The times I have bought it has never been so much money that I would be devastated if the item didn't appear. Gumtree say keeping it in-house means you are protected by their filter system which blocks any spam or suspicious emails. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Of course it's possible that it's legitimate, or it could be a scam. You are viewing the PayPal Community Archives. The AD is removed. Do it at your own risk. Apr-05-2021 11:45 PM. You should take age and condition into account and remember you can always reduce your price later if the item hasnt sold. Any message stating that you need to make a payment NOW otherwise your ad is going to be deleted or your account is to be closed, needs to cause concern. I get it it is a hassle to arrange a meet-up time. i paid via bank teansfer. This article was co-authored by Scott Nelson, JD and by wikiHow staff writer, Amber Crain. Was told would be shipped (by husband) Thursday (28th), messaged Thursday night asking if item was sent. Top tip: use as many descriptive words as you can. Several people pointed this out, she just blew them off. I dont trust gumtree personally. Track and trace. Posted 6th May 2018. Scott Nelson is a Police Sergeant with the Mountain View Police Department in California. IfGumtree needed to get hold of you theyd do so via the message centre in your account. Check their updated policies/buyer protection info before using, and tell seller you'll pay by PayPal, see how they react. If someone is determined to steal from you, they may well find a way. You never really know who is responding to your ads (no matter how friendly or normal they sound). By using our site, you agree to our. I sell items on Gumtree in person only. I sent her like $1 through friends and family and another $1 through goods and services. Take lots of pictures of the item before packing and once packed and make sure you are covered via insurance when posting. If this happens, plug in your phone charger and see if it charges your phone if not, then clearly the power point is the culprit. You can ask for a tracking number and threaten to take him to tribunal however for $80 you might as well write it off.Otherwise pesker him up every 2nd day asking for an update.The police won't care as its a 'civil matter'. So you should probably be okay, so long as you're not doing something else stupid like putting it through as a 'gift' of paypal money, or paying for something virtual/digital/service-based instead of payment for a tangible object. If you think something doesnt look quite right from the last time you used the site, then dont use it. Inspect the listing. It doesnt hurt to make sure the items are clean a quick wipe, dust, or launder and iron (following the fabric care label) can really help them look their best. Having said that you can read more about prevention on being scammed. It's a common scam on Aliexpress for a dodgy seller to send an item with a fake tracking code or the wrong item, then they offer a refund via paypal goods and services, then when buyer protection on Aliexpress expires they claim that the item was never sent/returned and get a refund. Any suggestions, opinions or statements I make should not be taken as such. can you please link me to a letter of demand? Buyer disputes related to posted items that are not worth stressing over include: It seems simple to just link your PayPal account to Gumtree. He has over 15 years of experience in law enforcement and specializes in digital forensics. You can also note if you are willing to negotiate the price by putting down "OBO," which stands for "Or Best Offer.". Last Updated: July 18, 2022 Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Seller didn't send. Paypal can vary. I got an offer from a guy who's keen to buy it. You might even like to use synonyms; for example, if you are selling a pair of bedside tables you could also put bedside drawers or nightstands in the title. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. For tips on responding to potential buyers, keep reading! I live in the cold now but I miss Brisbane! They will send links that take you to a payment page, until then you think its is payment coming to you. What if the seller just takes the money and doesn't post it to me? This scam involves rogue car dealers posing as an individual user of Gumtree and posting ads for fully working or good condition second-hand cars, when in fact the cars are often missing parts or in bad condition. But that wont work for the buyer. The payments went through straight away and an email was received each time. You could also use other money transfer services but they cost more. For example, you may have a username like ThrifyOne555.. Now that youre clued up on staying safe whilst using Gumtree, dont forget to read up on tips on how to sell successfully on Gumtree. Meeting them face to face allows you not only to gauge whether they can be trusted, but also gives you a chance to check that the item you're purchasing matches its description. But it can also be your buyer! If youre selling, buying or just have a Gumtree account you dont do anything with, then like any online channel, you need to be wary and protect yourself from scams. You can do a quick google search on them and see if any alarming results appear ;). I'm little bit concerned to buy the item. Take photos of how you pack the box. If anyone comes and says they'll pay using PayPal I tell them only cash. $370aud. For any purchase, give the buyer ample opportunity to inspect the item in person. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Send me some money and I'll mail you the answer. Stick with these basic tips whenever buying or selling on Gumtree to avoid a bucketload of stress when youre just trying to save or make a few extra bucks. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. % of people told us that this article helped them. Didn't ask any questions about the watch or anything. Second to that is an Auspost money order. The phrase 'more money than sense' appears to apply in most such cases. Click this link to . Press J to jump to the feed. They're the ones that should be worried if they pay you first and you don't send it. People run late. What's a buyer scam? If your item has a brand, make or model number, be sure to include that too. Lets be clear on this you pretty much have no buyer or seller protections whatsoever, when using PayPal on Gumtree. Find out how Universal Credit works and how to manage your payment, Entitlements to help with the cost of pregnancy or bringing up children, Understand what support is available for coping with ill health, You may be entitled for help with other costs on top of your State Pension, Extra support if youre working, self-employed, or youve lost your job, Support to help with rent or mortgage payments if youre on a low income, What to do if something goes wrong with your benefits, How to choose, use and manage bank accounts, How to budget, find the best deals and switch to save money, How to buy and finance a car, deal with problems with car finance, and cut running costs, Credit basics, applying for credit, credit ratings and problems with credit, Insurance for cars, health, travel, and help with insurance. My sister recently put up something on Gumtree and the buyer was asking for her PayPal email. This is a ploy to get you to click the fake link or to reply to a fake email known as smishing. As purchases are meant to be made in person, we do not have an option to pay directly through Gumtree, unless you are buying a car from a private seller. I guess there are some good people out there. I have bought and sold on gumtree using bank transfer. And to also search the sellers number or business online to check their history or for any previous reviews. Date of experience: 23 February 2023. If you receive a text or an email claiming to be from Gumtree then dont click the link thats telling you to update info or act now before your account closes. If you think youve been a victim of scam then report it to Action Fraud on0300 123 2040 or use their online cybercrimereporting form. This is such a big no no! Always paid via PayPal and asked for tracking when posted, I never do Bank Deposits. So if Gumtree is full of scammers, should we all give up and resort to other platforms like eBay and Facebook Marketplace, when trying to clear our homes of unwanted goods and recouping some cash? A subreddit for Melburnians and Melbourne enthusiasts! I have a potential buyer for an item listed on Gumtree but they're insisting I give my personal email address rather than communicate via the Gumtree messaging system. Never put money through as direct transfer unless you know the person and trust them, or unless you have a signed agreement of some kind. Sign up for wikiHow's weekly email newsletter. He kept insisting he had paid and kept urging my sister to check her spam inbox and click the link to accept the payment - major red flag. Many mistakenly assume that PayPal is the safest way to pay on Gumtree, and that theyll be protected in the event of disputes over items that havent arrived, are defective, or if youve been scammed. Or maybe it does need to be said. Gumtree is an alternative to The Trading Post. Scammed the 2nd time. Youll receive an email whenever a message comes through, and you can reply via email itll cloak your email address when you respond. Have you got the exact text where they say that ? Rule 3: Use cash only. I now prefer to use ebay when I want it shipped to me and use Gumtree for local exchanges only. Does this sound dodgy to anyone? You are viewing the PayPal Community Archives. Below are three golden rules to using Gumtree without worrying about your safety. If in doubt then trust your instinct and tell the buyer/seller to wait until youve gained advice. It seems simple to just link your PayPal account to Gumtree. Oct-03-2017 02:00 PM. Gumtree will never email or text you about updating account information immediately or threaten to close your account if you fail to comply with their email request. 0 Kudos. 1999-2023 PayPal, Inc. All rights reserved. It takes longer and is more effort. recommends having someone with you, and asking then to produce some ID. Some of that probably has to do with what types of items that you sell or buy if its baby and kids gear then you are likely to meet fellow mums and dads! It was only just over 6 years ago. Be honest in your description and do not oversell the item. "I want to use Gumtree but I have never sold anything on line before. You can normally suss out if somebody is legit etc, you will need to get their full address & phone number for shipping and if they seem reluctant to give this out then I would cancel the sale. It doesn't hurt to make sure the items are clean - a quick wipe, dust, or launder and iron (following the fabric care label) can really help them look their best. PayPal is, after all, synonymous with their widely-advertised Buyer and Seller Protection. This potential buyer will ask to buy it and for it to be delivered. Be upfront if there is damage or an issue with the item so the buyer knows what they are getting. If that 80 was their life savings, they probably would have been a lot more cautious. Personally I would never trust PP with anything over a couple hundred max. Getgaff. Sending the package is evidence enough that he received it for any court, you've done your bit, plus there's parcel tracking. Not really worth advertising on here. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/4\/41\/Report-Fraud-on-Gumtree-Step-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Report-Fraud-on-Gumtree-Step-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/4\/41\/Report-Fraud-on-Gumtree-Step-2.jpg\/v4-728px-Report-Fraud-on-Gumtree-Step-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"