Bank transfer from foreign Ebay customer??
Bank transfer from foreign Ebay customer??
Author
Discussion

Mark34bn

Original Poster:

827 posts

193 months

Sunday 30th January 2011
quotequote all
I've just sold an item on Ebay and the buyer is requesting my bank details to pay by transfer. I've done this a few times within the UK paying for stock etc, but I'm a little reluctant.
The buyer is from Germany (no problem) but has zero feedback. If I give him my account name, number and sort code to pay, he will also have my address and phone number as it's on the listing.

Am I being over cautious here or would the combination of details about myself be enough to leave me vulnerable to some kind of scam?

missdiane

13,993 posts

265 months

Sunday 30th January 2011
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I wouldn't go there TBH, I am sure it's legit, but they can make a payment through Paypal without having to sign up, I beleive. Can you suggest that to them?

Sarnie

8,231 posts

225 months

Monday 31st January 2011
quotequote all
Did you specify in your listing that you accept this form of payment? If not then tell him that you only accept Paypal, Cash or a cheque........

RemainAllHoof

78,730 posts

298 months

Monday 31st January 2011
quotequote all
They take a fake cheque or banker's draft into their local bank and request the transfer be done. Weeks later (after you see the money in your account and have sent the item), the bank realises it's a fake and cancels the transaction. Guess who gets screwed?

Tell him that it's easier to scam you via Paypal. thumbup

sunbeam_alpine

7,185 posts

204 months

Monday 31st January 2011
quotequote all
I occasionally buy quite expensive items on Ebay (have bought 2 classic cars in this way in the past), and have used bank transfer to pay, to avoid traveling with a large amount of cash.

Unfortunately the increase in reported scamming leads everyone to expect to be ripped off. Not everyone from overseas is a scammer. I guess you need to go with your gut feeling on this, and also maybe evaluate how easy it is to sell (were there a lot of other bidders?).

I replied to a post along these lines a while back, and it degenerated into a slanging match. I don't see the harm in furnishing your bank details. Maybe you can ask your bank to check this transaction and confirm that it is definitely safe before shipping the item. I did this last year when selling some €15000-worth of spares into France (I'm in Belgium).

I would imagine that a genuine buyer would accept a delay in shipping until the money has definitely cleared. It may be a way to "screen" them - if they react badly to that sort of suggestion.

Lord Flathead

1,288 posts

195 months

Monday 31st January 2011
quotequote all
As above, always tell them that as they have zero feedback you will sell on your terms and not theirs. Accept a bank transfer or Paypal only, and never a cheque or a bond. If the seller buyer is legitimate he will not mind you imposing these conditions on him with no feedback.

RemainAllHoof

78,730 posts

298 months

Monday 31st January 2011
quotequote all
Lord Flathead said:
Accept a bank transfer or Paypal only, and never a cheque or a bond.
Note my reply. This is a way of getting a fake cheque through using a bank transfer!

Mark34bn

Original Poster:

827 posts

193 months

Monday 31st January 2011
quotequote all
I think I'll insist on Paypal being used. I'm not the paranoid type but with the bank info plus the info available via the Ebay transaction (name, address, tel no, email address, ebay ID, Paypal ID) I'm not that comfortable with the potential situation.
Cheers