Unseen ,long distance purchases

[nickk]

Hope this is the correct section to post this enquiry: anyone had experience of buying a big machine over the internet,without viewing first! The sellers offering (free)! Delivery whereby I pay uship the purchase price they hold the money for a period until they deliver to me,they then pay the seller.sounds too good to be true.
Has anyone had experience of escrow?

 

[ibrooks]

Sounds like one of the fairly common scams to me. You pay "uship" the money and never hear from them or the seller (who are quite possibly the same person/people) again.

Tread VERY carefully.

 

[hotponyshoes]

It's a scam.
If you want to check then just tell the seller you only live up the road and you will collect with cash.

I will bet you get a message back saying for some random reason collection is not possible hence they are offering free shipping. Or you won't even hear back from them.

If it does sound genuine then let us know where the item is and there might be a local member that can pop around and check it out first.

 

[hotponyshoes]

Ps, escrow is about as safe as just paying the cash into an unknown bank account.

Seriously, who sells anything on the internet nowadays without having a PayPal account?

 

[slim_boy_fat]

SCAM!! Post a link for us to see. Another common one is listing an expensive machine and putting the location as an out of the way place (like the Highlands ) so that folk are tempted to put down a deposit without inspecting the thing.

I've reported quite a few to eBay over the years.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

SCAM.

Walk away, save your money.

Get a machine locally and you get a better deal.

If you are in any doubt about it. Walk away.

 

[Bobtail4x4]

or get someone locally to check it out?

 

[Ruffian]

Yep happens a lot with vehicles.

"Owner away with forces but stored in secure compound. Pay full amount and he will get it delivered to you etc"

True scam and can loose a lot that way.

 

[premmington]

Distance selling is your problem...


I bought a CNC lathe today - from a chap 35 miles away - he had to "adjust" his price downwards - because he needs the lathe out the unit it is sited in - by the end of the week.

He was asking too much for a good machine - it has not sold - because of the silly high asking price. Now he had to accept very little or leave it for his ex landlord to sell on.

I will send the forklift repairer - who we do work for - to collect it on a 18 tonner with a forklift on the back of it to load it...

 

[ajlelectronics]

Interesting one on Ebay à ce moment. Ford Granada estate which keeps being relisted "due to timewasters". MOT expired ten years ago, seller has owned for a year but it only needs a bit of welding. I made a realitic offer and the listing was taken down again. It reappeared this morning.

I'm interested enough to go to see it, except that it is in Essex and I think it may be a wasted journey based on the auction starting price he wants, around £1500 over the top. I often buy long distance unseen but this one smells...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ford-Gra...rentrq:25f64c4d1690abc66cedb2faffee9acb|iid:1

 

[hotponyshoes]

Yea but at least he is offering to let you see it first. So, if you were happy to pay that much for it you stand a better chance of driving(?) away with the pile of *****

 

[premmington]

Interesting one on Ebay à ce moment. Ford Granada estate which keeps being relisted "due to timewasters". MOT expired ten years ago, seller has owned for a year but it only needs a bit of welding. I made a realitic offer and the listing was taken down again. It reappeared this morning.

I'm interested enough to go to see it, except that it is in Essex and I think it may be a wasted journey based on the auction starting price he wants, around £1500 over the top. I often buy long distance unseen but this one smells...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ford-Granada-estate-mk2-2-8-Ghia-x/202607273070?_trkparms=aid=111001&algo=REC.SEED&ao=1&asc=20160908105057&meid=0399792bbc854c9e9ed18e0cbc687336&pid=100675&rk=3&rkt=15&sd=153390410588&itm=202607273070&_trksid=p2481888.c100675.m4236&_trkparms=pageci:f889deeb-392c-11e9-8f50-74dbd18004bc|parentrq:25f64c4d1690abc66cedb2faffee9acb|iid:1

Bid him the £2000k you think it is worth....

 

[pressbrake1]

Scam scam scam!
Machine hauling is so expensive no one would offer it for free!
Why is it all these free delivery bargains are in remote areas and really DONT want cash in collection !
I posted a link on here to such a scam several months ago, the yank electric sockets on the wall were a giveaway

 

[hotponyshoes]

Timewasters either means somebody has gone and had a look at it, refused to pay what he is asking after seeing it in the flesh and walked away again.

Or, he wants the asking price and somebody has thought they can go and wave 1000 notes in his face and stick it back up for sale for twice that. Could be either or both!

 

[brightspark]

no time wasters tire kickers or juice jockeys if its a car

 

[ajlelectronics]

Bid him the £2000k you think it is worth....

I did. Ten minutes later the advert went down and the offers option removed when it resurfaced this morning. I think that was a fair offer bearing in mind (with the work required plus a full respray) that there a few decent ones on for 5k currently. That one must have a good reason why nobody has seen fit to MOT it in ten years, including the current owner who claims that he would do it and clearly hasn't.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

I did. Ten minutes later the advert went down and the offers option removed when it resurfaced this morning. I think that was a fair offer bearing in mind (with the work required plus a full respray) that there a few decent ones on for 5k currently. That one must have a good reason why nobody has seen fit to MOT it in ten years, including the current owner who claims that he would do it and clearly hasn't.

Leave it where it is. If the Seller is messing about, life's too short to be wasting time with him. The world's full of old cars for sale.

 

[RaceDiagnostics]

Just an FYI.

Ebay "offers option" is a pita for sellers, ebay try to include it in every sale, its really easy to have it included in an item in error. It is automatically included and hidden in a sub menu to deselect.

 

[bigegg]

Hope this is the correct section to post this enquiry: anyone had experience of buying a big machine over the internet,without viewing first! The sellers offering (free)! Delivery whereby I pay uship the purchase price they hold the money for a period until they deliver to me,they then pay the seller.sounds too good to be true.
Has anyone had experience of escrow?

when i was heavily involved with the uk ebay usenet group, we had a saying:

"its a scam. its ALWAYS a scam"


<edit> just realised that was 17 years ago.

 

[Olderisbetter]

I also say its a SCAM, i have been offered items from sellers and they always come up with some story about how i need to pay first and it is going to be delivered by Ebay and they are willing to take a risk, The 1st thing i look for is the wording or layout as most are using bad English or they type and explain in quotes.

This is a recent chat via email after seeing a mk1 escort on a local sale site.

ME..
Hi, I am interested in the ford escort mk1 you have listed on a local website, It says you are located around the Walsall area, If you still have the car can you let me know when i can come and have a look, Thanks.

REPLY..
Good evening! My advert is still valid and the price is £3,650. The car is in very good working condition and also has all necessary documents available. The only problem is that I have moved to my old address in Bridport (DT6 4SE). If you want to buy through eBay and PayPal I can offer a free delivery and I take a commitment to deliver it at the same price and including testing period. Thank you

ME...
Is the car on Ebay? I drive down to Axminster and Lyme Regis all the time so i can view the car as you are only a few miles away in Bridport and i have my own car transporter to collect it.

REPLY...
Hi, Because I`m in Bridport (DT6 4SE) the entire transaction will be completed trough eBay and PayPal. They will handle everything for both of us, including transportation and the transfer of the car papers to your name. You don't have to pay anything extra, the total price that you must pay for this car is £3,600. Here is how the process works:
I will make a private eBay listing for you.
You will have to click "buy it now", fill in the forms and follow the instructions.
PayPal will send you an invoice with all the transaction details and the payment instructions.
You will have to secure the funds to PayPal. After the funds will be secured to PayPal,the delivery will begin and the car will arrive to you in max. 48 hours. When the car will be in your custody, you will have a 7 days inspection period. If everything is alright, the transaction ends and PayPal will release the money to me. If there is something wrong with the car, you will be fully refunded and I'll get my car back too, without any extra fees. Everything is covered by PayPal & eBay. I will get paid only after you confirm that you received it. I would need your eBay username so I can send you the link. I'm waiting for your reply.
Thank you

ME...
I do not have an Ebay account or paypal i have cash and will only buy the car when i see it, That is why i was looking on website you have it advertised on.

REPLY...
Hi, the car is already into Shiply (eBay official delivery company) custody, ready to be shipped, I am offering free delivery and I will agree for a 5-7 days of full inspection period ( after the date you receive the car ). This means that you have 7 days to inspect the car for any damages and decide if you want to keep it or not!Because I will sign eBay's return policy, your money will be insured by them and you will have the option to reject the deal, only if we go through PayPal as well. If this is the case, you will receive a full refund (money back) from PayPal and I will have to take the car back on my cost! IThank you

ME...
As already stated i do not have EBAY or PAYPAL if the car is not viewable prior to payment i am not interested in it, It almost seems like you have tried to advertise this car on a local website and then get me to pay money to an Ebay account and then see if i trust you to have the car delivered by some company that work for Ebay, I think the car you are selling is very cheap and i am prepared to pay £15,000 (WOW) I use Barclays (a big bank) and can pay you direct (please send me your bank details of your UK based bank) i have to make a small charge for this to cover admin fees (just $75), I need $ not £ as my nan was Lincoln's hat maker and we have to bank in $ since he was shot. Thanks you for your time please let me know very soon as i am looking at another car in the next few days.

I got no reply