Negative Trader Feedback - Possible Paypal scams!!,,you should never pay "as gift",,, PLEASE read why.....

Just in case you didn't realize this, it is a trend that is getting more and more popular with legit and bad sellers.
I was just scammed by a person on here who insisted I pay for goods via Paypal and send the payment "as a gift".

Even if you trust the seller, DO NOT!! Do this!!

The sellers only save them selfs cents in fees (fees are passed to you) But most important you WILL NOT be eligible for "Paypal buyer protection" and if anything happens you will NOT be able to get a refund or open a claim against the seller. This is a way for bad sellers to protect their Paypal accounts from getting shut down or funds ceased.

I got the part and was the wrong one and was useless to me, seller then offered NO return or refund,,, so I screwed myself right out of even trying to get a refund from Paypal.... THEY WILL NOT BEND ON THIS RULE.

Paypal sucks ass all the way around....

Paypal sucks ass all the way around....

I have had a great expersience with PayPal on 2 sales where the seller tried to rip me off.In both cases I filed a dispute with PayPal and recovered all of my money in both cases.

I'm having a problem with a guy and paypal now myaelf. After 9yrs of using paypal and never having a problem, a guy is trying to rip me off for $600. He bought my intake and throttle body and once the tracking showed it was delivered, he claimed he didn't receive the part, but he would talk to his UPS driver. So the next day he ask me to contact UPS and let them know he didn't receive the package, so I do that, they are investigating it, UPS says it could be 2weeks before they finish. I don't hear back from the guy at all, and I think its fishy because if you have $600 of my dollars and I have no parts, I want to know whats going on, did you get an update from UPS or whatever. Well after a week goes by, he files a claim with paypal saying he didn't receive the package and paypal tells me because UPS has the case in tracer status they can't see if the package has been delivered and there's nothing they can do. I get the results from UPS, in which I paid additional insurance to for the package and they tell me that he did receive the package. I send this info to Paypal and they tell me they will let me know what happens. So now I'm out of a FAST Intake and a 85mm throttle body and $600 of my money. I'm hoping that Paypal makes this right, honestly it makes me not want to sell anything online anymore. Its not worth the headache! Sorry guys for the rant! I just needed to vent about this!

The guy doesn't answer his cell phone now, but he's over on LS1gto making post about LS6 heads now! There are too many bad apples in this community!

Here's a two months paypal case in which I was scammed $1200 in a few lines (You'll read tue info that took me 2 months to find out):

Almost two years ago, sold a T56 tranny, buyer received it and less than 5 minutes AFTER UPS DELIVERY he filed a claim saying T56 is bad. (Yup guys, he installed it in less than 5 minutes). Paypal then forced him to reship it to me if he wants the funds back. He shipped it, and because I knew T56 was in excellent shape I did NOT want to receive it, as paypal issues him a full refund UPON delivery of the package.
I refused to sign for it twice, then paypal called me saying if I don't sign it they will refund him no matter what. I signed to get the T56 back, I opened the package to find this : MOST INTERIOR T56 GEARS WERE GONE, NO SENSORS ON IT, NO FORK AND NO SHIFTER.
The FUCKING 9-5 PAYPAL MOTHER FUCKERS do not get off their fucking asses and come inspect what I received back. I sent them tons of pictures to show them what a fucking scammer the buyer was. Guess what guys, FUCKING NADA. They put my paypal $1200 in the hole while he got a good tranny, shipped HIS old piece of shit and got his $1200 back.

There ya fucking go, this is paypal for ya. My profile signature was updated since then, nowadays I use Propay, ten times more professional than your fucking piece of shit paypal.

Good luck to ya brother, sorry about all the cursing, it's on my credit file nowadays.

Adam

WoW! Thats just crazy!! What every happened to the "Seller Protection?"

I have had a great expersience with PayPal on 2 sales where the seller tried to rip me off.In both cases I filed a dispute with PayPal and recovered all of my money in both cases.

Yes your right but that doesnt matter, if you pay "as a gift" you can never get your cash back.

I send as a gift if the person has a good rating. But i never do it if it is more than a few hundred dollars. You have to use judgement and chance it. I have bought several things in the past few weeks using the gift feature and the last two should be here today.

I thought just like you before I got ripped off,,,, it's not weather you trust the person or not,,,, in my case the seller had best intentions at first but made a mistake in sending me the wrong part and later decided he wouldn't offer refunds or exchange. The seller can still be some-what legit but LOTS of other things can come up....its not worth it, why chance it?
I will not buy from a seller if that person only accept gift payments,,, for the little money they save in fees don't fall for it. Would you ever send a person cash in the mail?

Even "IF" your package is really sent off to you, many things can happen that can leave you with no parts and no cash.

- Damaged package in shipping
- Lost package
- Send to wrong address
- Wrong item sent
- Missing items in your package
- Misrepresented parts,, different condition that was orig. stated
- Defective items (not due to shipping)
- Seller wants to delay your delivery for any reason he wants,,, and you are waiting for months
- many more


If a seller is going to rip anyone off and not send anything they will use this scam right away,,, why wouldn't they, they can get away with it and you cant do anything?

Pay Pal cuts both ways guys. You can demonize them if you want but credit card companies and banks are the same exact way. Its a risk you take when buying or selling something over the internet.

As for the buyer paying additional fees for sending payments as a gift, this is not true. I have customers send me payments as a gift to save the 3% pay pal charges. I usually discount the total amount by that much to reduce the cost to the buyer as well as me.

I've had numerous people try and have me pay with the "gift" option and I have backed out of the transaction for that reason

this is why you withdraw your money IMMEDIATELY from PAYPAL accounts they cannot take what isnt there

As for the buyer paying additional fees for sending payments as a gift, this is not true. I have customers send me payments as a gift to save the 3% pay pal charges. I usually discount the total amount by that much to reduce the cost to the buyer as well as me.

Why would you even want to do this,, all that for the same total?? Its not to save yourself fees is it? Is it to protect yourself so the buyer cant open a dispute?

this is why you withdraw your money IMMEDIATELY from PAYPAL accounts they cannot take what isnt there

And Ive heard that paypal can and will put your account in the negative,, so it might not come out of your account but it will always be there if you tried to use paypal again.

Why would you even want to do this,, all that for the same total?? Its not to save yourself fees is it? Is it to protect yourself so the buyer cant open a dispute?


Well believe it or not, 3% on a $2000 transmission is about $60 in fees. That usually helps out with the shipping cost of the unit which customers like.

So sad. . . . . some people are just ass holes and that's all there is to it.


This is a rising danger of dealing online or anywhere else. Scams, are very easy to pull and people are desperate. Times are tough and people need to make a buck.

I am not gonna lie, I have thought about it and came up with some very easy scams. But, I can not rip off people who worked hard for their money. . . . But, there are plenty of people that will and not think twice about it.

I run a small business (amsoil) and have sold quite a few items on here, and other forums. I ALWAYS insist on using paypal. So far (and I hope I dont jinx myself) I've had 0 issues with it. In fact I prefer it over any other type of payment apart from person to person cash exchange.
I have often insisted that the buyer send the cash as a "gift" because I know no one likes to deal with fees/taxes for their own money. I do offer them the opportunity to send the money as a "payment" but they MUST cover the fees.
Why should I sell items at a discounted rate, and then get hit with a fee when trying to get my money for it? Most sellers would agree with me I believe.

Also, if you're a buyer, and you're afraid to send money as a "gift", then dont, but then don't bitch when you're asked to pay the fees. If I'm buying something, I do the seller a favor and usually send the funds as a "gift" so they don't take a hit, and get the full amount I'm sending. It's a courtesy thing IMO. However, if you don't trust the person you're sending money to enough, then why are you doing business with them in the first place?

I use paypal for everything and you can see my trader ratings. Jason Short does too and we are both very serious in what we ship and always ship. I in fact had 1 problem last year with shippping out headers and they never made it they guy. They were lost in transit with ups and they didnt know where they went. How in the fuck can my headers travel 600 miles away and then get lost in a UPS facility. They never found them and my money that i received for them had to be given back to the guy on here. THat sucked so bad and I was pissed, I dont know if the guy ever got those headers after 1 month of a paypal dispute. But o'well if he did, he did, idk. But paypal works for me everytime.:) since then.

I use paypal for everything and you can see my trader ratings. Jason Short does too and we are both very serious in what we ship and always ship. I in fact had 1 problem last year with shippping out headers and they never made it they guy. They were lost in transit with ups and they didnt know where they went. How in the fuck can my headers travel 600 miles away and then get lost in a UPS facility. They never found them and my money that i received for them had to be given back to the guy on here. THat sucked so bad and I was pissed, I dont know if the guy ever got those headers after 1 month of a paypal dispute. But o'well if he did, he did, idk. But paypal works for me everytime.:) since then.


Similar to my situation, but I always insure my packages for what the buyer paid for. Difference is that UPS investigated my package and concluded that he did receive it and this guy is still trying to get his money back. I can't afford to take a $600 hit!

I will never do business again with a seller who tries to pass the paypal fees onto the customer?? Its wrong!!
Ive sold on ebay and accept payments all the time,,,I would never think it was ok to pass the fees to the buyer when I am the one who is charged. There is many costs involved with selling,, so as a seller suck it up and pay them instead of charging everyone "stupid tax" for buying from you.
Why deal with a company who is ganna nickel and dime their customers.

If your gonna pass these fees onto the customers then atleast do it discretely and charge more for the item or add it into handling charges. Let the customer pay normally so they are still covered under paypal protection plan.
Is this too much too ask from americans? Last I heard you started charging at airports for taking carrying on bags onto the plane.
:guns:

How does paying for items as a gift cost the buyer any more money? It does limit them on their protection but it also limits the seller as well. IMO, it more fair than other forms of payment providing everything is as advertised. If you have a problem with it, don't do it. To come on here and say its a scam is simply not true. Its merely your opinion.

No,,
"IF" a seller is going to rip off someone they will ask the buyer to use "as a gift" option as a guarantee that Paypal will not repossess the funds from the scammers account.
All I am saying is it "can" be the sign of a scam,,, I know that this is not always the case.
My reason for the thread was to inform people that if you choose to pay as a gift you void the Paypal buyer protection plan.
And so you know.. if I pay you for goods you pay a fee for receiving cash and I dont pay any fee. If I pay you as a gift, I pay that fee.

You do not pay anything to send a payment as a gift. I just did it yesterday to a website I am a sponsor on.

For you people who pay paypal fees your crazy. The terms of use of paypal actually state that a buyer cant pay the fees. Its ridiculous for sellers to ask for paypal fees when they want to sell stuff with paypal. Roll it into your price if you want to recoup fees, oh but then you cant make it look cheap right? When you go and order 1200 dollar heads from a sponsor do they ask you to cover credit card fees? when you go buy a pizza with a card do they ask you to cover credit card fees? GET REAL. I will never deal with anyone who asks me to pay for the paypal fees especially when they WANT TO USE PAYPAL FOR THEIR CONVENIENCE

Also dont even bother with the paypal dispute process. Just pay with your credit card and if anything goes wrong just file the dispute with the credit card company. I had to do that with something that a ebay seller shipped me that wasnt the correct model or color. Paypal doesnt care what you get sent as long as its sent. Sad but true. Called credit card company and all was well.

You do not pay anything to send a payment as a gift. I just did it yesterday to a website I am a sponsor on.

He probably paid using funds from a Debit/Credit card. If you don't have funds in your paypal account or have your account linked to a bank account, paypal charges a tax to withdraw the funds from a debit/credit card.

Also, this thread is pointless.

There are enough scammers and idiots out there. Paypal, I believe is a good/safe way to pass money over the internet. Let's not stain it's reputation so more and more people feel less confortable using it. It's 100x better than waiting for a check to come to you in the mail, or paying a fee for a money order, and then having to wait for it to arrive in the mail, or even worse... having cash sent in a letter.

For the people that say it's the same for businesses NOT to charge us fees. Do you run a private business? I sell AMSOIL. I take a cut in my profit margins because paypal fees are included. So I know how businesses work, they just don't advertise it like private sellers do.
Why?
Often times, private sellers can't afford to get taxed her and there for every little thing, especially if the items they are selling are already cheap.

Here it is in a nuttshell.......

If your going to scam someone, then you're going to do just that.....Doesn't matter the how, just the outcome of getting something for free....

So, if it's a gift,dipute,damaged, item not a sdescribed....you get the point...A SCAMMER WILL GET YOU IF HE WANTS TO....PERIOD!!!

Here it is in a nuttshell.......

If your going to scam someone, then you're going to do just that.....Doesn't matter the how, just the outcome of getting something for free....

So, if it's a gift,dipute,damaged, item not a sdescribed....you get the point...A SCAMMER WILL GET YOU IF HE WANTS TO....PERIOD!!!

Thankyou!!!!! This was just a waste of time.... yes someone can make you pay "as a gift" but like getusum said... if they want to scam you they will. How long have people not been paying paypal fees and still get scammed. Yes the guy got ripped off and I dont think it was to scam you fully. I ordered from the same exact guy a week before and I paid "as a gift" and I got my little $20 part. that is also how I got my LS6 intake and it was in perfect shape and i wasn't scammed. However, I will be more careful now and never go as a gift again but my 2 times paying that way I was not scammed. sorry for your $40 loss...

Also, this thread is pointless.

There are enough scammers and idiots out there. Paypal, I believe is a good/safe way to pass money over the internet. Let's not stain it's reputation so more and more people feel less confortable using it. It's 100x better than waiting for a check to come to you in the mail, or paying a fee for a money order, and then having to wait for it to arrive in the mail, or even worse... having cash sent in a letter.

No you didnt read my posts (it might be the title you read into, Ill see if i can edit it),,, I said nothing negative about Paypal. I like Paypal and will continue to use it, and trust it. If ppl don't what to use Paypal because they are paranoid then that is their loss. The point of the post is: "If you want to be covered under paypals buyer protection or whatever it is called, you MUST choose "pay for goods" when sending money"

Thankyou!!!!! This was just a waste of time.... yes someone can make you pay "as a gift" but like getusum said... if they want to scam you they will. How long have people not been paying paypal fees and still get scammed. Yes the guy got ripped off and I dont think it was to scam you fully. I ordered from the same exact guy a week before and I paid "as a gift" and I got my little $20 part. that is also how I got my LS6 intake and it was in perfect shape and i wasn't scammed. However, I will be more careful now and never go as a gift again but my 2 times paying that way I was not scammed. sorry for your $40 loss...

Yes your right,,, BUT if someone scams you and you are covered thru paypal you can get your money back... if you send a gift you cant be covered, simple.
As I read your last sentence I see you got my point. All Im trying to do here is inform ppl about the protection plan paypal has,, If I would of known this info I would have my parts or my money still, but right now I have neither. I know not every person asking to be sent as a gift will scam you.

You do not pay anything to send a payment as a gift. I just did it yesterday to a website I am a sponsor on.

This is the screen shot of my paypal account. This is only one of the two payments I sent him "as a gift"! You will see I payed the fee, and it did come out of my paypal balance.


http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll107/jcurrieta/Misc%20pics/paypalpic.png

Wow guys, I think I just got scammed for 1200 the payment is in limbo and that bank and paypal said basically, u need to contact him or hope he sends you the stuff, as they will not be able to stop the payment. When I asked him what a fellow member sent me a pm today 5 days after I said i was going to purchase this stuff. WOW am I stupid for sending it as a gift, I guess I can only learn from this but it really sucks to be out that money, It clears tommarrow I can only hope he sends me the LE2 Heads and Intake I purchased. I hate that no one on the site comes forward when they think something is a little out of place.....
He also has alot of other stuff listed and has been doing business on the site since november and no 1 has reported anything bad. So maybe he really is trying to save fees or whatever, I hope its the case.....

:(

This is the screen shot of my paypal account. This is only one of the two payments I sent him "as a gift"! You will see I payed the fee, and it did come out of my paypal balance.


snip.
What type of account do you have?
Personal, Business, or Premier?
I know that a "business" account will charge you the fees regardless of how you send it. Otherwise, unless the money had to be pulled from a debit card, I don't understand why you were charged a fee. Also, unless my math is way off, that's not 3%, so that doesn't seem to make sense either...

What type of account do you have?
Personal, Business, or Premier?
I know that a "business" account will charge you the fees regardless of how you send it. Otherwise, unless the money had to be pulled from a debit card, I don't understand why you were charged a fee. Also, unless my math is way off, that's not 3%, so that doesn't seem to make sense either...

Personal for sure... maybe they changed the rules sence then anyhow Both payments i sent as a gift i was charged the fee,, one was an echeck and the other was from my paypal account.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Im getting jipped on a set of Le2 heads I bought for the 355 going in the car, The story is long but I sent it as a gift threw pay pal as the guy on Cz28.com asked. He sent pictures and seemed ligit and had other stuff selling for sale. in responding as soon as it cleared I havent heard from him, I have also contant the site admin, and asked why he made another name or 2 and Jason said he PMd him saying he couldnt get into his account. It really makes no sense I called paypal they said they cant help me bank wont do shit, The guy is located in TX according to the IP but profile said Hammond IN/Harvey IL which is like 5 min apart over the boarder. ITs rediculous, I have never had a problem ordering stuff from anyone in this community of fbody lovers till now.
Is thier anything I can do?

It happens to everyone.

His name is william gibb from IL/In but IP texas, I have his number which he never awensers aswell, really sucks

Any help is appreciated.

Anyone port a set of heads/intake off a lt1 for a decent price to match seeing as I jst lost bunch of money but i want to have the motor done and in the car.

sorry to hear man!

Here is my update guys:

I got a tracking number for fed ex from him. Still leary because he told me on mothers day his mom died and had an excuse for everything. The package got to the station and was supposed to be delievered the 11th I believe, it has not and now thier is no delievery date on the site, so I decided to call and they said I would get a call today about the package and its weareabouts. well I didnt so I again called fed ex. and the lady said the weight of .02 lbs is the paper the tracking number is on. THe heads either were lost or didnt have a an adress or were never even shipped. They said they may have misplaced them. whats funny is in a PM he said " you'll get your package unless fedex fucks up, then you can call and bitch at them" well he was right they did and now it could take up to 14 days and they needed part numbers which I do not have...



so If anyone has part numbers for heads off an Lt1 camaro lmk, as well as arp headbolts and intake manifold. This is rediculous as I bet he didnt ship them as he gave another guy a tracking number aswell for the heads he shipped they never came and I assume the same thing happend. its very fishy so if anyone has any imput let me know

I bought many parts from LS1tech and camaroz28 members back in January and I always followed these rules.

1. Look up the user. In most cases when a user has ripped people off, people will make threads or comment on his threads informing you of this.

2. Research previous sales history. In many websites there are trader ratings which will let you judge a user, also many people will comment on the original for sale thread letting you know they got the parts and everything was good.

3. Always use paypal, no checks or credit cards.

4. Never send the money as a gift. Sure you can be saving a few bucks but in the end if they screw you over you can't get that money back. If they suggest that option to help save what ever fees paypal has, simply tell them you'll cover the fees instead.

5. Always ask for a tracking or shipping number once they tell you they've sent the package. This will confirm that they actually sent something out.

6. Once package arrives, inspect the contents thoroughly.

7. If there seems to be some discrepancy. Tracking number doesn't work, it says package was shipped but you haven't received it. Let the seller know. And do what you can to figure it out.

8. There are alot of people out there who just want to screw someone over to come out winning, but sometimes an angry reaction on your part will bring out the bad side in someone else and both people will end up losing. So, try to treat others with respect and don't accuse anyone of anything until you are sure of it.

Well, good luck with your future trades.

Yes awesome advice!!