Yes and no... They can dispute the transaction, which causes Paypal to hold up the money until it’s resolved - and that can take weeks or months. If you sold what was advertised, you’ll eventually win but it can take a LONG time.
Don’t take Paypal - take cash.
CASH only on Craigslist. Too many progressive libs attempt to purchase items they think are entitlements. Label these crooks obama-supporters.
Hmmm. Do they want you to mail the item it to them? If yes, then SCAM.
If they put a bad check directly in your bank account that takes a little while to clear then SCAM and you are left holding the bag.
Spokeo.com the person’s name and see what you come up with. You can call paypal directly-
866-888-4178 2 mins avg wait
Don’t press ANYTHING!
402-935-2050 5 mins avg wait
Press 0 or say “Agent” at each pro...
If you use paypal for craigslist you will have a lot more chance of getting scammed. Also only deal locally
Just dont ever send anything until you have CASH MONEY in hand.
If one more of my friends falls for that ‘certified check’ scam I will scream like a girl.
Don't use them to receive payment.
Cash only on craigslist.
PayPal on Ebay is fairly safe but nothing is 100%. Best rule if selling anywhere is make sure the money is in your banking acct. before surendering the item. Not just cleared through the credit card.
Did you ask why he insists on paypal? There are good reasons why.
Don’t allow pickup until the funds are in your account. Be sure his paypal account is in good standing, and that it wasn’t opened recently. If he has an ebay account, check his feedback, and have him send you an email from his ebay account.
I’ve used paypal for hundreds of transactions over what, 5 years, and I’ve never had a chargeback.
Cash only.
Other tips:
Get a separate email account (hotmail,gmail...) to sign up with. The email you use with the ‘anonymizer’ will likely be harvested for spam when you respond to a bogus inquiry.
Responses that don’t specifically mention something in your ad- not just the title of the ad- are just spams and scams. Don’t reply to them.
PayPal does not offer protection to a seller no matter what PayPal says. The buyer can file a dispute, the money is pulled from your account immediately and deposited into PayPal’s account. You will then be in for a 6 month dispute resolution process in which PayPal is the final judge. Your paperwork and documentation has to be perfect and even that is not a guarantee you will prevail.
I would advise CASH only for any Craigslist transactions.
There are to many scammers on Craigslist. If someone wants to only use Paypal , I would pass.
I use Paypal all the time for purchasing items on EBAY and have never had a problem. However, there is transaction history for people who sell on EBAY and most people are running a legitimate business.
Yes, be very careful meeting anyone in person. There have been many cases where people have been murdered. Try to bring some kind of protection with you- mace, a small machete, a knife in the toe of your shoe or a big goon. Learn karate first if possible. Even worse, if you’re killed, Craigslist will delete your account and won’t let you sell anything more online.
Are you selling a car? Some big ticket item?
IF you are selling a car (or buying); this is what I do.
Handle the financials at the tax office. Or better yet, a title transfer office.
It’s assurance for the buyer and seller. Do not hand over cash or a cashiers check until you get the white slip.
I bought a good used car last year from a fellow who had an open title. He owned the car, but he never registered the title. No problem - I said - I’ll still buy it as long as I get a white slip (guarantee to get the original title in 3 weeks).
Anyway, I got a clear title, but the poor fool had to pay a $100 penalty only because he failed to register the vehicle when he bought it 6 months ealier.
Cash only on Craigslist. I cannot imagine why anyone would insist on using paypal unless they have some kind of scam going.
Walk away.
“Yes and no... They can dispute the transaction, which causes Paypal to hold up the money until it’s resolved - and that can take weeks or months. If you sold what was advertised, you’ll eventually win but it can take a LONG time.
Don’t take Paypal - take cash.”
Incorrect, if the buyer disputes and if you don’t have an official delivery confirmation, you lose. And if you do use a delivery confirmation, they can always file a ‘item not as described claim’ and of course you will lose. Never sell anything of value via paypal!!! If the customer is a crook, you will lose! Sorry to be so dramatic, but paypal is the best pal a crook has ever had. Have been selling online since 2002, i sell lots of small value stuff, 5-10-15 dollar sales, and have been scammed many times, but the value is small enough that no one sale can break me, but it is very easy to scam on paypal. DO NOT SELL VIA PAYPAL. If it is valuable, Cash only and move on if they refuse. If the are a crook, and no there way around paypal, you will lose. There are websites that school crooks on how to scam sellers on paypal...beware!
If you are selling cars, motorcycles or bicycles that will allow you to meet the buyer at a neutral location you are better off. Our sheriff recommends his parking lot where a safe CASH transaction can take place.
Things like appliances, jewelry, and furniture have led to home invasions, even murder!
bfl
We just recently bought a car on CL. The dealer seemed so low key (just a few cars) that we checked them out. He was what he claimed, and things worked out well, and we saved a ton of money.
The rule:
If you are buying a car from a private seller, you go to the DMV and do it there. The seller comes in with you. Now you might want to escape taxes somehow, but it’s not worth it. I cannot tell you how many people I know bought a car (sometimes for thousands) and at the office found the car had liens or wasn’t even the seller’s to sell.
I know someone who spent thousands and found the car was a rental car with a counterfeit title. It had been reported as stolen.
If you tell the person to meet you at the DMV and the money will only be handed over when the title is confirmed, a crook will scuttle.
Cash only. In person meeting at a safe spot. Bring a friend if you’re going to their place. Have back up just in case if they are coming to your place.