• 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.

Powerbook scam??

T

Tangman

Golden Member
Oy... here goes...

So I was ebaying a new powerbook which I realized I was too poor to afford, when an ebay user emailed me and asked if he can pay me $1400 for a $1300 powerbook, but I'd have to ship to Phillipines. Since at the time, there were a few more days left on the auction, I'd figured I'd entertain his notion, thinking that he'd never pay or I'd refuse if he wanted me to go through an international escrow. Things took an interesting turn, when moments later, he paypals me $1400 + enough to ship the darn thing via 2nd day.

I figured, "hey, why not -- it's a quick $100, and I already got the cash...." My greed (and honesty, ironically) got the best of me, and I went ahead shipped the Powerbook the next day via Global Express.

Now, nothing has gone awry yet, but some how, I started coming across other ebay users experiencing fraud (a funny one can be found here -- http://www.mannequin3d.com/powerbook/ ), and that paypal does not provide protection against charge backs. I've taken some precautionary measures by taking the money out of Paypal and into my bank account, and the transaction has already been cleared.

I'm worried sick about this -- obviously I couldn't afford to keep the powerbook in the first place , and I don't want to be scammed out of the $1400, and not have the powerbook either. Is there anything that I might have overlooked where I could still get scammed? There's currently no signs that this is a scam, other than that it follows the patten of many other scams. I could very well be worried over nothing, and that this guy really couldn't get a powerbook over to the Phillipines.

Am I just being paranoid? Another steps that I'm missing to protect against being scammed? Obviously, the best is if I simply refused to begin with, but too late for that now...let's think triage at this point...

Thanks for the input.

=========================
To quickly recap some of the nitty-gritty that came up later:
-Buyer was a personal verified member for 2 years, 5 months
-Package was fully insured, with tracking and signature confirmation via USPS global express.


=========================
Thanks for everyone's input so far, the support means a lot. For those w/ less than supportive comments, yeah, I know, I screwed-up. Just trying to give heads up to others as well as trying to get some input as how to proceed.
 
If it's in your bank account, you should be good. If Paypal takes it out of your bank account, it was an unauthorized charge and you can have your bank do the dirty work.
 
If you are worried, give paypal a call and see what they can do for you. It's a lot easier to deal with paypal when you get to talk to a person, as opposed to working through an automated system.

In any case, I hope you've documented the entire thing and have shipping receipts, as that can usually refute a paypal chargeback claim.

Is the buyer paypal verified?
 
Paypal can still pull the money out of your bank account. I'm not sure how you could prevent the bank from releasing the funds short of withdrawaling them (might be a good idea).
 
Did he pay with Paypal via Credit card? If so it is very possible it is stolen or he can do a chargeback.

Personally I won't sell outside of the U.S. for Ebay, not that I Ebay often, but it isn't worth the headache.
 
Withdraw all the money and close the account. Then, open a new account with another bank, and if it comes back to haunt you..you tell them that you don't know nothing about nothing..
 
Oh yes FYI your money isn't safe cause paypal tried to take money away from me 3 months after an auctioned ended (after paypal found it was a fake CC).
 
deposit the money into your bank account and remove yoru banking info from the account.
i don't know if it will prevent paypal from getting back the money

and yes, it does sound like a scam.
 
Man, I can't believe you did that!

Phillipines - Red Flag
Buyer just sent you an extra $100.00 dollars to ship it 2 day air - Red Flag
Paypal just shows up - Red Flag


Let me take a wild guess, how long has this person been a member of Paypal or has used their services? Probably not long and not many payments right?

I feel for you, because I think something bad is coming your way.

For everyone here who says "Just put in your bank account because they can't touch it",
have you ever read their entire agreement that you have to say "I agree to this"?



 
yes, take out all your money from the checking and close it. paypal will take the loss. they will try to recover it from you by closing your account, etc.
 
Originally posted by: SarcasticDwarf
You are a moron, enjoy losing both the money and the laptop.
Click to expand...

Dude he can't lose both since he only has one P-P-P-Powerbook to begin with.

But either way you are fvcked, Tangman.
I would try to contact the bank and deny any withdraw from Paypal first.
I wouldn't recommend emptying out money from your bank, the last thing you would want is to fight with the bank, which you can never win.
 
Haha, that's what you get for being greedy. There were guys in Zurich(Switzerland, not Sweden), telling people that they have a special chemical so that the money would triple. They got about $250,000. Police caught them.
 
Paypal wont try to debit your bank account. They will instead just make your paypal account go negative. If you fail to fund your paypal account it eventually goes delinquent. From that point on, you explicitly gave paypal the right to take legal action against you to reclaim the money by taking you to court or, more commonly, forward you to a third party collection agency. Either way, you're in for some major trouble in the long run (i.e. enjoy a trashed credit record for the next 5 years).
 
vegetation is right, you'll just have to live with your mistakes

who knows, this guy MAY be the real deal . . . miracles DO happen . . .

i just hope you live on 34th street . . .
 
I think it's a scam
you are right paypal doesn't protect from charge back and international transactions.

I was a victim of a charge back of a international transaction. Paypal tried to take money from my account which luckily I had withdrew it couple nights before.

should have kept the powerbook 😉
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top