Member Since: 06 Nov 2004
Location: Hook Norton
Posts: 18563
Buying warning, using transfers and responses to wanted ads
In response to the recent fraud carried out on DEFENDER2 in the last month, I thought it was worth a few notes to try and keep yourself safe when buying from other forum members.
Sadly, one person has ruined the trust and community spirit here which will ultimately end up with people being much more wary of dealing with each other.
Bank transfer should be considered as unsafe as PayPal gift payments. Although there is technically a stack of personal information held by banks regarding account holders, in the current climate the banks are not willing to pursue claims of fraud/scams against accounts held by them.
So my advice is now to NOT use bank transfers for payments unless the other person is very well known to you and you trust them explicitly to deliver.
In reality this leaves PayPal standard (NOT family/friend/gift) as the only secure method of carrying out an online payment, as you have total protection against fraud. The seller has to pay a % fee to receive funds using PayPal, and I understand that can be annoying, however the fraud prevention MUST come first and sellers MUST reassure buyers and using PayPal standard goes a long way to prove that you are genuine.
Also I would encourage potential buyers to collect verifiable personal information about who you are buying from. A genuine seller will have no problem with this. Unfortunately an email address and mobile number is not enough to find someone - email accounts are disposable and mobile phone SIM cards available for 99p from every corner shop.
Do a check on a member's forum posts, their post count can be misleading. Click the Profile button under any of their posts (or their name in the PM list) and then click the "Find all posts by <name>" link. Have they just posted a single word answer, emoticon/icon or quick reply in a number of threads to boost their post count?
Please be aware that memberships here are not vetted on registration, we are not a club with a database of contact details or other personal information. Be EXTREMELY careful when purchasing items from those who are new to the site, who have very few posts or PM you in response to a wanted ad with a great deal or something which seems to good to be true.
To expand upon that - a brand new member offering parts via PM with little forum input is effectively working around the forum's rules regarding selling straight away, and is a method used by fraudsters to scam people. DO NOT buy from anyone offering you exactly what you want via PM when they have virtually no forum "history".
In addition, if you suspect a seller or offer please, please help out the community and report it. Send me a PM, email, whatever. Flag it up - it's better to be safe than sorry. Don't sit on a concern - it may come too late to save others
It's a real shame that this all has to be said but that is the nature of the internet nowadays - be as vigilant online as you would with someone walking up to you in the street, or at a show.06 D3 SE / 15 LR D90 XS SW / 88 LR 90 Td5 / 68 BMW 2000 ti
Any issues with the site let me know!
11th Nov 2017 10:23 am
Iguana
Member Since: 14 Oct 2013
Location: 'Sunny' Zomerset
Posts: 9424
Well said Martin
I recently sold roof rack and buyer asked to pay via normal PayPal. Yes I received some charges but at least buyer was happy and protected Iggy/Ieuan
Current LR =
2015 RR Sport Autobiography
&
1992 Land Rover Defender Camper
- Gone but not forgotten:
MY10 D4 GS
MY05 Disco 3 'S'
MY14 FL2 HSE manual in Blue
MY15 Disco 4 HSE Lux in Santorini Black
MY08 Disco 3 SE manual in Buck Blue
1960 Series 2 88" (No idea why I sold it!)
11th Nov 2017 11:16 am
Villager
Member Since: 05 Jan 2018
Location: Southampton
Posts: 101
Why is the standard Paypal option better?
2nd Jul 2019 11:56 am
Martin Site Admin and Owner
Member Since: 06 Nov 2004
Location: Hook Norton
Posts: 18563
There is buyer (and seller) protection. Should an item not turn up, not be as described, etc, then you can get PayPal involved to resolve it and return money if necessary.
When sent as a gift, from the buyer's side the money is gone with no way of getting it back, ever. Remember it is NOT a gift, you're wanting something in return.06 D3 SE / 15 LR D90 XS SW / 88 LR 90 Td5 / 68 BMW 2000 ti
Any issues with the site let me know!
2nd Jul 2019 12:00 pm
Bardley
Member Since: 02 May 2018
Location: Hertfordshire
Posts: 470
If you opt to pay 'Friends & Family', there is no buyer protection. PAYPAL will not help you if there is a problem (i.e. seller does not post the item to you..)2011 MY D4 HSE
Previously 2001 D2 TD5, 1996 D1 300Tdi, 1985 90 2.2 petrol.
Bikes! KTM, BMW, British, Classics and others.
2nd Jul 2019 12:01 pm
alexrose
Member Since: 23 May 2018
Location: Surrey
Posts: 28
I'm about to stick my IID Tool G3 BT on here as my D3 is sadly o its last legs. Can anyone give me a rough idea of the %age paypal charge? Also do people think it would be fair to adjust the price of an item upwards by half of the amount paypal would charge (making this clear in the post)?
13th Oct 2023 9:12 pm
Martin Site Admin and Owner
Member Since: 06 Nov 2004
Location: Hook Norton
Posts: 18563
You're free to price the item however you wish 06 D3 SE / 15 LR D90 XS SW / 88 LR 90 Td5 / 68 BMW 2000 ti
Any issues with the site let me know!
13th Oct 2023 9:23 pm
alexrose
Member Since: 23 May 2018
Location: Surrey
Posts: 28
Nice one Martin, I hate to be that person who asks a question to which the answer is really "look on the company's website". 😂
In my defence I did look and they don't make it easy, I *think* it's 2.9% + 1.9% (for the "region charge").
Edit: sorry you probably need to delete these posts from me as I guess this thread is not really meant for discussion, but I had to come back to say, AWESOME advice on that site, bookmarked, question answered and pleasantly surprised it's not earth shatteringly expensive. You're today's hero of the Internet! (Sorry you've only got half an hour or so to enjoy it 😂).
13th Oct 2023 10:17 pm
Breg90
Member Since: 04 Feb 2017
Location: Falkirk
Posts: 360
I get the rationale behind the post and support it.
But personally I will not accept paypal as payment for goods as the terms and conditions excessively favors the buyer in the event of a dispute. I sold a milling machine to a gent who inspected before buying and was happy with the non running machine. Then he then transported it 100 miles home. Few days later he decided that he did not want it (realised he had spent more than he could afford) so raised dispute with paypal as it was 'not as described'. Long story short, paypal refunded him and told me that I needed to collect the mill. If I did not collect then I lost it. The item was perfectly described. There was no interest in discussing my side from paypal.
There was no way the was keeping my milling machine for free. I contemplated going and smashing the mill up with a sledge hammer on his premises as a lower cost option compared to the cost of collection, but could not bring myself to damage a perfectly good machine. It cost me more to do the 200 mile round trip and pull it out of his workshop (with no help), load it and transport it back home than it's value.
I will never again accept paypal for goods unless I am willing to give the item away in the 1st place.
Not sure if this helps the debate. £££ on collection is king.Series one 1949 - in bits, chassis is strapped to the ceiling in my garage (beside the canoe)
LR 90 - In bits
Disco 3 - currently in bits
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was keeping my milling machine for free. I contemplated going and smashing the mill up with a sledge hammer on his premises as a lower cost option compared to the cost of collection, but could not bring myself to damage a perfectly good machine. It cost me more to do the 200 mile round trip and pull it out of his workshop (with no help), load it and transport it back home than it's value.
