PayPal scam for my car

[coomo]

Not sure if PP rules are the same worldwide.In the USA I believe, there is no buyer protection for vehicles.Might be the same here.I run an Ebay shop.Buyers get miffed when they use PP then I wont let them collect a 10k item."Cash or wire,your choice"
However, there was one occasion, where a "buyer" in France enquired about an item.It stank of a scam.I played along, expecting it to eventually go cold.Should have seen my face, when my other half called me to the door telling me Pierre is here, for the xxxxx!!! He ewen had a big bag of sealed Euros,as it was 11pm on a friday night.

[Darren C]

Hmmm,

This works both ways. I exchanged emails with a guy on Pelican parts classified and we agreed a price on his car. I forwarded a $500 paypal deposit (as it was 11pm at night) and asked him for his bank details to wire the money in the morning.

It panic'd him so much he rejected the paypal, and told me the car was sold already.

I'm still a little p*ssed off as it was a great car, and he thought I was a scammer. No amount of emails seemed to help.

[sjm]

Yep - I have to agree. I've thought really hard about this and can see how it really does go both ways. I've had quite a few emails from a guy in America who has basically offered the full asking price. Says it will be paid by transfer to my account etc, no PayPal - but something doesn't seem right. Has hardly asked for any photos for a start... Just seems wrong, so I stopped replying about three days ago. He's mailed since saying he is serious and I kinda feel a bit guilty in case he is, but you go with your gut I guess. Very tricky though.

I will almost certainly get myself another Porsche next summer - not sure what yet, but will look on eBay as I may look to do a project car. I will then be the other side and will no doubt feel just as frustrated!

[Tosh]

Give him your (mobile) phone number and ask him to call you. You might get an idea of the cut of his jib by actually speaking to him... And if he doesn't call because he's a Nigerian scam merchant...

[camperco]

Bloody oceanographers - we must get 4 or 5 a week trying to scam us!