Mind - blown.

[Mosco]

A zero feedbacker buys my watch on ebay. His email has a ".tw" at the end, indicating Taiwan origin, yet his address is in California.

He pays within a day with PayPal, but the address is not PayPal confirmed. I contact him stating that I do not ship to un-confirmed addresses within US and Canada, and he tells me that he is unable to confirm this address .

When I look up the address, it appears to be a small business building with a Mailboxes Etc. type place. Naturally, I tell him that I cannot ship like this and will refund his money promptly, which I do - expecting never to hear from him again.

All the signs of an avoided scam, right?

He emails me saying that he understands my position, and that he believes a bank wire should solve the issue. Even then, I am skeptical - maybe he is just buying time. But I email him wiring info anyway - because - who knows, I've had weirder deals go totally smooth.

The wire does not show up yesterday as he promised, but sure enough - 9:00 am - it is in my account. "From" name matches as well. Looks like a legit deal. Moral of the story - hell if I know. Better safe then sorry, I guess? Or - not everything is a scam that appears to be? Or bit of both?

Just as a disclaimer, I am not saying to let your guard down, people. Knowing what I know now, I still wouldn't have gone about it any other way.

[bayerische]

I'm such a paypal sucker, that I haven't been able to confirm my addresses. How do you do that???

But still, it's better to be careful.

[Sweramic]

Originally Posted by bayerische

I'm such a paypal sucker, that I haven't been able to confirm my addresses. How do you do that???

But still, it's better to be careful.

I agree, PayPal can be a pain in the a$$...

[clew84]

That sounds vaguely like what almost happened to me when I tried to sell my Deep Sea, except the name on the "electronic check", not a wire, was different. It was a complete scam with a runner who got paid to pick up the watch at the UPS store (where the watch was to ship) and drop it off. He said he would get a phone call from someone who would then tell him to drop it off - never in the same place twice.

Because I caught the different name and the fact that it wasn't a true wire and therefore immediate money, I contacted the authorities and the UPS store and sent a box with some old tiles in it (for weight) with a picture of the Deep Sea wrapped around them. That was fun.

The scam was that the "purchaser" agreed to buy a watch from another guy and got his wire and bank number info. He then canceled that order stating he changed his mind. Then, the purchaser of my watch used the other guy's routing number and checking account number to send the funds via electronic check to me.

I hope your deal is legit but if it's a true wire then it must be? No way to get that money back.

[Jocke]

Originally Posted by bayerische

I'm such a paypal sucker, that I haven't been able to confirm my addresses. How do you do that???

But still, it's better to be careful.

I guess you can only confirm a US address at PayPal.

It looks like PayPal knows we are a honest people over here.

[Johny]

Originally Posted by Jocke

I guess you can only confirm a US address at PayPal.

It looks like PayPal knows we are a honest people over here.

an honest Swede.

[bayerische]

Originally Posted by Jocke

I guess you can only confirm a US address at PayPal.

It looks like PayPal knows we are a honest people over here.

Awesome!°

We knew it.

So how can we ever prove it.

(Honest Finn)

[Jocke]

Originally Posted by Johny

an honest Swede.

There is a few ones, not so many as the Scots.

[rr-nyc]

Its always better to be safe than sorry. We all were a first time buyer at some point so I suppose the guy could be legit.

[MonBK]

Very professionally handled Tavarich.

[77T]

Much luck on the fulfillment side, too.
Registered Mail, ID required?

[figbo]

I'm puertorican,I'm screwed...

[Hooper]

Originally Posted by clew84

That sounds vaguely like what almost happened to me when I tried to sell my Deep Sea, except the name on the "electronic check", not a wire, was different. It was a complete scam with a runner who got paid to pick up the watch at the UPS store (where the watch was to ship) and drop it off. He said he would get a phone call from someone who would then tell him to drop it off - never in the same place twice.

Because I caught the different name and the fact that it wasn't a true wire and therefore immediate money, I contacted the authorities and the UPS store and sent a box with some old tiles in it (for weight) with a picture of the Deep Sea wrapped around them. That was fun.

The scam was that the "purchaser" agreed to buy a watch from another guy and got his wire and bank number info. He then canceled that order stating he changed his mind. Then, the purchaser of my watch used the other guy's routing number and checking account number to send the funds via electronic check to me.

I hope your deal is legit but if it's a true wire then it must be? No way to get that money back.

[MonBK]

Originally Posted by figbo

I'm puertorican,I'm screwed...

Yep, 4 times.