• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

PayPal buyer says they will send as a gift

WaTaGuMp

Lifer
So whats the scoop on someone buying my Rolex and sending money as a gift to me? I know about people doing disputes and getting their money back and keeping the item. Of course this is a craigslist sale.
 
Craigslist + Paypal = scam.

Seriously, if you're dealing with craigslist, if it's not good old american greenbacks, it ain't legit.

Paypal gift == credit card payment with a credit card chargeback filed, paypal will still come after YOU (the seller) to recover money first.

or....

Paypal gift == stolen/hacked paypal account, which means paypal will still come after YOU (the seller) to recover money first.

Craigslist is cash and carry. Everybody else can fuck off.
 
Last edited:
wow if someone on atot, a tech site with quite a bit of smart people on it, is seriously asking this question, it is no wonder scammers continue to work on craigslist and ebay - because it obviously works.
 
Craigslist + Paypal = scam.

Seriously, if you're dealing with craigslist, if it's not good old american greenbacks, it ain't legit.

Paypal gift == credit card payment with a credit card chargeback filed, paypal will still come after YOU (the seller) to recover money first.

or....

Paypal gift == stolen/hacked paypal account, which means paypal will still come after YOU (the seller) to recover money first.

Craigslist is cash and carry. Everybody else can fuck off.
THIS

I love to let the scammers overnight me money orders just to turn it all into the cops. Worst case they're dropping $20 overnighting stuff while giving the cops evidence.

Paypal though pass and suggest just overnighting you a MO LOL
 
So whats the scoop on someone buying my Rolex and sending money as a gift to me? I know about people doing disputes and getting their money back and keeping the item. Of course this is a craigslist sale.

Do NOT NOT NOT accept Paypal for a CL sale. There is no time limit on when the buyer can reverse the payment, and leave you holding the bag. Paypal will NOT back you up.
 
It is listed as cash only sale in person. I have been dealing with CL, I was just curious how this one woks. Other people have tried to buy it and have it shipped, just didn't use the gift thing.
 
Here are my emails so far.

Buyer: Will buy it now for $3200 for Overnight shipping, reply ASAP! Serious buyer!

Me:That sounds awesome, you send the money, I send the watch, then you file a dispute with PayPal and get the money back and steal my watch. Man I wish I was smart enough to not fall for this scam.

Buyer: What scam??? Im a serious about buying the watch, so if it is what its suppose to be, why would I file a dispute?? I'll even make the payment as a 'Gift' so that its not possible to file a dispute! If you want to sell it, let me know.
 
If a buyer sends money via paypal, marked as a gift, there is no way to get the money back or dispute the transaction. It's also against paypal's TOS to make a gift payment for a purchase, so a buyer that admits to paypal that a purchase was made as a gift, risk being banned from paypal.

While paypal will reverse transactions for a purchase if the buyer complains to paypal that the goods aren't right, or never arrived; If the buyer makes payment as a gift, then paypal will tell them to take a hike, and the seller gets to keep the money.

The other difference is that for a "Purchase" payment, paypal takes an extra 5% cut (or whatever), whereas for a "gift" they take a smaller cut. For a big purchase, like a high end watch, this could easily work out to $100 still in the buyer's pocket, if they use the gift option.
 
Last edited:
sounds kind of stupid to sell a rolex on craigslist too. craigslist is full of cheap asses who want to pay nothing for something, and scammers.
 
If they send it as a gift I think the fees are lower or fee free. The downside is you can't dispute the transaction if it goes wrong.
 
Buyer: What scam??? Im a serious about buying the watch, so if it is what its suppose to be, why would I file a dispute?? I'll even make the payment as a 'Gift' so that its not possible to file a dispute! If you want to sell it, let me know.

Any credit card transaction can be reversed for any made-up reason.
 
sounds kind of stupid to sell a rolex on craigslist too. craigslist is full of cheap asses who want to pay nothing for something, and scammers.

Its a challenge for sure, but not many options really. Its been listed since Aug of last year. I could of sold it already, but people don't want to come up $100, so I keep listing it. I am not in a hurry that's for sure.
 
If a buyer sends money via paypal, marked as a gift, there is no way to get the money back or dispute the transaction. It's also against paypal's TOS to make a gift payment for a purchase, so a buyer that admits to paypal that a purchase was made as a gift, risk being banned from paypal.

While paypal will reverse transactions for a purchase if the buyer complains to paypal that the goods aren't right, or never arrived; If the buyer makes payment as a gift, then paypal will tell them to take a hike, and the seller gets to keep the money.

The other difference is that for a "Purchase" payment, paypal takes an extra 5% cut (or whatever), whereas for a "gift" they take a smaller cut. For a big purchase, like a high end watch, this could easily work out to $100 still in the buyer's pocket, if they use the gift option.

Apparently you don't read so well.
 
It just sounds like I can turn the scam on the scammer, the thing is, getting money out of PayPal quickly for me. I am not a big seller.
 
It just sounds like I can turn the scam on the scammer, the thing is, getting money out of PayPal quickly for me. I am not a big seller.

$3200 is grand larceny territory. You willing to risk it backfiring in one of a multitude of ways?
 
They are sending me a gift, its full proof. :biggrin:

Well as long as it's not fool-proof, you should be fine thing. :\

I have to admit, this person has much better English then a scammer I had contact me before.

If it's not an american to begin with, I've noticed a lot of the foreign scammers lately have REALLY good english up until the point where they get frustrated. Then they don't quite know how to articulate profanity very well in english, since it's not something that is generally taught when you learn a foreign language.

Want to trip up a spy? Get him pissed off.
 
Well as long as it's not fool-proof, you should be fine thing. :\



If it's not an american to begin with, I've noticed a lot of the foreign scammers lately have REALLY good english up until the point where they get frustrated. Then they don't quite know how to articulate profanity very well in english, since it's not something that is generally taught when you learn a foreign language.

Want to trip up a spy? Get him pissed off.

First scammer, I am deaf man live Alabama. I told him his English was as bad as his scam, never heard back after that.
 
Back
Top