# Craigslist seller wants paypal for $150.00 bike. look at this reply..



## 49autocycledeluxe (Oct 10, 2021)

he mentioned paypal in the ad, I emailed and left my phone number and stated I'd rather pay cash. mentioned I was half an hour away and left my phone number.

I figure the longer the story the more likely some sort of scam.

look at this nonsense response:

_Right now I'm out of town, so I must act as the middleman in the transaction._

_I need to use PayPal so there's no hassle getting the funds to me.

I've left the bicycle with a trusted third-party (TTP) to show to prospective buyers.

TTP can show it by appointment at one of the following times:

Oct 11 Mon 5pm or 6pm
Oct 12 Tue 5pm or 6pm
Oct 13 Wed 5pm or 6pm

What day and time do you wish to view it? I'll confirm it with TTP and get back to you with the appointment address and my PayPal address.

It'll work like this:

1) You inspect the bicycle.
2) You send $150 to me at PayPal address: [TBD later] - choose "Sending to a friend" so I end up with $150.
3) I immediately notify TTP by email that I have received the funds.
4) TTP hands over the bicycle to you._

_-Mark, Owner_


this was the second email, the first had $400.00 where this one has $150.00 so he is probably sending out this email on different bikes. 

what is the scam here? or is he just a moron who writes well thinking people would do all this.


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## GTs58 (Oct 10, 2021)

This is where my favorite saying comes in. "You never know until you know, and then it's to late".  😜   Sounds like it could go both ways, but a lot of extra hip movement just making the hula hoop go around. I'd probably pass unless I could deal in person.


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## 49autocycledeluxe (Oct 10, 2021)

it's another $150.00 bike with a $250.00 part on it. 

I'll email and say I don't know how to do paypal on my phone, so I'll have to take the bike with me and pay when I get home. 

nobody calls anymore. bought a crusty ladies Schwinn frame and parts last week and did it all by text. I don't text. I could not figure out which button to push.  I had to look it up.


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## 49autocycledeluxe (Oct 11, 2021)

.


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## stoney (Oct 11, 2021)

49autocycledeluxe said:


> he mentioned paypal in the ad, I emailed and left my phone number and stated I'd rather pay cash. mentioned I was half an hour away and left my phone number.
> 
> I figure the longer the story the more likely some sort of scam.
> 
> ...



He says "it'll work like this", screw him.  I would say NO!! it will work like this. Tell him your terms of PP payment, you PP when you meet with TTP and see the bike and agree to take it. I would PP him and add the 3%, if he balks, then he does not have the bike.


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## 49autocycledeluxe (Oct 11, 2021)

I won't be buying this with paypal.


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## stoney (Oct 11, 2021)

You only have 3 days to see bike @ 5 or 6 each day. Sure sound like warm BS to me. It sound like he is only "out of town" for 3 days. He couldn't wait 3 days to list it.


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## stoney (Oct 11, 2021)

49autocycledeluxe said:


> I won't be buying this with paypal.



Agree, cash and leave with it.


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## stoney (Oct 11, 2021)

He shouldn't have a problem with the TTP holding the cash for him.


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## 49autocycledeluxe (Oct 11, 2021)

lots of odd stuff here. common sense says I pay the friend cash, take the bike and he paypals money to the owner. he is either a scammer or a well spoken man with no common sense.


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## vincev (Oct 11, 2021)

LOL,Somebody took the way back machine and used an old scam.


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## Archie Sturmer (Oct 11, 2021)

The question, “_so when will you get back_,” comes to mind.


> ”Right now I’m out of town, so I must…”




Not too well written or spoken, describing himself as a “middleman” when the seller is always the first party to a transaction.


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## 49autocycledeluxe (Oct 11, 2021)

still wondering what the scam is. pay by paypal and take the bike. do they think people will do paypal on his laptop and give up our passwords?

I don't get it.


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## 49autocycledeluxe (Oct 11, 2021)

Archie Sturmer said:


> The question, “_so when will you get back_,” comes to mind.
> 
> 
> Not too well written or spoken, describing himself as a “middleman” when the seller is always the first party to a transaction.



when you compare to regular scam emails with foreign English this guy writes quite well. 

it's a pretty crummy bike. I think scammers would have chose a nice one.


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## kreika (Oct 11, 2021)

I’m surprised you can actually view the bike in person. Usually scammers hide behind the screen with nothing but bs.


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## 49autocycledeluxe (Oct 12, 2021)

10 emails in, I think I am looking at it tomorrow. the photos are blurry. I hope it is what I think it is.

I will be knocking on the door of a home worth over a million dollars. should be safe.


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## 49autocycledeluxe (Oct 12, 2021)

... if after Thursday you guys never hear from me again have the police check my emails for the address of the place where they did me in.


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## 49autocycledeluxe (Oct 12, 2021)

hope they don't harvest my organs.


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## kreika (Oct 12, 2021)

Good luck man! I hope you don’t end up being someone’s boy toy in Hong Kong! 🤣


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## 49autocycledeluxe (Oct 12, 2021)

the owner is in Taiwan right now.  😲


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## GTs58 (Oct 12, 2021)

You haven't been keeping up on home prices? A million dollar home these days is in the slums!  😜   

Good luck on your visit!


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## Archie Sturmer (Oct 12, 2021)

In CA isn’t $1M considered a “*tear*-*down*”.


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## OldSkipTooth (Oct 12, 2021)

Rust_Trader said:


> SCHWINN)






Archie Sturmer said:


> In Cali, isn’t $1M considered a “*tear*-*down*”.



Location, location, location…


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## 49autocycledeluxe (Oct 12, 2021)

🙃 home is probably 1.5 mil. maybe even 2. I didn't want to upset people who do not live in the giant mess of people called the "Bay Area". believe me when I tell you, the only benefit of owning one of these houses is you can sell it and retire at 50 to move to Arizona. ask my buddies I have known for 30 - 40 years who sold thier homes and moved away. if not familiar with the topography go to google maps. you will see lots of green, then the gray cancer of humans surrounding the bay. it is sickening to live here.


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## 49autocycledeluxe (Oct 12, 2021)

.. not as bad as L.A. though.


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## Archie Sturmer (Oct 13, 2021)

49autocycledeluxe said:


> 🙃 to move to Arizona. ask my buddies




Yes, after Arizona stole California’s Colorado River water(!).


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## 49autocycledeluxe (Oct 13, 2021)

wasn't what I thought but bought it anyway. bars were so big it almost did not fit in my Blazer. 😮
it did have a forebrake, just not the $300.00 one everyone wants.  it has the "phone dial" part but the rest is different. super duper heavy duty wheels. have to be for a Whizzer or other motorbike of some sort. I like the frame with this fork. wheels will have to go away, they weigh more than the rest of the bike.

... I still don't understand what the seller was doing with all his nonsense. he said he was in Taiwan, he should have cancelled the ad.

his 80 year old father came out the door as I was getting out of the car. we spoke about this and that, I gave him the money and he counted it and said "looks good, it's printed on both sides". nice guy.

 I would not send anyone I have never met to an 80 year old relatives house for any reason.

the saddest part of all this? this is the most interesting thing going on in my life right now.😩


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## 49autocycledeluxe (Oct 13, 2021)

house was closer to 3 million or more depending on lot size.


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## John Gialanella (Oct 16, 2021)

I would never send money with PayPal Friends and Family because you are not protected, if he is a scam artist. I am also on Nasty Z-28 site member for 1970-81 Camaro's and if I know the member and have bought from him before, then maybe I would send it friends and Family. The Z-28 site is similar to the Cabe except they allow selling Camaro parts in the classified section. I have asked twice before if the Cabe allows selling bike parts on it's site, but no body responded. Could some body let me know.
John.


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## sue12 (Oct 16, 2021)

The story is half the fun! Eh, works man wheels? If so, then yes and absolutely they are outrageously heavy.


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## decotriumph (Oct 16, 2021)

John Gialanella said:


> The Z-28 site is similar to the Cabe except they allow selling Camaro parts in the classified section. I have asked twice before if the Cabe allows selling bike parts on it's site, but no body responded. Could some body let me know.
> John.



John, the section labeled "Sell - Trade: Bicycle Parts, Accessories, Ephemera" is for that.


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## rustjunkie (Oct 16, 2021)

John Gialanella said:


> I would never send money with PayPal Friends and Family because you are not protected, if he is a scam artist. I am also on Nasty Z-28 site member for 1970-81 Camaro's and if I know the member and have bought from him before, then maybe I would send it friends and Family. The Z-28 site is similar to the Cabe except they allow selling Camaro parts in the classified section. I have asked twice before if the Cabe allows selling bike parts on it's site, but no body responded. Could some body let me know.
> John.












						The Classic and Antique Bicycle Exchange
					

Discussion forums about classic and antique bicycles.




					thecabe.com


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## munchyman1 (Oct 16, 2021)

49autocycledeluxe said:


> he mentioned paypal in the ad, I emailed and left my phone number and stated I'd rather pay cash. mentioned I was half an hour away and left my phone number.
> 
> I figure the longer the story the more likely some sort of scam.
> 
> ...



When you use the option "Selling to a Friend" on Paypal, there is no buyer protection.  That is the scam.


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