Am I getting scammed?

[shimo-kitasnap]

I am selling a canon 35mm f2.8 ltm lens on the bay and it was listed as best offer for $175.

I got an offer of $150 which I declined and sent a counter offer too. I got an e-mail saying it was a deal from the same guy but outside of e-bay. I then received the money in my paypal account and the lens was still up. I e-mailed him back asking him to accept the offer, to which he responds "yes" (that's it just a single word) then I told him I ended the auction early because he sent the money to which he responds again with a single word "OK".

My paypal account says his name is Brian Flores and he is confirmed and has a DC address.

Anyone know this guy? Is he real, or am I about to get screwed?

 

[RFOBD]

Maybe you can call him to make sure it's him who's actually ordering and try to see what's up.

http://www.whitepages.com/5116/sear...&name=Flores&city_zip=+&state_id=DC&x=25&y=14

Might be a bit extreme, but if you're really worried, it's an option.

 

[Arvay]

Maybe you can call him to make sure it's him who's actually ordering and try to see what's up.

http://www.whitepages.com/5116/sear...&name=Flores&city_zip=+&state_id=DC&x=25&y=14

Might be a bit extreme, but if you're really worried, it's an option.

That Brian is 71.
But there are plenty of Brians to be given a call...😱
http://preview.ussearch.com/preview...&adsource=9&TID=0&cid=people&searchtab=people

To author

Where's the scam if you are already paid for the lens?

 

[shimo-kitasnap]

Looks like there was just a misunderstanding, i guess he's very kurt. (he finally e-mailed me back explaining everything. Usually when it's best offer, you accept the counter offer and do everything through e-bay rather than working around the outside. I like to be polite when I ask questions on the bay.

 

[shimo-kitasnap]

I remember reading somewhere on this forum that someone got paid for an item sold on e-bay, got the funds from paypal and shipped the next day only to find that while the package was in transit (from the U.S.) to the U.K. the funds were then withdrawn. Luckily this person was able to make phone calls to USPS and Royal Mail and the intercepted the package before it was delivered thwarting the scammer.

 

[Arvay]

I remember reading somewhere on this forum that someone got paid for an item sold on e-bay, got the funds from paypal and shipped the next day only to find that while the package was in transit (from the U.S.) to the U.K. the funds were then withdrawn. Luckily this person was able to make phone calls to USPS and Royal Mail and the intercepted the package before it was delivered thwarting the scammer.

Oh, yep, I didn't think of such a thing.
But I'm not sure the payee can recall a payment untill the case will be opened.
And the case can be opened in some 20 days or so.
If you provide the tracking number and it will be traced throughout the whole way I think it will be ok.

I had once bought an item and was provided with tracking reference. But under the reference the item never crossed the US border...
The case was mine and PayPal reimbursed me the amount

 

[shimo-kitasnap]

ok, thanks I feel better now, I don't know sometimes I just think single word replies for e-bay questions are a bit misconceiving (is that a word?)

 

[David Murphy]

I think there is a good chance you are being scammed (note that I have extensive eBay selling experience -- I'm not just carping here). Scammers are constantly finding new ways to exploit eBay selling features to dupe buyers. One way to avoid this is to not let them see your email address -- communicate only through the ebay PM system if trust is an issue (and certainly so regarding money matters). If it were my deal I'd not go through with it or insist on Western Union cash direct payment (a bullet proof method of secure payment for sellers). You can easily sell your lens since it's valuable and the buyer cannot give you negative feedback since he did not go through with the auction. You can refund his money with no PayPal fees to pay. I'm not sure what PayPal would do if they were left holding the bag on this money -- knowing that they (PayPal) are not much better than criminals themselves, they might go after you for it.

The argument that you are not being scammed is that (despite the undeniable fondness for them here) LTM Canon rangefinder lenses are not exactly all-the-rage in the criminal world these days. They are usually after somewhat more fenceable items -- say a DSLR or a flat screen TV.

Also, not to seem to be the price police here, but I don't think offering $150 on a $175 item listed with "Best Offer" is unreasonably low. That's only 14% less than the asking price.

Finally, I wish you had sold that lens here!!! You'll find plenty of honest folks who could have used a good 35/2.8 Canon!! The price of listing an ad here is also less than your total eBay fees for an item in that price category -- and besides, we like the entertainment of discussing it 🙂

 

[rich815]

I agree with David. Re-list it with a higher price and tell the guy to go through the Best Offer process again and then accept his offer. All through the normal channels. If he balks then I guess he never really wanted it and as David says you can list and sell it here. Might incur another eBay fee and/or a small Classifieds fee here but those are small prices to pay vs. losing the lens and the money. When anything smells even the tiniest bit fishy it's good to put your sense on high alert...why did he ignore and go around the acceptance of the offer? No good reason that helps you that I see...

 

[shimo-kitasnap]

Yeah it's weird because he asked me for my paypal e-mail address, and I (stupidly gave it to him). What happened was I offered it at 175, he offered 150, i sent a counter offer of 169.99, he said it was a deal and suddenly i've got 169.99 plus whatever for shipping in my paypal account. Lens was still up, people were still asking questions about it. I asked him if he would accept the counter offer on ebay and he said yes, then i get an ebay e-mail saying that my counter offer was turned down , i took the lens off ebay, and e-mailed him saying so to which he said "ok" and then I got down to bussiness and demand that he reply with a coherent message other than single words because I suspected that I was getting scammed, he got back saying that he has 100% feedback and that he has a record of all the e-mails we've been sending back and forth and still wants the lens, he also said there was not buy it now button for him to click on.

I've still got his money, And I said i would ship (i just haven't yet) I think i'm going to give paypal a call to see what's up.

 

[sooner]

Maybe he's a crotchety old guy, but it does seem weird. Maybe the short communications are meant to mask a foreign scammer, given that poor grammar often betrays a foreign-based scheme. However, he was within his rights to accept your counter offer and pay you for it. The troubling thing here is this notion that a Paypal payment can be withdrawn once you see it credited--not that this happened to you, at least not yet, but to others. Otherwise, seems to me, once you have the money you owe him the good.

 

[Thardy]

Maybe he was trying to insure he was first in line for the lens by putting money into your account. I bought an item through classifieds here once. The seller says better send the money, as I have several others waiting in line.

How do you get the money out of your paypal account? Take it out before you ship. Is there any way for people to get money out of you if there is no money in the paypal account, like a credit card charge-back?

But anyway, don't do deals outside of eBay.

 

[rich815]

I cannot see any reason why he would act this way and go outside the normal accepting of your counter offer. If I were you I'd put it up again, ask him to hit you with the offer, accept it and continue the proper procedure. It may be fine but why take a chance. What is this "he got back saying that he has 100% feedback and that he has a record of all the e-mails we've been sending back and forth and still wants the lens..."??? Is he threatening you that he has a record of everything so you better perform? Be polite but channel it back thru eBay as you started it. If he refuses to play then move on...

 

[M. Valdemar]

I'm not going to say anything this time.

I know exactly what he's up to, but if I call someone "dumb" for doing something such as giving someone off-eBay personal info he requests, I am then accused of suffering from Asbergers syndrome, among other such things.

If you make a statement such as "I foolishly gave it to him", then you decide to "not return the money", you already know you are acting improperly.

Every confidence game needs a sap who thinks he's smarter than the con artist, and who deep down really wants to keep the money.

You got strong clues from his one word answers, his irrational actions, etc.

Why don't you just leave the lens in the street with a "take me free" note on it?

 

[shimo-kitasnap]

You're right it was pretty dumb for me to give him my e-mail. However, i called paypal and they confirmed the address and say he is legit, and that i'm covered if i send it to that address. so even if he decides to screw me over I still get to keep the money.

 

[shimo-kitasnap]

I just checked his feedback and looked through what he's been buying, shows transactions with heavystar, and almost everything is photography related.

 

[shimo-kitasnap]

I had one instance where i sold something and the guy bought it and immediately e-mailed me right after he bought it demanding to know when i was going to ship. I wasn't able to be at my computer at the time and caught the message 6 hours too late after which point he must have been fuming over why it took me that long to reply, he had already by that point filled a complaint and we had to open a case. All because he thought my e-mail address was malicious. I e-mailed him back telling him that i was just a normal dude selling stuff on the bay and that I hadn't been able to reply because the thing sold at 10am in the morning right when I've a got geology class, and i'm in class until 2. He was sooo sorry and we resolved everything. I called paypal and my rep was surprised that he got so paranoid, because with ebay you're supposed to wait at least a week before you can pull something like that.

It was really funny though because this guy's address happened to be on a "800 Megahertz Drive," the address of some tech company in VA or something. I though funnily that maybe he had one too many highly caffeinated drinks that morning. (no i'm not stereotyping people who work at tech companies or programmers)