I'm sure its a regular occurence for people who sell on gumtree often.
I am trying to sell a phone at the moment, and I keep having a conversation with people that ends up with them saying they live in another state (usually NSW), and would like it posted. Is a scam every time?
I usually tell them, I'll consider it if I can't find a local buyer, always end up finding a local buyer.
What is everyone's experience on this?
They could still reverse the transaction I reckon?
Yes, and then your bank balance would become minus and bank will charge you interest on it…
CASH ON PICKUP
How are they going to reverse a bank transfer?
call the bank, it’s really easy. I’ve done it because my card info was stolen. I imagine one could scam by telling the bank that the transaction was not authorised by card holder.
@RobBoss: Your card details have nothing to do with doing a bank transfer through the app/website though?
@[Deactivated]: They pay you with someone else's (stolen) card/details, then when that person reports it you lose the money.
@ssquid: I can't find any concrete information stating that a direct transfer (using BSB and Account Number rather than card) is reversible. Can you point me to some info regarding this?
@[Deactivated]: In my last workplace, it was only possible for us to reverse a deposit if the (accidental) recipient authorised it to be returned - we would log a case with our bank who would contact the recipients bank, who would request their permission for the funds to be returned
Personally, I use a spare account to receive funds and transfer out immediately
Personally, I use a spare account to receive funds and transfer out immediately
This does not help, your spare account will now have a negative balance accumulating fees and interest.
@[Deactivated]: Most common scam in this arena is using a bad cheque to perform the transfer whereby the funds appear in your account temporarily. Once the receiving (your) bank gets clued in to the fact that the cheque was fraudulent they will immediately reverse the transaction.
@DoctorCalculon: Those funds get added to your "pending balance" or "account balance", once it clears it goes to "Available balance" and that's the same as a bank transfer.
@[Deactivated]: Cleared just means you can spend it now.
But it can still be reversed at anytime if turns out to have been a fraudulent transfer.
Gumtree = Cash on pickup. Wouldnt risk sending interstate.
Agree 100%.
I've sold some low value items like video games on Gumtree which I posted out to buyer. No issues.
For anything expensive and can be easily resold like a mobile phone I'd 100% avoid. Scammers target these types of items.
I recently listed a laptop and got five messages in half an hour each asking for my email or to email them directly
Probably super rare, but you could get robbed though.
I've done all but 2 transactions via cash. The other two (one for $75, the other for $4,000) were bank transfer where they showed me their ID and the transaction while they did it. Not saying it's foolproof, but I had a good vibe from both and ended up being ok.
Robbery is a much more serious crime though. (max penalty = 14 years, or even 20 years if they bring a friend or a weapon)
Never do post on gumtree, cash only
I'll ask sellers to post me video games if they're interstate.
But that's only if they've got a sales history on Gumtree.
But yeah, for a phone or a computer, it's cash on pickup or piss off.
No not everyone who wants an item post is a scammer.
i regularly find stuff in other states and ask for postage and pay via paypal.
Put the sale on Ebay, Scumtree COD or GTFO
Ask them to mail you cash first.
🤣
I once sold a bike on Marketplace (I'd say possibly has the same looseness in terms of security with Gumtree) which I posted interstate.
Buyer bank transferred the money ($4000), they got the bike and everyone was happy.
As I understood, with bank transfer, it's coming from someone's existing account which they have to have money in, and then that gets transferred to yours/mine. As I understand, the transfer could be reversed if say it was coming from a credit card (or claimed stolen one) but account to account transfers can't be reversed (could be wrong and hope to have clarification if so)
Wow, $4000 on a posted item. You sir, have balls of steel.
How would you describe the buyer's balls then?
Balls of titanium
Round-ish
Whether ignorant or lack of understanding on my end, I waited until I got the money into my account and then transferred it out of it. I figured, and still believe, that there's no way to recover the money via bank transfer so was good to proceed with the transaction.
The buyer contacted me daily as you would and I was happy to give updates and provide photos along the way.
I think you will find users on here that have had exactly that happen to them (money reversed from a bank transfer).
Any bad feelings and I'd avoid the sale. I have posted things before but only if I can't sell locally.
Is a scam every time?
Likely not every time, but you'd rather be safe than sorry..
What is everyone's experience on this?
List the item on eBay using this deal to avoid eBay seller fees, then you both have some form of protection. But be careful, eBay usually sides with the buyer, regardless of the circumstances. I sold a phone on eBay recently, the buyer opened up a return request and sent me back an empty satchel, and as the tracking info showed delivered back to me eBay sided with them, giving them a full refund. Had to appeal it and jump through hoops to get my money back..
99.9% of time the seller will lose. You must be that 0.01% that won. What made ebay side with you out of curiosity?
I don't live in or near a city so usually I have to ask for things to be posted (especially would now that my closest city is inaccessible due to border closure). That said, it's usually more uncommon items that I would look for that there's little chance of ever finding nearby, not some generic iPhone. I just ask if they're willing to ship, no worries if not, and if they say they'd prefer to find a local buyer first that's all good. I think it's a little easier to pay now with instant bank transfer methods like Beemit and Osko more commonplace in addition to PayPal.
I also only contact people with good listings at fair prices and don't haggle, just asking price + postage. I try to make it simple. From my experience selling, the suspect inquiries usually have some sort of run around or story and don't open up with the fact that they'd like it shipped.
So I definitely don't think every non-local person is a scammer, and you'd want to make sure things add up, but naturally if it's an item that will sell locally, by all means try to sell locally first and I think the more reasonable people that you'd actually want to post to in the first place understand that.
I have bought 2 items from Gumtree recently, asked for them to be posted. They were posted, payment made via bank transfer and all was good.
I understand that there is a level of risk here but, as a buyer, I can't always drive interstate to pick up a book; so I will take that risk.
Bank transfer only and then wait until you see the money in your account.
Follow those simple rules and no issues. ignore people who insist to pay via paypal unless it's a small amount and then only via send money to friends not by sending a invoice. It's a private sale not business.
I recently sold an item for $1800 and posted it after receiving the money in my account.
It was a testing equipment that not many people would need so hard to sell locally and hard for the buyer to find locally so it all made sense.
Having said that, I got the buyer to call me and I could tell he was genuine. I also checked for other posts on gumtree and non was being offered in the state he lives.
If you are selling something like a phone for the market price that the buyer can find locally, then that’s definitely a red flag. Otherwise, chances are you’ll be ok with a bank transfer and sending the the item with signature on delivery. At least, that is safer than ebay and paypal.
I often find things on gumtree that I ask to be posted. But they're unusual collector items not things that can be onsold easily.
There's no real way to do a transaction like this without one of the parties being vulnerable to getting scammed.
If you get the cash first with, no way for him to reverse it, then you may never send the item.
If he does have a way to reverse the cash (or it was a fraudulent payment) then he may do that after you send the item.
Before sending, make sure the money is in your account, and move it to another account