If your item has a brand, make or model number, be sure to include that too. Each to their own, and totally fine with me when Im buying from someone else (though I do let someone know where Im going, if its to someones home). Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 122,842 times. No reply. No do not accept Paypal (unless your buyer will send it as a "Gift Payment), cash sent special delivery is best if not bank transfer. Sep 20th made contact and paid for items.Sep 25th (last contact) asked if item had been shipped yet. It's also a very good idea to photograph the item being boxed and boxed with tracking code. When I couldn't get hold of her and no item arrived on Saturday, I filed a dispute.And when she popped up and showed her true colors, I escalated to claim. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. In some cases once the victim has sent over their email and name to the scammer, they then receive a fake eBay invoice. If you simply stick with some very basic Gumtree rules for selling, you can avoid most of the issues. I get it it is a hassle to arrange a meet-up time. The payments went through straight away and an email was received each time. Once you have registered and activated your account, it's time to post your ad. Gumtree is a platform to help bring local buyers and sellers together. If the price seems far lower than the competition then question its authenticity. Rule 3: Use cash only. If they send you payment from a hacked paypal account you'll lose your item and money, like a double whammy. I was originally supposed to pick them up in person and pay at the same time. I sent her like $1 through friends and family and another $1 through goods and services. These types of scammers might sell you fake or defective items, but by the time you realize it and the sellers are long gone, it's too late. If that 80 was their life savings, they probably would have been a lot more cautious. There is no PayPal buyer protection for items listed on gumtree. 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. Select your items and give them a good once-over. Do I transfer my money to them first? Is there anything I can do about this? Wanting to sell your old stuff online without fees, but wondering if its safe to sell on Gumtree? Were committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Australian Consumer Law - Gumtree Seller Kept 3 Games from Bulk Order. If youve got an account on Gumtree, then you might end up with a text asking you for personal information like passwords or bank details. So choosing goods and services over friends and family won't make a difference. How do I contact Gumtree if I get scammed? There could be any number of ways to be scammed from the info you've given here, but probably one of the first two. Goods and Services. Click "Register". And if you dont even want to do that, the system gives you a default name of Gumtree User. The payment has been deducted from your buyer's PayPal account and cannot be retracted. 569 Posts. Cookies help us customize the PayPal Community for you, and some are necessary to make our site work. NSW - Gumtree - Get Back Deposit on Car? Gumtree Disagreement - Posting Ads for Prohibited Items? Lets face it, does Joe Blow from down the road need to know your first AND last name, just because they want to buy some old books from you? This isnt the case though, when you inspect their page on how to pay for Gumtree items using PayPal. Why is Gumtree seller not responding? 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. can the police do anything?As SirFlibble said they can, in theory, but they won't. If youre selling or buying or just have an account set up on Gumtree, youre at risk. Thanks to wikiHow editors.". i havent reported to police because i just assumed they would say theres nothing they can do lol. Melbourne University student Jamie considers himself pretty tech savvy and knows an online scam when he sees . Such that Im a recent convert into using eBay for selling unwanted items! Post Tweet. Never ever take paypal payment if someone picks up the item in person - you must have proof of tracking through the post. Ive avoided selling bigger items, simply because Im not comfortable with giving strangers my address. As with any scam there are few signs to look out for which might help you determine whether its genuine. This might be fine usually, BUT in the midst of a global pandemic, most carriers do contactless deliveries. Scroll down and click on the red "Contact Us" button. Im totally in the minority here most Gumtree sellers seem perfectly comfortable with giving their address on Gumtree. Top tip: use as many descriptive words as you can. % of people told us that this article helped them. Inspect the listing. Safest is direct bank transfer, you have the money no matter what. Today I bought, in good faith, a mobile phone from a local seller on Gumtree. Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. Your postal code will not appear in the ad. Its a phrase we keep repeating, but if it sounds too good to be true then it probably is. You can also access Gumtree on your iPhone or Android phone by downloading the Gumtree app in the Apps store. Police Sergeant, Mountain View Police Department. Leave the Archive. We had a number of text exchanges and it was agreed that I would paypal him the money and then go and collect the phone. You may have used items in your home youd like to sell on Gumtree quickly and effectively. Not to mention the amount of stress and anxiety that would cause. For tips on responding to potential buyers, keep reading! I mean even just writing that, it sounds crazy to me! What a tosser!! This content may be old or outdated. It seems simple to just link your PayPal account to Gumtree. If the price seems far lower than the competition then question its authenticity. Title the ad. For $80 you'd have to be fortunate to even get them to file a police report (it'd be less than most insurance's excess, so hardly worth the effort) if it was a few K or something you'd probably get a report but not much else. Personally I would never trust PP with anything over a couple hundred max. You are using an out of date browser. If you can, upload a picture of the item as well. Last Updated: July 18, 2022 JavaScript is disabled. A buyer wants me to send an Apple Watch to a parcel locker and he is willing to do bank deposit. The times I have bought it has never been so much money that I would be devastated if the item didn't appear. For example, instead of just saying denim skirt you could say blue knee-length denim pencil skirt, size 14. Your title will catch your buyers eye, but a good description will sell your item for you. Doubt police will do anything unless you have some proof of giving the money in exchange of goods. Thats all you can do. A common way for scammers to trick you is to create an ad for an item that is only just cheaper than the competition but not enough that itll cause suspicion. Does this sound dodgy to anyone? The dodgy PayPal trick that left Melbourne Gumtree user with a surprise $2,250 debt. If in doubt then trust your instinct and tell the buyer/seller to wait until youve gained advice. 6. Start creating your ad. Try to respond to messages or phone calls as quickly as possible and offer to provide extra photos or further details if you can. Gumtree advice is to ask the seller for proof of purchase, or any certificates. Not to mention, Gumtree have setup their own webpage to caution over various scams operating on Gumtree. But my question is have you recovered the money back from bank transfer. Choose a simple background if possible like a plain wall or free corner of carpet. But caught them out before it went too far, and reported it. But that wont work for the buyer. Or maybe it does need to be said. You should arrange a convenient date and time for the buyer to view the item. I think you need to reread.It did not take me 17 days to decide to file a paypal dispute. But what I want to know is if you get scammed on something like Gumtree where you did a bank cash deposit and the seller never posts the item, can the police do anything? If you're buying something that sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. My sister and I tested both PayPal payments. You can then click the app open once it downloads. When you've agreed a price with the seller, where you can, try to meet them in person to make the transaction. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. From PayPal scams, to getting robbed it never hurts to remain cautious and protect yourself. In good condition with no marks or scratches. But mostly, you dont want to be giving out your mobile number to some disgruntled person, or if you get a weird vibe from the person when you meet up. Gumtree will use your postal code to classify your ad based on location. 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. 0 Kudos. SP034* Brand New Quality 5 Seaters Leather/Fabric sofa bed Couches Price: Black Leather: $699 Grey Fabric: $699 *Product Features: 3 meters Long. It was only just over 6 years ago. For example, you may use a title like, Dining Room Chair, Antique or Record Player in Good Condition.. Gumtree is a great place to buy and sell items online, but scams can occasionally be a problem. Scott has received extensive training through the National Computer Forensics Institute and holds forensic certifications from Cellbrite, Blackbag, Axiom Forensics, and others. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. The amount sent to you includes delivery charges 105.00 GBP. PayPal generally sides with the buyer. Gather your items. Conversely, the anonymity of Gumtree (and the fact its free to setup a profile and start selling) also makes it a breeding ground for scammers. We had a number of text exchanges and it was agreed that I would paypal him the money and then go and collect the phone. Its worth making sure photos are clear, in focus and not too far away. PRO TIP: On the odd occasion Ive seen peoples email addresses appear in the email header info when they reply. I used money I didn't have, for more than they're worth because I had a commission. If youre super vigilant about your personal information, note that PayPal often gives out your basic information in transactions (full name, email, address). 1999-2023 PayPal, Inc. All rights reserved. I have read that page through, and it doesn't mention Gumtree and a page search shows 0 instances of the word "Gumtree". 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PayPals pages on Buyer Protection clearly state they dont apply to purchases of secondhand or used items you pick up in person. Take a wide shot of the item as well as a close-up shot. Gumtree was and is intended for face to face, cash only transaction. Paypal can vary. I politely decline and advise that post is not possible. Funny to dispute a post from 2015. Every bit of packing. You won't get any response until you start a dispute. 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. If you live in the UK, you can file an online report through Action Fraud. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. I wouldn't do it - this is a typical gumtree scam. Date of experience: 23 February 2023. This is such a big no no! Gumtree is intended to be a platform to bring together local buyers, to meet face-to-face. If youre really wanting to keep your email address private and nuisance-free, setup a separate free email address just for Gumtree. Which is a bit vague, and suggests that that protection applies for Gumtree items that are posted. Seller didn't send. Sign up for wikiHow's weekly email newsletter. Sadly, theres enough anecdotal evidence to suggest that they DO happen, to everyday people like you and me. If you do take payment by paypal remember that you still have to adhere to all usual paypal requirements as buyer can still do an item not received claim and a fraudulent use of card claim. It is 34 (84 cm) long x 20 (50 cm) wide. Why oh why people use bank deposit via Gumtree? Fake Gumtree emails will normally be asking you to provide bank details or confirm passwords. Ive only sold portable items that are easily transportable to a public meeting place. Gumtree will now send a link to the email address you provided. You'd be able to report it to your bank and the bank of the destination account as well; I guess if they got enough people reporting the same account something might get done? O did this only to find that he did not live at the address given. 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. Facebook Marketplace car scams. All the purchases I've done have done this. Gumtree.com Limited, registered in England and Wales with number 03934849, 27 Old Gloucester Street, London, WC1N 3AX, UK. Granted, these wont seem like the most convenient of rules but since when was your personal safety a matter of convenience? If youre not sure how to price your item, its well worth taking a look at existing Gumtree ads to see how people have priced similar items. Gumtree.com Limited is an Introducer Appointed Representative of Zuto Limited who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, FRN 452589. So I recently bought an item off Gumtree for aboutgave a random person I don't know $80. Since you made a friends and family payment, your purchase isn't protected and you won't be able to get a refund. his in sydney. Select your items and give them a good once-over. Scammed the 2nd time. Enjoy! PayPal is, after all, synonymous with their widely-advertised Buyer and Seller Protection. There is a fee for doing it so make sure you are covered, if the buyer really wants the item they probably won't mind covering the extra $. Dodgy powerpoints do exist, and you wouldnt want the buyer thinking youre flogging an electronic item that doesnt work! I have lost faith in Gumtree as people who replied to my ads were either complete time wasters or scammers. What I mean is, they valued the time it would have taken to learn how to deal safely on the site (e.g, read the obvious warning in several places stating that you should use it for face-to-face cash-in-hand transactions only), more than they valued their $80. The seller could easily claim that the money was a gift or donation. i know where he works. I think I have one for $70. Bargain, transfer the money I'll send it express tomorrow;-) ( wink wink). You may have experienced the same scam but if you haven't, read on and be aware. Do it at your own risk. Description says they can post it at buyer's expense, which is great, my question - is how does this work? You can also note if you are willing to negotiate the price by putting down "OBO," which stands for "Or Best Offer.". The best thing to do is to separately log into your Gumtree account. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. Enter your name and email address before creating a password. He will reply to other people if they enquire about items he is selling but will not speak. If so, discuss adding extra money to the sale amount with the buyer for postage and packaging. No, they only charge you if you want to boost your views and put your item on the top ad, highlight, etc. Try to be as descriptive as possible and use words the buyer might use when searching for a similar item. Be upfront if there is damage or an issue with the item so the buyer knows what they are getting. Dont be afraid to negotiate but remember that everyone loves a deal if the buyer is haggling, knocking off just a few pounds could secure the sale. I sell items on Gumtree in person only. 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