Scam PayPal Domain Purchases

[Admin]

I have heard some bad things recently about people selling (.COMS) domains where PayPal is used as the payment method.

It seems people are transferring names on receipt of paypal funds, only to find the payment then gets taken back. PayPal do this when a buyer complains they didnt get what they ordered.

I know its different for the UK domain sales process but still, be cautious of PayPal payments for anything.

Admin

 

[ratboy]

I've heard of them sending a fake email saying you have funds then when you check your paypal account later you find nothing in there.

Cheeky buggers.

 

[accelerator]

Can the forum suggest ways to protect yourself against this, for example:

- Ask for a landline telephone number on which you can contact the buyer.

- Agree with the buyer that there will be a delay after receiving PayPal payment before you do the transfer.

 

[Admin]

Does anyone know the basis on which PayPal do charge backs? How long after they sent you money can it be recalled by the sender?

 

[retired_member11]

I received an email this week 'from' paypal.co.uk but it was a scam from someone trying to obtain my account login details. It was superficially convincing but I wasn't fooled into clicking the embedded link and logging in. Be careful.

 

[FC Domains]

It's easy to get paranoid, look like you don't trust the buyer and lose the deal.
I've used PayPal for many hundreds of payments and not had a single problem.

If you look at the small print almost every form of payment can be called back, for months.

There is also the point that if you trade is a straightforward way, you attract honest buyers.

 

[ratboy]

At the end of the day if you are worried then hold the paperwork back that bit longer and only daft people would do huge sums on paypal the fees themselves stop you doing that!

 

[mally]

I sell shop items by paypal and its a right chew on when some body claims they haven't got their stuff

I've had a few charge backs where basically a fraudent payment had been made sometimes months later, a long time after I've sent the goods and there's nothing I can do.

This is done by the bank card company and paypal can do nowt about it

 

[kennyboy]

We use a paypal merchant account and take payments via telephone. We have taken over 250 payments by this method over 12 months and have not had a single problem. It costs £20.00 per month plus fees but works fine.

 

[len]

I think everyone should be aware of this thread at NP. It outlines methods used and the person(s) involved. Hopefully it will save some of you from this vermin!
http://www.namepros.com/431828-beware-new-scammer-dp-got-scammed-4.html

 

[DJ8000]

Thanks, len

interesting... ever a resolution?

 

[len]

Thanks, len

interesting... ever a resolution?

Not for me.....I know who has them but he has no intention of returning them to me unless I pay for them!!! That is not an option I want to persue as I have already paid for them once!
The authorities are not interested and really do not understand/want to get involved in internet theft of this type. This attitude is allowing these scammers to get away with this criminal activity and they (the scammers) know it. We domainers have to look out for ourselves as everyone else in this business, including registar's, ICANN, Paypal, etc. Have turned a blind eye to this.

 

[Daniablo]

What other alternatives would you suggest?

 

[len]

Looks like moneybookers is one of the more secure alternatives along with escrow. I would only use paypal for transactions with those you feel that you can trust. I would also advise that when purchasing or selling you should get at the very least the email address and phone# of the person you are dealing with. Test the email with a short communication and check the whois. If they are the buyer ask what other domains they have and also check out the whois. Anyone who refuses to give any of this info I would suggest you don't deal with them. If you have nothing to hide you would not mind giving this basic info, which should be available on your whois anyway.

 

[grantw]

I used Moneybookers Escrow a while ago and it went very smoohly, they only charge 1% too I think.

Grant

 

[bennyboy]

I think I was just scammed. I sold 17 names for $1000. The guy approached via im and asked to chat on msn. WE chatted today, and after he transferred the money to my paypal ac I transferred the names to his godaddy ac. Easy.

Then as soon as I received the email confirming that they were transferred, I received an email from the buyers paypal email address, saying that he never authorised the purchase. And paypal then mailed me saying that the funds were frozen, and if the funds are returned to him, then as the names are intangible goods, I am not covered by paypals sellers protection scheme.

So I immediately called godaddy, and then emailed then everything, and am then forwarding it to paypal.

So I could lose out big time. I should have smelt a rat when he said that didn't want some of the names as they were with snapnames, so could I replace them with more from godaddy. As the best ones were the snapnames ones, I was a bit suspicious when he decided he didn't want them. I told him to set up a snapnames account, but he was happy with the godaddy ones.

If you have any advice then I would be grateful.

Cheers

ben

 

[bensd]

What is the username of the member? I was scammed like this a couple of months ago...

 

[bennyboy]

Well they were called axxa on this site, but introduced themselves as:

Re: bulk domain
hi
sorry as i told i couldnt check the site alot,
my yahoo is gmdomain1
i think you be able add with your msn in this kind: [email protected]
by the way i added your msn

Regards.

Watch out for him. His paypal complaint came from a different email.