I think my buyer is a scam

[pr2904]

I'm a first-timer selling on eBay, a couple of days ago got a confirmed buyer for a £1400 camera I'm selling. I was a bit suspicious of a haggle-free offer being made for the exact price so soon after it went live.

Having accepted the offer, I received what I thought was an overly polite/nice message saying "thank you so much for accepting. I really appreciate your offer", and that payment would be made soon. 

Yesterday I received a further message asking me to send a video of the camera - "to confirm the camera is in a good condition" - to an external email address before payment could be made.  

My antennae sniff a scam, am I right to be suspicious? 

[*vyolla*]

Possibly. A common scam is to obtain a sellers email address and then send them a spoof (but very genuine looking) payment notification pretending to be from eBay.

Then again they may genuinely want to see it working, impossible to tell.

There is a saying on online selling platforms - only list what you can afford to lose -  there are numerous ways to part you from your money (even 120 days later). Only cash on collection (which eBay doesn't offer) will guarantee payment that you end up keeping. It's a risk you take.

[pr2904]

Thanks.

If a buyer wanted to see the camera working ( a reasonable request), wouldn't they ask for this before placing an offer to buy? Rather than after their offer has been accepted/confirmed?

[red_magpie]

am I right to be suspicious?

I'm not sure about suspicious - a scammer wouldn't have wasted time asking for a video - but you're right to be cautious. This sounds like a time-waster.

It is not acceptable to ask for a video after the sale - in any case, until he pays eBay will prohibit any contact except through eBay messages. My instinct is that this buyer may be nothing but trouble and find some fault to claim a refund within the 30 days eBay allows.

eBay expects buyers to ask any questions before bidding and to pay within four days if they win. If they don't, the seller can cancel the sale as unpaid. Doing this also blocks the buyer from leaving any feedback, and they will receive an unpaid item strike from eBay. For details see: https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/policies/payment-policies/unpaid-item-policy?id=4271

To add non-payers to your blocked bidders list and prevent them from sending you messages, see: https://offer.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?BuyerBlockPreferences

[plpmr]

yes they should have asked first.

Send the video and it's a good chance you will start getting false 'you have been paid' Emails/messages.