Sold something on Ebay - buying arranging collection to France - legit?

Mark in Essex · 24/02/13 - 12:03

Hi there,

I sold some baby milk on Ebay and have set to only ship to the UK but a buying in France has bought the milk but not paid for it yet saying they are going to pay for it and arrange for a courier to collect tomorrow.

I have asked if they are going to pay by PayPal and also making sure they are going to arrange and pay for the courier (still awaiting their reply).

They have good feedback (well over 200) but was wondering if it could be a scam and have anything to worry about (even if I get full payment via PayPal)?

Also could there be any customs issues with baby milk (might look a bit dodgy on the drugs side as powder).

Cheers, Mark.

PopRocket · 24/02/13 - 12:42

Why did they bid on it if it said ship to the uk only??? Some people are so thick

grumpyscot · 24/02/13 - 13:46

Paypal doesn't cover you if things go wrong and the sales are outwith UK. Sounds suss to me

davidmcn · 24/02/13 - 13:53

PayPal doesn't cover you unless you're sending the item by a trackable method. If they're paying by another method you might be safer. Seems an odd item to ship abroad though.

walterwhite · 24/02/13 - 14:10

grumpyscot wrote: »

Paypal doesn't cover you if things go wrong and the sales are outwith UK. Sounds suss to me

Paypal cover sales abroad. You have to have tracked delivery though.

Mark in Essex · 24/02/13 - 14:34

Thanks for the replies.

I am a bit dubious now about the sale (especially that they were saying that they were running short on the milk at home and that they were going to arrange collection tomorrow).

I was thinking if I had received the payment via Paypal then it was all down to the buyer if their courier mucked up (as long as we had a receipt on collection)?

Would it just be that the buyer cannot make a claim if it's not tracked but I would be ok as I had confirmation of collection?

davidmcn · 24/02/13 - 14:40

Mark in Essex wrote: »

I was thinking if I had received the payment via Paypal then it was all down to the buyer if their courier mucked up (as long as we had a receipt on collection)?

Would it just be that the buyer cannot make a claim if it's not tracked but I would be ok as I had confirmation of collection?

No. Paypal will ask you for evidence of your tracked delivery method. If you don't have that then you'll lose any claim by the buyer. It's why for any "buyer collects" items you really need to get cash when they come round.

Mark in Essex · 24/02/13 - 14:44

Just checking the address on Ebay and it's one up in Scotland so he was not bidding from outside the UK but wanted it shipped to France.

Starting to suspect the guys Ebay and Paypal account may have been hacked (not that payment has been received yet)?

boab34 · 24/02/13 - 14:50

davidmcn wrote: »

No. Paypal will ask you for evidence of your tracked delivery method. If you don't have that then you'll lose any claim by the buyer. It's why for any "buyer collects" items you really need to get cash when they come round.

Even if they pay you cash, make sure they're not fake notes.

Mark in Essex · 24/02/13 - 14:57

I have just requested to cancel the transaction via Ebay.

Also I have E-Mailed the guy via his Hotmail account just in case his Ebay account has been hacked and he does not know.

Just a pain I have to wait upto 7 days now for them to accept the cancellation.

Thanks for the replies, Mark.

Mark in Essex · 24/02/13 - 14:59

Here is the message they posted (bear in mind the guys name on Ebay is Craig) - think they are pretending to be English (as they say they have French neighbors), but the grammar is not very good:

"Hi ,
I hope it's not a problem, that I have purchase the item before you have had a chance to respond to my question. Unfortunately I have ad a minor panic as its snowing here in France and unlike the UK shops are not as close as they are in the UK and with only 3/4 of a tin of formula left , it's brought home that maybe you should always prepare for the unknown.. Though I have fab French neighbours I can always rely on.
I will pay and organise for a UK courier to collect if all is fine with you for Monday, however can you please deduct postage.

Kindest regards,

Teresa "

Scuby · 24/02/13 - 15:09

Strangley enough France or Spain or everywhere outside the UK does have baby milk, so I cannot believe they are that desperate in France lol

[Deleted User] · 24/02/13 - 15:19

Is it the comfort milk you've sold? I read in the paper yesterday that it's currently in short supply as there's a shortage of a vital ingredient. Tins are selling for well over their true value on eBay apparently. I bought some for my son a while ago but discovered he was allergic to it and binned the lot. Gutted!

Anyway, this smells like a scam to me so best avoided.

Mark in Essex · 24/02/13 - 15:41

It was the milk for babies with reflux problems (had a whole lot left as my twins have now moved onto cows milk and no longer have the night time milk any more).

[Deleted User] · 24/02/13 - 16:47

I think you will find its a con, had loads of these.

JulesandSand · 24/02/13 - 16:57

davidmcn wrote: »

No. Paypal will ask you for evidence of your tracked delivery method. If you don't have that then you'll lose any claim by the buyer. It's why for any "buyer collects" items you really need to get cash when they come round.

Would a signed, witnessed, receipt stating the buyer had received the goods in good condition do?

davidmcn · 24/02/13 - 17:16

JulesandSand wrote: »

Would a signed, witnessed, receipt stating the buyer had received the goods in good condition do?

No. And if you're meeting the buyer in person, why not get cash anyway? Paypal doesn't really give the seller any advantage in exchange for their fees.

Mark in Essex · 24/02/13 - 17:27

I'vejjust had payment via PayPal and she said that it can be sent to her father in law instead.

I have asked her if the father in laws address is in the UK and the same as the one on Ebay?

I was wondering how I would be covered if she was requesting a address in the UK but a different one to the one on Ebay?

Cheers, Mark.

Mark in Essex · 24/02/13 - 17:28

I've also said that I would arrange postage so that I can track.

Akane Tendo · 24/02/13 - 20:10

Mark in Essex wrote: »

Just checking the address on Ebay and it's one up in Scotland so he was not bidding from outside the UK but wanted it shipped to France.

Starting to suspect the guys Ebay and Paypal account may have been hacked (not that payment has been received yet)?

Report the buyer to ebay. Don't send anything to them. It's a scam.

Akane Tendo · 24/02/13 - 20:11

Mark in Essex wrote: »

I'vejjust had payment via PayPal and she said that it can be sent to her father in law instead.

I have asked her if the father in laws address is in the UK and the same as the one on Ebay?

I was wondering how I would be covered if she was requesting a address in the UK but a different one to the one on Ebay?

Cheers, Mark.

Have you gone onto your paypal account to check, because these scammers send out fake paypal messages.

Akane Tendo · 24/02/13 - 20:14

Mark in Essex wrote: »

Here is the message they posted (bear in mind the guys name on Ebay is Craig) - think they are pretending to be English (as they say they have French neighbors), but the grammar is not very good:

"Hi ,
I hope it's not a problem, that I have purchase the item before you have had a chance to respond to my question. Unfortunately I have ad a minor panic as its snowing here in France and unlike the UK shops are not as close as they are in the UK and with only 3/4 of a tin of formula left , it's brought home that maybe you should always prepare for the unknown.. Though I have fab French neighbours I can always rely on.
I will pay and organise for a UK courier to collect if all is fine with you for Monday, however can you please deduct postage.

Kindest regards,

Teresa "

Sounds very suss to me. Look at it logically. If there was bad snow then why on earth would they go on ebay and order from the UK? Makes no sense because if the snow was that bad then delivery drivers wouldn't get through.

They live in France not the third world and they must live near shops to get their own milk from.

Mark in Essex · 24/02/13 - 20:52

Strange as it says it's been paid when I go into Ebay?

Still waiting for them to reply saying if it's the address on Ebay.

Would PayPal cover me if they asked me to send it to a other UK address other than the one on Ebay?

JulesandSand · 24/02/13 - 20:53

Mark in Essex wrote: »

Strange as it says it's been paid when I go into Ebay?

Still waiting for them to reply saying if it's the address on Ebay.

Would PayPal cover me if they asked me to send it to a other UK address other than the one on Ebay?

No - there was a thread about this recently. You're only protected if you send to the confirmed address.

Mark in Essex · 24/02/13 - 20:56

Ok thanks.

I may wait for their reply and if they say post it to a different address then I will say no.

If they say to the address on Ebay I will send it but get it tracked.

Thanks, Mark.

Akane Tendo · 24/02/13 - 20:58

Mark in Essex wrote: »

Strange as it says it's been paid when I go into Ebay?

Still waiting for them to reply saying if it's the address on Ebay.

Would PayPal cover me if they asked me to send it to a other UK address other than the one on Ebay?

Have you gone into your paypal account to check your balance?

Hey there!

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Sold something on Ebay - buying arranging collection to France - legit?

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