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Craigslist & Paypal

King KongKing Kong Registered User regular
edited May 2011 in Help / Advice Forum
Long story short I put up some action figures for sale on CL and had an offer from a guy living a state away. I have had lots of scammers e-mail me for items in the past. His e-mail sounds very legit (not the typical scammer wording, didn't offer to send me a cashier check or want any of my personal info) and comes from a Air National Guard e-mail address. I said I would ship but only if he paid via paypal. Think I'll be ok?

King Kong on

Posts

  • Skoal CatSkoal Cat Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Can he send a money order? Also, aren't cashiers checks safe since they required cash to purchase?

    Skoal Cat on
  • adytumadytum The Inevitable Rise And FallRegistered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Money orders and cashiers checks can be forged just like anything else.

    adytum on
  • bowenbowen Sup? Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Cash only when dealing with craigslist, imo.

    bowen on
    not a doctor, not a lawyer, examples I use may not be fully researched so don't take out of context plz, don't @ me
  • illigillig Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Paypal is fine imho, especially if its a verified address. I use it for eBay all the time.

    If you're paranoid, wait to ship until you can move the money out of the paypal account, since paypal loses all ability to freeze your funds or whatever once you do that. Just make sure that the buyer is ok with this delay.

    illig on
  • bowenbowen Sup? Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Make sure your bank account that you've linked to your paypal account is separate from the one you pay rent from. It is not unknown for paypal to freeze your account if someone tries to undo a transaction. Good luck paying for anything for a month+ if you do that.

    bowen on
    not a doctor, not a lawyer, examples I use may not be fully researched so don't take out of context plz, don't @ me
  • illigillig Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    bowen wrote: »
    Make sure your bank account that you've linked to your paypal account is separate from the one you pay rent from. It is not unknown for paypal to freeze your account if someone tries to undo a transaction. Good luck paying for anything for a month+ if you do that.

    Whaaat. Unless you have supporting evidence I'm gonna call BS on this.

    Paypal can and will freeze your paypal account if something fishy is going on, hence my recommendation to move the funds out of if ASAP. They don't have any control over an external account, even if its linked.

    illig on
  • bowenbowen Sup? Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    It's illegal, but there have been issues with that in the past. More of a "we can automatically debit straight back from your account" clause can cause some... issues.

    bowen on
    not a doctor, not a lawyer, examples I use may not be fully researched so don't take out of context plz, don't @ me
  • mehmehmehmehmehmeh Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    I am warry of paypal, especially for off ebay transactions but sometime it's the easiest solution. if the total is over $250 (including shipping) you need to get a signature confirmation on the delivery. Ship to confirmed address only.

    mehmehmeh on
  • Iceman.USAFIceman.USAF Major East CoastRegistered User regular
    edited May 2011
    If he's in the Air National Guard and you're seriously concerned, you can call up his unit and ask if this person exists. If he does, you should be good. Even if he tries to screw you, can you call up his chain of command and let them know. It'd also be super easy for the cops to track him down.

    Iceman.USAF on
  • VeeveeVeevee WisconsinRegistered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Iceman.USAF wrote: »
    If he's in the Air National Guard and you're seriously concerned, you can call up his unit and ask if this person exists. If he does, you should be good. Even if he tries to screw you, can you call up his chain of command and let them know. It'd also be super easy for the cops to track him down.

    It'd also be super easy to just use the name of someone in the air national guard

    I'm with bowen, cash only for anything done on craigslist. Which craigslist also suggests with big bold warnings on most pages

    Veevee on
  • DiannaoChongDiannaoChong Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Paypal has a long history of going into a linked bank account, and emptying it. And when you go to get your money back they go "nah, you said we could do this"

    I recommend working in cash/public places if you can.

    DiannaoChong on
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  • ViscountalphaViscountalpha The pen is mightier than the sword http://youtu.be/G_sBOsh-vyIRegistered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Paypal sucks balls and I refuse to link any bank account to, EXACTLY because they are unethical in their practices.

    Viscountalpha on
  • Iceman.USAFIceman.USAF Major East CoastRegistered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Veevee wrote: »
    Iceman.USAF wrote: »
    If he's in the Air National Guard and you're seriously concerned, you can call up his unit and ask if this person exists. If he does, you should be good. Even if he tries to screw you, can you call up his chain of command and let them know. It'd also be super easy for the cops to track him down.

    It'd also be super easy to just use the name of someone in the air national guard

    I'm with bowen, cash only for anything done on craigslist. Which craigslist also suggests with big bold warnings on most pages

    But not to use an @ang.mil address. Generally, you need a Common Access Card with valid digital certificates on it to use that kind of account.

    My point, I guess, is that yes someone could have spoofed an @ang.mil address and used something similiar, but it'd be fairly impossible for them to play stand in when you call the base looking for the dude.

    Iceman.USAF on
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