Scam or not??

countrryboy

Well-Known Member
Alright folks.

I'm a bit naive when it comes to ebay and paypal and cancelled my paypal account a while back, as my other old email address was always getting emails about suspicious use even thou its never had a paypal account attached to it. Was always scared to click the links incase some sort of virus thiing even thou it looked legit

I've been trying to buy a digger for a while now, anyway see 1 on ebay looks tidy and fairly cheap, possibly to cheap if the condition/age is true.
The lass? selling it has had to movve to NI for work so can't let me see the digger beforehand but says she'll deliver it for free and give me 7 days to look and asses the machine and if i'm not happy she'll take it back at her own expense.
She claims if going throu ebay/pay pal my money will be insured?
Is that the case?
She coulld be genuine enough

Must admit not at all happy to buy a digger without getting in it first and seeing everything works as it should.
It sort of seems like a scam to me?

This is the 3rd machine that i've messaged about that seemed slightly too cheap, the 1st 2 the messages i got back were just random nonsense and didn't really tally with the questions i asked.

The last message she wanted me to send my paypal account accross, (not likely as i don't have 1)

Wot is the scam does she just want my paypal account to try and hack it, or is the idea to get the cash throu paypal and then do a runner so paypal can't claim the cash back?
 
If it sounds too good to be true it usually is.

Check previous feedback AND for what type of thing. Also call eBay and speak to someone about your concerns. One scam is to get you to send the money as a gift offering to then split the saving on the commission the vendor has saved. But, of course, as it is a gift you've then no protection.

I'd say you've a cousin in NI and could they inspect the machine as they've a friend who 'works in construction' and see what response that gets. Can't see why you can't see the thing beforehand as it's a digger. Not as if it's a used TV or toaster. Post the listing number if you want so others can check out the listing?

But the runner in one way or another is a risk.
 
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Not sure exactly how but sounds a bit fishy to me reasons being
1) she can't let you see before you buy but can deliver free of charge
2) will give 7 days & collect for free if you're not happy.
3) both of the above would suggest she is around

Why don't you suggest she delivers it and you can view / try it there and then. If happy you could arrange payment you could do that on the spot through pay pal.

Or even better she delivers you try for the 7 days as she suggested then if happy pay by bank transfer if not she can collect at her convenience

See what response you get
Wingy
 
This would make me suspicious as well!

Dont send her anything, and if you're not happy with the answers the seller is giving and your gut instinct is "scam" then listen to that and walk away. eBay and PayPal dont guarantee your money when you're buying motorised vehicles, as per here.

I dont know exactly how she could be trying a fast one here, but she could just dump the digger on your lawn for you to "try out", claim its delivered and then demand payment via Paypal. Then you've got the hassle of going back to PayPal and trying to prove that no, you didnt buy it, you were just trying it out but on the face of it you have the digger and she's sent you an invoice.

If it seems too good to be true it probably is!
 
It is a well known eBay scam , someone very close to me was taken for £3750 a couple of years ago, basically the pay pal link is fake and your money is transferred to their account immediately. My friend realised just too late and tried without success to get the money back , of course the item was never delivered. The police were contacted and my friend was told that this scam has been going on for years on eBay and autotrader always using a woman's name to give you confidence that it is genuine,but apparently it is linked to a Eastern European gang based around West Yorkshire.
 
Put it this way, it's either a scam or a bargain.

If it's a bargain, you get it slightly cheaper than you otherwise would. If it's a scam you lose all your money. The risk/reward payoff isn't great. Be very careful.

I've bought several cars from Ebay and got a bargain every time - because I met the buyer at their home, got DVLA, MOT and private history checks, checked the paperwork against all details, checked it over fully and went for a decent test drive.

I've also sold good cars on Ebay with full descriptions so some people got good deals. But almost none of them made any checks.

"Trust but verify" is a decent motto to live by with these things
 
I don't use e-bay much but my account is set up to settle the account 14 days after purchase. It seems to me to give a reasonable level of security this way.
 
If you are sending them money, you don't give them your paypal account, you pay into theirs!

The easily check for scam emails from "paypal" or banks ect is that real ones will always include a piece of personal information in the text that they will know, so if an email is starts with "dear customer, account holder etc" as opposed to "dear Flying Felix" it's definitely fake.

As for the digger, ask for a photo of the chassis number as you want to do HP and stolen property check on it. If they make up an excuse why they can't deliver, guess what.
 
Cheers folks most of u have backed up my thoughts if too good to be true,

I think the machine is still near edinburgh but she is in NI, or atleast the way i've understood it.

Some of the photo of the machine look very very similar to a plant company down near bristol that does tend to photograph the machines in front of a nice stone gable of a house/shed (u know when u've been looking for diggers too long when u recognise that ;))

I cancelled my pay pal so hoping to go a cash route if at all with this 1 but only after i've seen/started the machine.
In the advert she claims to have some plant ticket that guarantees its not nicked/HPI'd, but as i've never heard of it before it could be faked anyway.

Suppose al the best scams have too look a wee bit legit or they would never work.
Cheers again
 
Sounds very much like the jcb 8018 I found on eBay the other day and thought that ones cheap enough

At the moment I am just browsing so didn't look any further but it did seem too cheap to not be a scam
 
This would have every alarm bell ringing. Ask her to provide the serial no better still a picture of it and say you are going to contact the police to verify its not stolen, doubt you will get a reply.

Why risk your money as its almost cetain to be a scam.

D
 
Country Boy:

Advise you only use PAYPAL : never Bank Debit Cards; or Cash : Too many scams out there.
Paypal is an Escrow and therefore mediate the transfer of goods and money in an exchange, and will mediate an issue over failure by either party

if you want to buy it

Get lots of details: Pics and written details in advance. If possible a video of it starting, idle, track and move arm. A scammer will never go to that length.
Then secure payment by PAYPAL at the moment the digger arrives and you can check it out so it matchs within reason to the video and statements / details.

Plus get the serial number & check the police if its stolen.

Id not part with any payment until I see it in operation and in my yard as per spec.

If it looks too good .. like its a wrong'un

TOMSK
 
It's a scam mate. Had the same thing with a reasonably high value tractor the other year. Got same message that woman had moved and would arrange delivery etc, which I could return if all ok. Soon went quiet when I suggested I'd pay on delivery once checked and before her driver left site.
Don't bother with it.
 
Do not pay with PayPal. When it come to vehicles you are not covered by the insurance or protection that they offer on other items. Would you buy a car without viewing?
Tell her you will pay cash on delivery.
 
its a scam my son tried to sell is motor bike on ebay the same woman asked him to send money for her to get to england because she was looking for one for her disabled friend when my son showed it me i asked her why she couldnt pay her fare she said she had lost her bank card theres a bloke doing paypal scams as well
 
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