Paypal ... beware
10-28-2020, 02:52 AM
#1
Drifting
Thread Starter
Paypal ... beware
Just want to warn and give a heads up to anybody who uses Paypal to buy/sell items internationally.
In August i sold a roll cage to a buyer from the US on Pelican , i had it all carefully bubble wrapped and safely tied down
to a skid , for which a friend who owns a shop graciously arranged shipping to the US for me through his business account , anyhow everything was fine at this point , the buyer received his tracking number which was also provided to Paypal , the buyer was also provided with the names of two US based brokerage firms to claim his item for import into the US ... so at one point we get a call a week later from the freight company asking if we want the item returned ???
Turns out the buyer changed his mind and purposely stalled on the transaction and failed to claim his item without advising me, this added 8 days of storage at $80.00 dollars a day and at this point the freight company was holding my item hostage until i paid the storage penalty and extra fees to have my item returned.This cost me $956.00 dollars to have my item returned to me due to the Paypal buyer bailing out of the transaction ...
This guy made three different claims to Paypal , first was he didn't have a tracking number although it was provided to him the day the item was picked up , secondly , he made a claim that the item was defective although he hadn't even tried tried to import it , realizing that this claim wouldn't make sense , he made a third one stating he never received his item.I provided Paypal with screenshots of our email conversations detailing the whole transaction which proved i was acting in good faith all along.
Well , after two months and probably two dozen emails to and from Paypal , it turns out they ruled in his favor and i had to reimburse this scumbag because as per Paypal he didn't receive his item and i also had to pay an additional $956.00 dollar fee to the freight company.
If you are thinking of ever using Paypal ... don't , go the wire/money transfer route ,it's a real s**t show and as far as i'm concerned i will never use them again for any significant transaction , if even that ...
I won't publicly divulge this person's name but he sells used Porsche parts on Pelican and goes by the user name of Gunter 356 , so the guy was well aware of the process to import items into his country.
By the way , my item was finally returned to the shop early this week after almost two months.
Moral of the story here , be careful if you ever use Paypal because their seller/buyer agreement is a f*****g joke !
OK, i feel better now , but i'm still out $956.00 dollars and i involuntarily dragged a friend into this ...
Gunter 356 mark my words , karma will catch up to you eventually and you will get what you deserve ... tenfold !!!
Cheers
Phil
In August i sold a roll cage to a buyer from the US on Pelican , i had it all carefully bubble wrapped and safely tied down
to a skid , for which a friend who owns a shop graciously arranged shipping to the US for me through his business account , anyhow everything was fine at this point , the buyer received his tracking number which was also provided to Paypal , the buyer was also provided with the names of two US based brokerage firms to claim his item for import into the US ... so at one point we get a call a week later from the freight company asking if we want the item returned ???
Turns out the buyer changed his mind and purposely stalled on the transaction and failed to claim his item without advising me, this added 8 days of storage at $80.00 dollars a day and at this point the freight company was holding my item hostage until i paid the storage penalty and extra fees to have my item returned.This cost me $956.00 dollars to have my item returned to me due to the Paypal buyer bailing out of the transaction ...
This guy made three different claims to Paypal , first was he didn't have a tracking number although it was provided to him the day the item was picked up , secondly , he made a claim that the item was defective although he hadn't even tried tried to import it , realizing that this claim wouldn't make sense , he made a third one stating he never received his item.I provided Paypal with screenshots of our email conversations detailing the whole transaction which proved i was acting in good faith all along.
Well , after two months and probably two dozen emails to and from Paypal , it turns out they ruled in his favor and i had to reimburse this scumbag because as per Paypal he didn't receive his item and i also had to pay an additional $956.00 dollar fee to the freight company.
If you are thinking of ever using Paypal ... don't , go the wire/money transfer route ,it's a real s**t show and as far as i'm concerned i will never use them again for any significant transaction , if even that ...
I won't publicly divulge this person's name but he sells used Porsche parts on Pelican and goes by the user name of Gunter 356 , so the guy was well aware of the process to import items into his country.
By the way , my item was finally returned to the shop early this week after almost two months.
Moral of the story here , be careful if you ever use Paypal because their seller/buyer agreement is a f*****g joke !
OK, i feel better now , but i'm still out $956.00 dollars and i involuntarily dragged a friend into this ...
Gunter 356 mark my words , karma will catch up to you eventually and you will get what you deserve ... tenfold !!!
Cheers
Phil
Last edited by wildcat077; 10-28-2020 at 03:36 AM.
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speedy88 (10-28-2020)
10-28-2020, 08:24 AM
#3
1000%
I now just have US buyers mail me cheque’s in good old snail mail.
It takes forever but no fees or BS.
The only time I use pay pal is for the odd purchase (for the protection), but never as a seller.
Im pretty sure I have seen that guy post on Rennlist. Will keep an eye out,
I now just have US buyers mail me cheque’s in good old snail mail.
It takes forever but no fees or BS.
The only time I use pay pal is for the odd purchase (for the protection), but never as a seller.
Im pretty sure I have seen that guy post on Rennlist. Will keep an eye out,
10-28-2020, 09:28 AM
#5
Rennlist Member
agreed. shouldn't we have a running list of ********* to do **** like this to other members??
people label cars on here by vin to save others from buying a flawed car. same holds true here to me.
i guess his pelican screen name - gunter356 - is a start. if he's on pelican selling parts, i assume he has to be in RL also.
people label cars on here by vin to save others from buying a flawed car. same holds true here to me.
i guess his pelican screen name - gunter356 - is a start. if he's on pelican selling parts, i assume he has to be in RL also.
10-28-2020, 11:21 AM
#6
Burning Brakes
I got raped with costs but shipped a hardtop from Toronto to South Carolina by air and the process was easy
10-28-2020, 11:25 AM
#7
Team Owner
holy **** Phil what a story....
Sorry you had to go though that ... thinking you were still pretty torqued when you posted it at 2:30am !!
i would be livid ...
Sorry you had to go though that ... thinking you were still pretty torqued when you posted it at 2:30am !!
i would be livid ...
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10-28-2020, 11:58 AM
#9
Rennlist Member
We should all buy parts from him and refuse delivery and do the same stuff he did to you
regarding a cheque from US, it can be returned (nsf or otherwise) up to 60 days after you deposit it so you are not covered there either.
regarding a cheque from US, it can be returned (nsf or otherwise) up to 60 days after you deposit it so you are not covered there either.
10-28-2020, 12:17 PM
#10
Rennlist Member
Using paypal is perfectly fine. The key, which you missed here, is that you never EVER allow someone to pay you for goods & services. Ever. Your story has unfolded thousands of other times to people just like you. If you use Paypal to receive payment for parts you're selling, you must only allow the person buying the goods to pay 'friends and family' which eliminates all the Paypal buyer protection BS that scumbags like this use to scam sellers.
I always tell people that it's friends & family payment or they can find the parts elsewhere. I have a reputation on RL if they want reassurance, and if that isn't enough then good luck in your search. Once the funds are in your account via friends & family, it's a done deal and they have no recourse to pull tricks like this. The caveat to this might be outright fraud or stolen paypal / CC info, but that risk is present regardless of payment method used.
I always tell people that it's friends & family payment or they can find the parts elsewhere. I have a reputation on RL if they want reassurance, and if that isn't enough then good luck in your search. Once the funds are in your account via friends & family, it's a done deal and they have no recourse to pull tricks like this. The caveat to this might be outright fraud or stolen paypal / CC info, but that risk is present regardless of payment method used.
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adamo (10-28-2020)
10-28-2020, 03:25 PM
#11
Yep, but in my case it's to people that I know and see at events in the US. But risky if you don't know the person for sure.
10-28-2020, 03:32 PM
#12
Drifting
Thread Starter
No , i'm over it somewhat , just wanted to share my story !
Due to all this Covid thing i'm on the night shift at the airline for a few months ... i had some free time to vent last night ... lol
Live and learn brother !
*** Edit ***For what it's worth , the guy's business is 356 Registry based in Georgia ...
Cheers
Phil
Last edited by wildcat077; 10-28-2020 at 03:39 PM.
10-28-2020, 09:37 PM
#14
Rennlist Member
Phil, sorry to hear about the trouble - I've been following with Andrew and hoping for the best. Sucks.
My 'best' online sale was here on RL. Sold a nice 1:43 model 993T for an agreed price. Buyer wasn't happy with the delivery time of Canada/USPS, and apparently went out and bought another one (?)
Then offered me less since my unit arrived a week later and had a few scratches. From sitting in my living room
What a weirdo. You get all kinds.
Sorry to hear your experience was far more frustrating and expensive.
Cheers
Matt
My 'best' online sale was here on RL. Sold a nice 1:43 model 993T for an agreed price. Buyer wasn't happy with the delivery time of Canada/USPS, and apparently went out and bought another one (?)
Then offered me less since my unit arrived a week later and had a few scratches. From sitting in my living room
What a weirdo. You get all kinds.
Sorry to hear your experience was far more frustrating and expensive.
Cheers
Matt
10-28-2020, 11:26 PM
#15
Similar story with me - sold a guy an HID projector retrofit kit for a Jeep Wrangler, he received and couldn't figure out how to install them (anyone that has worked on a Wrangler knows they are basically like Lego, and everything is easy to add/remove). Filed a claim with Paypal, saying I sent him incorrect items - said he shipped them back, provided a fake shipping and confirmation, and Paypal refunded his money, and he kept the lights. So I was out hundreds of dollars, and a set of expensive headlights. No more Paypal account. Ever.
tl;dr - if I am selling you something, you're either driving here to pick it up and paying in cash, or you can courier over money. I don't care if its a 55 gallon drum full of nickels that shows up on a skid.
tl;dr - if I am selling you something, you're either driving here to pick it up and paying in cash, or you can courier over money. I don't care if its a 55 gallon drum full of nickels that shows up on a skid.