Possible bike buying scam

[Grant Fondo]

Thought I would post this up from another forum for info:
*someone else btw.

I sold a Bike last weekend on eBay for £1200 and the buyer paid straight away but took him till today to collect.

On collection the buyer gave me a QR code but we couldn’t get it to scan and while trying to figure it out “posted” was clicked (by him) now it seems I can’t even enter the 6 digit code because ebay thinks I’ve posted the bike and is holding my money for 10 days.

He convinced me he is genuine and I will get my money, he does have good feedback and sells bikes on eBay. I took a photo of him with the bike in my house with his consent and security cameras would have captured him as well, also all communication was through eBay where he openly says he’s collected it. So with that I let him take it.

what worries me is the buyer will not just mark as received at his end, is first language isn’t English and I’m struggling to get him to understand I need him to confirm he’s received it, instead he just keeps telling me “just wait you will get paid don’t worry I know ebay very well, U new on ebay that‘s why” I’ve been using eBay for over 20 years and have more feedback than him!

Also I can get the QR code to scan now but it just takes me to my listing and still unable to enter the code.

Any advice on what to do next would be appreciated

 

[steveindenmark]

There is no way he would have left my house with the bike , regardless of how far he had travelled. For the transaction to be totally transparent, you both need to be totally satisfied and you obviously are not.

I always pay in cash. It makes life so much easier.

 

[Arrowfoot]

Thought I would post this up from another forum for info:
*someone else btw.

I sold a Bike last weekend on eBay for £1200 and the buyer paid straight away but took him till today to collect.

On collection the buyer gave me a QR code but we couldn’t get it to scan and while trying to figure it out “posted” was clicked (by him) now it seems I can’t even enter the 6 digit code because ebay thinks I’ve posted the bike and is holding my money for 10 days.

He convinced me he is genuine and I will get my money, he does have good feedback and sells bikes on eBay. I took a photo of him with the bike in my house with his consent and security cameras would have captured him as well, also all communication was through eBay where he openly says he’s collected it. So with that I let him take it.

what worries me is the buyer will not just mark as received at his end, is first language isn’t English and I’m struggling to get him to understand I need him to confirm he’s received it, instead he just keeps telling me “just wait you will get paid don’t worry I know ebay very well, U new on ebay that‘s why” I’ve been using eBay for over 20 years and have more feedback than him!

Also I can get the QR code to scan now but it just takes me to my listing and still unable to enter the code.

Any advice on what to do next would be appreciated

Thanks for posting this person's experience.

 

[Slick]

Cash is king.

 

[Illaveago]

My brother bought a bike a few months ago and the owner was very trusting . For some reason I don't know why but the person had to wait for several days before he received the money . According to the bay the money had been paid but the chap hadn't received it . The chap let us take the bike and gave my brother some cycling clothing and spare chains before the money had cleared. Finally after several days the chap received his money . The chap also mentioned something like a QR code or something?
The bike is very good and my brother is very pleased with it .

 

[kingrollo]

There is no way he would have left my house with the bike , regardless of how far he had travelled. For the transaction to be totally transparent, you both need to be totally satisfied and you obviously are not.

I always pay in cash. It makes life so much easier.

I disagree.

The problem with cash is that the buyer can stall or be a no show - leaving you with eBay's fees for a sold item.

I always postpone collection until the funds are in my account - not eBay's - this usually only takes 48 hours !

 

[Slick]

I disagree.

The problem with cash is that the buyer can stall or be a no show - leaving you with eBay's fees for a sold item.

I always postpone collection until the funds are in my account - not eBay's - this usually only takes 48 hours !

Are people happy to transfer money without the goods?

 

[Illaveago]

I pay with PayPal. I tried the bay version but didn't like it and went back to PayPal.

 

[biggs682]

Thought I would post this up from another forum for info:
*someone else btw.

I sold a Bike last weekend on eBay for £1200 and the buyer paid straight away but took him till today to collect.

On collection the buyer gave me a QR code but we couldn’t get it to scan and while trying to figure it out “posted” was clicked (by him) now it seems I can’t even enter the 6 digit code because ebay thinks I’ve posted the bike and is holding my money for 10 days.

He convinced me he is genuine and I will get my money, he does have good feedback and sells bikes on eBay. I took a photo of him with the bike in my house with his consent and security cameras would have captured him as well, also all communication was through eBay where he openly says he’s collected it. So with that I let him take it.

what worries me is the buyer will not just mark as received at his end, is first language isn’t English and I’m struggling to get him to understand I need him to confirm he’s received it, instead he just keeps telling me “just wait you will get paid don’t worry I know ebay very well, U new on ebay that‘s why” I’ve been using eBay for over 20 years and have more feedback than him!

Also I can get the QR code to scan now but it just takes me to my listing and still unable to enter the code.

Any advice on what to do next would be appreciated

I had a similar transmission a couple of weeks ago person asked a question about article which I answered, said he was passing through and would collect it so I said fine but cash only then , he paid via e bay as he claimed he didn't get the message .
I told him no collection till money in account or in hand , still waiting for money in account a good 3 weeks later and funnily enough not heard from them since

 

[Adam4868]

I disagree.

The problem with cash is that the buyer can stall or be a no show - leaving you with eBay's fees for a sold item.

I always postpone collection until the funds are in my account - not eBay's - this usually only takes 48 hours !

Yes but you can claim the fees back.Cash only before letting the bike go from me.

 

[Vantage]

If it's your first time selling via eBay they will hold the money for a while. It happened to me too when I sold a sewing machine.
They'll look at all communications between the two of you and once they're happy that he's taken the bike they'll release the funds.
It's because of scamming in the past.
Don't worry about it

 

[kingrollo]

Yes but you can claim the fees back.Cash only before letting the bike go from me.

You can claim the fees back. But not as easy as it used be .

 

[kingrollo]

Are people happy to transfer money without the goods?

I put it in the terms of my sale.

But yes people are generally ok with that. They have eBay protection should things go awry.

 

[classic33]

Seller had kept an image of his QR code*, or noted the number down, which proves he offered code and, seller and buyer had probably met.

*Collection Code QR code.

 

[a.twiddler]

This is the problem now that ebay manages the transaction themselves. If you sell something, ebay will tell you that the buyer has paid before you can post the item , or if someone is collecting will send you both the collection code. But the money won't pass through their system and into your account until a couple of days later. Most people are honest, but some enterprising scammer could find a way to cancel the payment at this stage, and still get away with the goods. If someone is collecting, I would try and delay collection until after you've had payment into your account, or take cash on collection as others have suggested. If they don't turn up, you can be a test pilot for ebay's buyer protection and try to claim their fees back, which so far I haven't had to do.

Either a) ebay has a quick and simple system for dealing with this situation or b) from experience of other issues with ebay, it could be a long painful drawn out experience if it doesn't fit their list of options. Fortunately all my transactions under the current system have worked smoothly, and I can only say that when it works, it works. At one time it was not too difficult to get hold of an actual person on the phone if you had issues, but it's not so simple now.