[ale] [OT] PayPal

[Brian Mathis]

As others have said, there is nothing wrong with Paypal as long as you
use a shipping method that you can track, but even then someone can
stick it to you by claiming the item was not as described, etc...
Paypal, like all payment processing companies, heavily favor the
buyer.

However, you're asking about Paypal but you're really talking about a
Craigslist transaction.  I have done a lot of selling on Criagslist,
and the only acceptable method for buying on Craigslist is cash in
person.  That's it.  As the banners say in every email, do not deal
with people who are not local.  They always have some story about how
they are busy or overseas, but really want your item and will arrange
for someone to come pick it up for them, etc...  These are always
scams.  If the person cannot pay in person and in cash, do not deal
with them, period.

On Craiglist, if you have any slight feeling at all that it might be a
scam, it is.  When I list something, I easily get 10-20 scam emails
for every 1 real person.  Your quoted email sticks out to me as
providing too much information on how to use Paypal.  In my
experience, real people on Craigslist barely provide any information
at all, so too much like this is a warning sign.  There's also a false
sense of urgency by asking you to do things "asap".

Craigslist is meant as a venue for selling locally.  If you are
willing to ship your items, then list them on other sites that are
meant for that, such as eBay.  You get better protection simply
because that's how everyone operates there, and at least you can see
reviews of the buyer.  Also, figure out how you plan to pack and ship
the item before you list it.


❧ Brian Mathis


On Sat, Oct 13, 2012 at 4:23 PM, Sean Kilpatrick <kilpatms at gmail.com> wrote:
> What I know about PayPal would fit in a thimble with plenty of room left
> over for my thumb.
>
> BUT . . . .
>
> we are trying to sell some furniture on Craig's list and have had one
>>possibly< serious inquiry.  But we are suspicious.  The "buyer" asked,
> among other things, if we were the first owner -- of chairs that are almost
> certainly pre-war (aka "The Late Unpleasantness" here in Atlanta) and are
> advertised as such.
>
> He wants to pay via PayPal -- without actually seeing the chairs!
>
> He wrote in part:
>
>> Thanks for the email, I will send Your payment as soon as
>> I receive Your PayPal email id, You will receive a notification
>> receipt email from PayPal as soon as Am through with the payment.Just
>> follow the Instructions and procedures on the payment in order to get
>> the funds credited into Your PayPal account so that you can easily
>> transfer the money to your bank account or credit card. as soon as the
>> funds reflect on your PayPal account......
>>
>> Do get back to me now with your PayPal email address and full name so
>> i can proceed with the payment asap.
>
> As a second generation newspaper editor my cynical gene is somewhat over-
> developed and this offer (to me) smells like it was dragged up from the
> bottom of the Chesapeake Bay -- up around Baltimore.
>
> So, how reliable is PayPal, anyway?
>
> Sean