Selling a high ticket item on Facebook Marketplace. Paranoid about scams.

I did take a chance yesterday on Marketplace buying a MIDI Foot Controller.
Funnily enough the bloke lives 60 miles away but we have 10 mutual friends, he's a member of my Facebook Music Group and I've seen him play live so hopefully it turns up.
Otherwise face to face.
 
hi again. so. another bit of advice.
guy has messaged me (facebook marketplace again) and is asking if i can come over to him so he can fit it. fb profile looks a little more legit ... although stuff like friends and suchlike are hidden from view.

anyone heard of any scams or the like about going to someones house? its not exactly a nice part of town. he's also offered 10% more than it is up for for the 'trouble' of coming over to let him check it fits/works. which obviously set off alarm bells. I don't really have any friends or family I can get to accompany me. (other than my young son/wife... but it seems irresponsible to take them!)

yes i'm a paranoid idiot. telling me so isn't going to help a lot. it is what it is.
 
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personally would rather him bring his pc round than you bringing your gpu to his.
also would want to make sure his computer actually works and that his psu is up to snuff
worse thing is if his broken computer/psu takes out your gpu - you're SOL
10% extra im assuming is £50ish? that's a lot extra he's willing to stump up which will also set my alarm bells ringing
if it's too good to be true, it probably is
 
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if it were me, i'd just tell him not to pay the extra £40 and use that as petrol money to get to my home address
if his computer is up to scratch then install the gpu for him
 
Probably a bit naughty but a Musician I know arranged to buy a full PA off a bloke in Liverpool for a bargain price so went to collect it a couple of weeks ago
The bloke said when you're about 10 miles away from my address let me know so I can get it together.
10 minutes later he's ringing saying can you go to a pub car park because where I live won't be accessible because of an accident just happened.
He goes to the car park, looks at the gear and hands over the money, it's only when I pointed it all out he realised he may have bought stolen gear.
 
SexyGreyFox said:
Probably a bit naughty but a Musician I know arranged to buy a full PA off a bloke in Liverpool for a bargain price so went to collect it a couple of weeks ago
The bloke said when you're about 10 miles away from my address let me know so I can get it together.
10 minutes later he's ringing saying can you go to a pub car park because where I live won't be accessible because of an accident just happened.
He goes to the car park, looks at the gear and hands over the money, it's only when I pointed it all out he realised he may have bought stolen gear.
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The second he entered a Liverpool postcode that should have become clear :cry:

I had a similar situation buying fiesta parts. Only when I collected and he said 'what other bits you want exterior, I can get whatever you want off of these fiestas' did I realise he was nipping between the motorway services and the local ford forecourt :cry:
 
Haha. Well I suggested he use the extra money to get a taxi to me with his pc and I would happily fit it and stuff. No reply. Nm I finally got in on the 80% off ebay fees promo so it won't now cost stupid money to sell it on there.
 
thefunkygibbon said:
hi again. so. another bit of advice.
guy has messaged me (facebook marketplace again) and is asking if i can come over to him so he can fit it. fb profile looks a little more legit ... although stuff like friends and suchlike are hidden from view.

anyone heard of any scams or the like about going to someones house? its not exactly a nice part of town. he's also offered 10% more than it is up for for the 'trouble' of coming over to let him check it fits/works. which obviously set off alarm bells. I don't really have any friends or family I can get to accompany me. (other than my young son/wife... but it seems irresponsible to take them!)

yes i'm a paranoid idiot. telling me so isn't going to help a lot. it is what it is.
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not paranoid at all......... i would say stick with posting only at this point. normally i would say let the buyer come to you and set up at your place, but if you already have a bad vibe then i would say go with your gut. better to miss out on a sale than have people you already have a bad feeling about coming into your home. i suppose you could agree to install it in your local pub? you would need to know you had access to a plug.
i have only ever sold 1 expensive item on ebay.... my old oculus rift DK2 and i was sweating bullets for ages after expecting a paypal dispute. it never came, i got positive rep and introduced a new person to VR..... but for me it was not worth the hassle.

i nearly always sell now on one of the forums i am a regular on (here or avforums). legally no more covered than facebook but you can see a history of people on forums and if they do not have one i politely decline to sell.

i am in a similar position at the moment albeit as a buyer...... am sooooo tempted to pick up a quest pro on ebay. going new sealed from £700-£750.... but my gut is telling me if it seems too good to be true then........................
 
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oh don't!! i'm at a bloody loss of how to sell stuff these days. everywhere is full of scammers. if only I had MM access still :-( its either places where you'll get undercut stupid amounts, or places you'll get loads of scammers.
at this rate i'll have to take it to CEX
 
The advantage of forums like this is you can see the reputation and longevity of the poster.

Unless you have multiple friends then you're selling it to a stranger on the Internet.

Even selling on ebay would be slightly better because at least you can see the buyer stats.
 
thefunkygibbon said:
at this rate i'll have to take it to CEX
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that is exactly why places like CEX exist.. it takes all the risk out of it... albeit at a cost.
it wont help you now but if you keep your presence up here, it wont take too long to get back on the MM here. i have never had problems here. (not that i have used MM that much myself either)
 
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thefunkygibbon said:
oh don't!! i'm at a bloody loss of how to sell stuff these days. everywhere is full of scammers. if only I had MM access still :-( its either places where you'll get undercut stupid amounts, or places you'll get loads of scammers.
at this rate i'll have to take it to CEX
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Why dont you PM a mod?
 
thefunkygibbon said:
Haha. Well I suggested he use the extra money to get a taxi to me with his pc and I would happily fit it and stuff. No reply. Nm I finally got in on the 80% off ebay fees promo so it won't now cost stupid money to sell it on there.
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I guess I/we were right lol.
eBay is a whole new kettle of fish altogether. Sellers have very little recourse if things go wrong and equally as many scammers. I'd definitely take as many pictures as possible and also the serial number and make sure it's on the listing pics.
 
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