a gift even though I keep responding that I cannot do this. They have contacted me today to see if I shipped but to try to scare them, I told them that I am corresponding with paypal to check about the gift thing and mailing to a different person (even though I know full well the paypal rules about this).

Trust my gut?
 
#3
Mmm... I think you're right - it just sounds so fishy! I had an ebay auction end the other day (I was the winning bidder) and although it's highly unlike me, for whatever reason I took a couple of days to pay (I usually pay immediately / within hours). Something just felt dodgy. Waddaya know, about 48 hours I get an email from eBay telling me not to complete the transaction.
 
#4
Definitely trust your instinct. If you claim the item is less, you're on the hook for the full amount the buyer paid if the package gets lost. This buyer sounds pretty ridiculous, I'd sell it to the next highest bidder.
 
#5
Ugh. Now they just contacted me after my last message stating that I am talking it over with paypal and they told me I could go ahead and send to the name/address on the paypal account and that the item is a gift to their BF and the address is the same. This makes sense, but I'm still very suspicious. Now they want to buy my other necklace I have listed which already has a bid and no buy it now, but I'm really nervous. Maybe I'm paranoid, but I'm so sick of all the horror stories.
 
#7
the buyer sounds suspicious and pushy. refund their money on the first item and block them from buying your other item. there are just too many scammers out there and it's best to be safe than sorry!!

good luck!!
 
#8
Don't undervalue because you would be held reliable for the amount if it got lost and it would be tax/customs fraud (don't know about the law in the US but I'm sure it's illegal as well).
If you're willing to take the neg because you didn't complete your end, perhaps do that and block them from your other auction?
 
#9
Definately trust your instinct - if she wants it that badly let her bank wire transfer into your account. She may well have accessed somebody elses eBay account etc. Refund and advise that you cannot send to unconfirmed address.
 
#10
gtomad said:
Definately trust your instinct - if she wants it that badly let her bank wire transfer into your account. She may well have accessed somebody elses eBay account etc. Refund and advise that you cannot send to unconfirmed address.
Click to expand...

This is exactly what I'm thinking of doing. I'm going to see how it goes...

Thanks everyone. And just to reiterate, I was never willing to send with a lower value on the customs declaration. I just wanted to relay to everyone what the buyer was asking me to do.
 
#11
A "0" feedback buyer is not in the position to ask for so many odd shipping changes. I don't think an honest newbie would do that. Trust your gut, for sure.
 
#12
Jayne1 said:
A "0" feedback buyer is not in the position to ask for so many odd shipping changes. I don't think an honest newbie would do that. Trust your gut, for sure.
Click to expand...

They don't have "0" feedback. They have 49 suspicious "ebook" feedbacks, though, all within the last 30 days! AND they've changed their ebay name 3 times in the last few months. Original name, changed name, then back to original. I'm very worried now and am going to just refund. My gut is telling me "stay away!" :s
 
#14
Yes have her make a wire transfer for both bracelets and then send them insured etc. What happens after that is their problem. Avoid Paypal at all costs, esp if it is an international transaction with no seller protection.

Better to be safe than sorry!!!!
 
#15
Run, don't walk, away from this transaction. Block bidder asap and refund fully. Just say...item is no longer available or it was damaged and you just noticed it...anytime you think or feel something is not right it usually is not and, if it is legit, oh, well...plenty more buyers out there. I would not let her wire anything to you..no access to your financial info of any kind.
 
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