Hi
A few months ago I placed a wanted ad on this forum, I got a response that a (so called) member was at another members place and said he had what I was looking for here is his email address. I contacted the person he said he had what I was looking for, I asked for some pictures which he supplied and a price.
It all seemed legitimate, this wasn’t my first time buying something from a member. He said to send a paypal payment and he would ship right away.
He asked me to send it as a friend payment (more on this later)
The email I sent the PayPal payment to failed and he sent me back the payment and asked me to resend with a different email. This didn’t seem right, I refused to send again, I got multiple emails from this person basically begging me to send the payment, I didn’t and it was a fraud ! I found out later that sending a payment as a friend gives you no recourse if it’s a fraud ! Since that incident I’ve received more private messages and emails. I was lucky the payment didn’t go thru. It’s so unfortunate that people are so dishonest.

Lucky for you it didn't go through!

NEVER go outside of the forum for transactions. The moment someone asks you to use a different email to communicate, this is a big RED FLAG and DO NOT pursue it any further.

And definitely never use the friend option with paypal. I have only done it one time with someone who I really knew but would never do it again. Work something out on the paypal fees like splitting them.

After the first PayPal failed I asked him for his first and last name, phone number and where he was located, which he wouldn’t give me. I knew then that something was up.

I cover the PP fees if the seller insists on F&F. Better to spend a couple extra bucks to know I am covered...