Selling item online and getting paid using Paypal. Help Please

Using Paypal for Craiglist is usually a red flag for me. Sirens go off and everything. Make absolutely sure that you see the money in your Paypal account and that you can transfer that money to your bank. This is crucial because there are fake emails out there that say that the money has been transferred to your bank.

I believe $500 is the limit per month that can be transferred to your bank account. So if the the selling price is more you have to wait at least a month to get all of your money.

Its a scam, trust me

They will prob ask you to ship out of country . To nigeria or other

If out of the Country definitely stay away. But PayPal can be a good source for direct sales payments.
I use it quite often for making payment of larger purchases (much higher than $500).

Just due your due diligence and check the guy out. Maybe he has a confirmed PayPal account and then check with PayPal as to your protection. If he sends the $, withdraw/transfer it to your linked account and then ship him the item.

I will give my in sight of an issue I had by buying a laptop years ago. I once bought a laptop it was via some forums I paid the guy he said he would ship it. The reason I found out it was a scam was another interested buyer messaged me saying so did you buy the laptop? I said ya why because the seller says he still has it available. By that I freaked out I contacted he said he shipped and all this I contacted Paypal about this issue they said they froze. What I hated the most was I asked if there were funds they said they couldn't tell me. So I had to wait a couple of days (I guess its a process) when the day came the dispute ended and I got nothing. I got scammed big time Paypal didn't attempt to do anything to get my money back. I was a sucker, however I did end up getting my money back (I talked to the bank etc).

So in conclusion I learned a big lesson I buy everything via a reputable seller company (Ebay, Amazon, etc). If I were you if your using Paypal let him pay wait 2 to 3 days and also give Paypal a call when the funds are already there and can't be reversed. Paypal doesnt really do anything to help you fight for your funds which is one of the reasons I dislike Paypal especially when they charge you a fee when you receive money.

Thank you all for your input. I did get a few emails that were obvious scams and I totally ignored them. I got couple of emails with stupid low offer (CASH) and I got one that the lady is telling me she will mail me a cashier check and will include $20 more to cover the mover to come to me and pick up the laptop and pay the mover (She is calling them movers) the $20 so they can deliver the item to her. Whats up with that? And off course one guy who is local wants to use Paypal to pay for the laptop.

I think it is scary that people are willing to ship their items so easily. Yes it is almost without a doubt a scam, and the more people who continue to allow these scams -- the more likely people will attempt to do it.

One of the key benefits of CL is the fact that you exchange the item in person for CASH. Using PayPal not only causes you to lose money on the deal (2% ish), but you also assume total risk. With no proof of shipping, if the buyer disputes the transaction you are SOL. Even with proof, you have very little recourse if PayPal sides with the buyer (which they almost always do).

If the guy is asking you to ship it, which I didn't see any reference to in your OP, then it is 99.999% a scam. But even if it's pick up, I'd be very, very cautious. Actually, I personally wouldn't do it.

Tell the person it's CASH on delivery only. Only then, assuming the money isn't counterfeit (which should be fairly easy to determine), are you good to go.

I would not sell on craigslist and ship and item. Always do in person cash transactions.

I always do my large Craigslist transactions at a bank. If they are legit, they would understand the reasoning for it as well. The whole area, including parking lot is covered with Cameras. Both of you have access to cash. You both can withdraw/deposit immediately.

As a buyer. I always come empty handed, test the goods, then go inside the bank and get the cash.
As a seller, I park in a clearly unobstructed area. Meet infront of the bank doors. Let them check the goods. Then do the exchange and immediately deposit the money. Do not go back to the car, do not walk away from the front of the bank door.

Quote from jaqnabox : I always do my large Craigslist transactions at a bank. If they are legit, they would understand the reasoning for it as well. The whole area, including parking lot is covered with Cameras. Both of you have access to cash. You both can withdraw/deposit immediately. As a buyer. I always come empty handed, test the goods, then go inside the bank and get the cash. As a seller, I park in a clearly unobstructed area. Meet infront of the bank doors. Let them check the goods. Then do the exchange and immediately deposit the money. Do not go back to the car, do not walk away from the front of the bank door.

do you keep the item in a locked brief case , chained to your arm?

Quote from jaqnabox : I always do my large Craigslist transactions at a bank. If they are legit, they would understand the reasoning for it as well. The whole area, including parking lot is covered with Cameras. Both of you have access to cash. You both can withdraw/deposit immediately. As a buyer. I always come empty handed, test the goods, then go inside the bank and get the cash. As a seller, I park in a clearly unobstructed area. Meet infront of the bank doors. Let them check the goods. Then do the exchange and immediately deposit the money. Do not go back to the car, do not walk away from the front of the bank door.

Yup. While I haven't met at a bank before, I always meet in public spaces with good lighting and cameras. Never had a problem.

On one occasion, when I went to sell one of my HP TouchPads, I had some prospective buyer say they would pay my asking price, but demanded I meet him at a certain location (his "store"). I explained that I only met in neutral public spaces, and could meet him at one nearby. He kept pushing his 'store', and I flat out refused. While I was not initially skeptical of the location (simply wanted to keep with my standard 'public neutral space' philosophy), the fact that he was demanding a specific location he controlled (in a not-so-nice neighborhood) made me even more determined not to do it there. His justifications made no sense to me. I sold the item to someone else, albeit for $20 less than asking, the next day - for cash in a mall parking lot - and was happy.

Quote from Scampsters : do you keep the item in a locked brief case , changed to your arm?

that's why i always carry a chainsaw to brief case holdups

Quote from Count_Chocula : that's why i always carry a chainsaw to brief case holdups

please edit the quote with my edited fix thanks

I am sorry but the advice is bordering on excessive paranoia. Theres thousands of transactions going on through cl each week throughout the country that go with no issue.