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Mark of a scammer...learn not to burn.

So, my ad says USA only and "zero feedback and lowball offers will be politely ignored". Mr. X says he'd like to buy it at my price - I never do "Buy it now", rather preferring to entertain offers only so I can be running the show..not him. I ask to have his phone number so I can discuss with him, answering his "how old. etc." questions directly (and figuring out if he is a knowledgeable sort of audiophile who would be buying a $7K preamp- we audiophiles love to talk audio). Here is a classic response, I think, of a scammer:

"From: (zero feedback guy)  
Aug 1, 2016 9:52pm
I live in Switzerland! You probably don't want to phone me (then there's the 6-hr. time difference). I would want the XXX shipped to my niece in Virginia. Give me your number and a convenient time to call and I'll phone you. What about 3:00pm (EDT) tomorrow afternoon?"

Maybe not a scammer....that's why I omitted (His?) names. But it has all the classical markings, I don't really want to point them out so as to educate any bad guys, but you can spot them. But if it looks like, smells like and walks like this....BEWARE. I'm sure he has a very nice niece but I didn't care to carry on a further discussion with someone in Nigeria or Jamaica. 

(This was a zero feedback chap but be sure to take a look at their feedback record and make sure it hasn't just been packed with recent co-conspirators- often zero feedback sorts themselves- feedback to have some "feedback".)

So now, I want to ask you a question. What worries me, and shouldn't I be worried, about someone with a stolen credit card using paypal? They would "send me money" and only later, after the unit has been sent, would I find out there was a problem with the card. Would paypal then want/pull money back out of my account to cover or is that what you are paying for with 3% fees? Insurance? Or does the credit card company take the hit and that is why they suffer such large losses....(and thought up DEBIT Cards)? Thanks for your help & Be Careful Out There.




truman
albertporter's avatar
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albertporter
4,949 posts
 
I would accept his offer,  wire transfer only and be sure his payment is in the Fed before shipping.

I've done this before, customer in Asia and want shipped to USA address.  I just tell them my responsibility ends with signature collected by FedEx when I deliver to agreed address.
swampwalker's avatar
swampwalker
5,138 posts
 
If he's legit he would accept Albert's terms; if not, you'll never hear from him again,
lak's avatar
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lak
4,687 posts
 
+1 albertporter & swampwalker.

truman OP
168 posts
 
Thank you Albert, good advice taken.

Further investigation alarmingly reveals:
From Paypal website, agreement form:
"4.3 Risk of Reversals, Chargebacks and Claims. When you receive a payment, you are liable to PayPal for the full amount of the payment sent to you plus any Fees if the payment is later invalidated for any reason. This means that, in addition to any other liability, you will be responsible for the amount of the payment sent by the sender, plus the applicable Fees listed in Section 8 (Fees) of this Agreement if you lose a Claim or a Chargeback or if there is a Reversal of the payment. You agree to allow PayPal to recover any amounts due to PayPal by debiting your Balance. If there are insufficient funds in your Balance to cover your liability, you agree to reimburse PayPal through other means. If a sender of a payment files a Chargeback, the credit card issuer, not PayPal, will determine who wins the Chargeback."

Yikes! Chargebacks are what happens when a credit card user or a bank files a claim because of a charge on a stolen card. Really, the bank will decide if you need to pay them back... and paypal can access your accounts to make it so? 

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