Bumping this thread, to report similar bad experiences on eBay. I posted 2 items for sale this week. Both went through the same process, a day apart: a buyer bypasses the auction and makes me a good offer, which I accept. The next day the buyer sends me a direct message (text and email) wanting to discuss “the item”. The first time I took it at face value, and answered his questions (“is it really in good condition?”) and he then followed up by asking me my PayPal id, so he could “be sure he’s sending the correct amount”. I told him Hell No, that’s not how eBay works.
Today that buyer is no longer valid. The buyer of the 2nd item just sent me an email wanting to discuss “the item”.
I’d seen it before but I was recently reminded of this British comedian’s hysterical bit about playing a flat-selling scammer. The scam part starts about 2 mins in but you may as well watch from the beginning.
About 4 years ago my wife had me start selling all her female clothes. I never really had problem with people not paying up until I started to sell women’s clothes a few pieces at a time and suddenly people would bid on the items, win, and then tell me “Hey sorry, I no longer have the money can you send me the items for free please?”. This happened about a dozen times for about 20 or so items.
They were always in poorly punctuated but still completely legible English which made it seem I was dealing with young girls with eBay accounts but no credit card, or weird perverts who get thrills by bidding on women’s clothing with no intention to pay and deliberately want to start conversations with the supposed women on the other end.
