Is Someone Trying to Scam Me?

[Negative Creep]

Even though it's gone, I more problems with the Golf. So it was collected by a recovery firm after receiving the money via paypal. The money appeared in my bank this morning, yet suddenly paypal are now saying the money is on hold pending investigation! So either they are up to their usual tricks or the buyer is trying to scam me. The payer was a different person to whom the car was delivered, I have the latter's number and he's promising to sort it. However having been ripped off before I'm taking no chances. The V5 has already been sent off (I scanned a copy of it), so would I have a leg to stand on if paypal demand the money back? My account is frozen as it's in arrears!I have a receipt saying the vehicle was delivered to x address, but I presume the v5 has arrived with dvla now. Would I have a case for saying the car is stolen if paypal recover the money from me?

[Pillock]

Get onto Paypal and get a firm reason that the money is 'on hold'. I know they sometimes hold the money until the buyer has confirmed the goods have been received but it wouldn't have appeared first, it wouldn't show up until they release it.If the V5 has been sent off, you can still get it back in your name. Sneaky but true. Send off the 'replacement V5' form (whichever that is) and state that you never received the V5 from the previous seller (the guy who sold it to you). You should then get a backdated V5 through in your name - that might help if you go and reclaim the car. (My ex did this with my old car.... bought August 2007 and put in my name, we split up May 2008. She applied for a new V5 in her name saying it had been bought August 2007 but without a V5! Lo and behold DVLA records show that I never ever owned that car)It sounds like it could be a scam though, although he's not doing it very well if he's still in contact with you.... he should have ditched his pre-pay SIM by now and disappeared off the face of the earth. I'm not happy by the fact the names don't match, the delivery and the payee, but then again I let people use my paypal account if they give me cash.

[Mr Lobster]

Get on to PayPal and find out why they have placed a hold on the money. If the buyer has raised a dispute they (Paypal) would have had to email you and give you the reason and allow your response. They do sometimes place a hold on large amounts of money if you don't normally do that much with them while they make sure it's not dodgy so it might not be a scam at all.

[Station]

Get onto Paypal, their customer service is second to none (lie). They will sort it out (lie), they've obviously got a genuine reason (lie) to put your account on hold.Good luck!

[Roc 24v]

Never, ever, accept payment for cars via Paypal, too easy for the seller to take it back, and Paypal nearly always sides with the seller.Good luck, it may be genuine, but it's a very common scam.

[AnthonyG]

Never, ever, accept payment for cars via Paypal, too easy for the seller to take it back, and Paypal nearly always sides with the seller.Good luck, it may be genuine, but it's a very common scam.

You mean the buyer, surely?

[Roc 24v]

Yes I did mean buyer. Paypal never sides with the seller

[AnthonyG]

Yes I did mean buyer. Paypal never sides with the seller

In that case that's good for Negative Creep, as he has a buyer who trying to regain the money back after getting the car.

[Pillock]

Eh? If Paypal side with the buyer (not NegativeCreep) then NegativeCreep will be out of pocket, surely?

[Station]

Think the best way of paying is deposit paid via paypal by winning bidder - and then cash on collection Paypal is far too immature, as long as they get their money, that's all they're concerned about.

[MrRegieRitmo]

Get onto Paypal, their customer service is second to none (lie). They will sort it out (lie), they've obviously got a genuine reason (lie) to put your account on hold.Good luck!

Reminds me of that ad for the Alfa 159"I bought it for it's 5 star N-cap crash protection" [lie]"I bought it because it's an Alfa Romeo" [true]

[Roc 24v]

Eh? If Paypal side with the buyer (not NegativeCreep) then NegativeCreep will be out of pocket, surely?

Yes indeed this happens all the time, hence, never accept Paypal for a car, it can be disputed for up to a couple months, and people use stolen cards, bank details, etc, which when picked up is promptly whipped away from your bank account.

[Negative Creep]

To clear up any confusion, I was the seller. Having eventually gotten through to an Indian lady whom I could barely understand, I think I have ascertained the facts. It seems the buyer didn't actually have enough money in his account, although it's taken paypal 10 days to actually work this out. The money is in my account and I've blocked paypal from taking any funds from it. So the buyer owes paypal the money and they are chasing him for it, so I think that's a good thing as I don't owe them anything. Downside is my paypal is blocked until the balance is restored, and I have items for sale on ebay now. Did anyone here bid on them (I posted the link in the ebay tat thread)Lesson learned though - never use paypal for selling a car!

[Roc 24v]

Hopefully the buyer will sort it, as if not Paypal will come after you for it.As said, never, ever, ever, ever (I can't stress this enough) sell a car and accept Paypal for it.

[Mr Lobster]

. So the buyer owes paypal the money and they are chasing him for it, so I think that's a good thing as I don't owe them anything.

However, if they can't get the money of the buyer they WILL come back to you for it!To be fair though, PayPal are no worse than any of the credit card companies or banks who will all do exactly the same thing if a buyer raises a dispute and almost always side with the buyer in case of dispute.

[AXrescuer]

Don't try and hold money back from Paypal, they can and do pursue debts like you wouldn't believe. Go look at the many Paypal complaints on the eBay Q & A forums.

[Negative Creep]

hopefully they will do this to the other person first though? Had ot add my paypal isn't working to my current listings, hopefully that doesn't cause ebay to remove them........

[Cavcraft]

Don't panic and panic don't.Paypal do NOT refund for vehicles. They will freeze the money pending an investigation but you WILL get your money off them eventually.The bastards did it to me a few years back just before Christmas and when I eventually got through to them they admitted I would get my money back and eventually they did send the payment through.