These don`t really sound good to me.
My friend has a Harley for sale,had it listed on Craiglist had a phone call from a guy in Bedford,Ma.
2300 miles from Colorado said he will buy it & pay by Pay Pal & have his carry person
pick up the Harley.My friend don`t have a acount with Pay Pal but the guy said it is easy to sign up.Could something go wrong here?
Dick

Yes, this sounds bad.
Cash only

Too many ways for that to go bad. Cash only.

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Lynnie, Professional Pest

Scam. Complicated to explain

Thousands (hundreds of thousands?) of people use PayPal every day with no problems.

Yes, it's easy to set up a PayPal account.

Friend of mine bought a used Jeep last year using PayPal.

I suppose something could go wrong...just like with any long distance transaction. If the seller verifies the money's in his PayPal account, and maybe transfers it into his bank account, I don't see the problem. Buyers using PayPal can't see the seller's banking info when doing a purchase.

But if the seller is really leery of setting up and using a PayPal account, tell the buyer a certified check is required or no sale.

No sense overcomplicating a sale or obsessing about something that might go wrong.

Scam! Run away. Your buddy’s bike will be gone by the time PP notifies him that the card used to transfer funds was fraudulent.
Run, run away and fast!

Think about it, unless it’s a super rare bike, why would someone from across the country buy a bike unseen? There are hundreds of bikes for sale in Mass, I guarantee it.

Yes, a lot can go wrong. Tell your friend to say "no thanks" unless the buyer can be there face to face with cash.

There are many scammers on craigslist. And your friend has no duty or obligation to consider travel or shipping costs incurred by the buyer.

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Life Is A Gift. Defend it!

DON"T--PayPal accounts are linked to a credit card and he, once in possession, could/might/may have already planned to challenge the charge.

Postal money order good insurance.

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On the whistle draw and fire 6

I say no. Too complicated.
Too many people involved, too much distance involved.
I posted about the guy here who bought the $50m BMW ragtop off Craigslist.
I yelled, Holy ****!
You bought a out of town BMW on Craigslist!
He replies, it’s ok.
When I called the seller, it turned out to be the Lubbock Mercedes Dealer.
I would tell the Harley ‘buyer’ to get on a plane carrying money.
See you at the airport!

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NRA LIFE MEMBER

Unless you are desperate to sell, its your game, you make the rules. Make the rules so YOU are comfortable. Just my $0.02.

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Certified Curmudgeon

We had a very similar thread on this — selling a Harley on Craigslist, PayPal, long distance — few weeks back.

IF the guy in Bedford,Ma is truely interested....have him/her WIRE TRANSFER the funds to an account that is newly created at your bank and will ONLY accept incoming funds.....

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There's nowt so queer as folk

If he can get somebody to pick it up, he can also provide him with cash to do so.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

IN GOD WE TRUST, all others pay cash!!!

That's what I was thinking.

The "carry person" will come pick it up? Have the "carry person" bring a wad of hundred-dollar bills with him.

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I always take precautions

As others have said, about a 99% probability it's a scam of some kind. Up-and-up buyers don't do things like that. Cash-only at the time of sale is always the best policy to follow for anything on Craig's List. I think I have seen about every scam attempt possible there.

I wouldn't take a certified check, cashiers check, or money order. They are being counterfeited. Last Thursday, I drove to California to buy a bunch of Ferrari parts that I need for the restoration of my Ferrari. I told the seller I would pay cash. Cash is king. He got the cash. I got the parts. Everyone is happy.

It's an old reliable Craigslist scam that has a buyer's and a seller's version. Dollars to donuts the "buyer" claimed to be military or some other honorable profession and managed at least one "god bless" in the communication. Apparently suckers still fall for it. Run, don't walk, away.

Maybe 3-4 years ago a friend bought some machine tool parts from a Craig's List ad in Houston. It wasn't a trivial amount, several thousand dollars. Anyway, he sent the seller a check (to a PO box or some such) but never received anything. He never could find the seller.

Oh I miss the old days!
Long ago in the days of yore, before the inter web,
All we had to worry about were the Arkansas Travelers!

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NRA LIFE MEMBER

Pay Pal??? could something go wrong??? I'd give that a big fat YES. Even if it isn't a scam...it's still Pay Pal...

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Real men love cats!

Paypal $500 to hold it until he shows up with a certified check or greenbacks for the full amount. When the $$$ show up send back the $500 friends and family.

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Front sight and squeeze

I had one of those. A 14' aluminum with a 3 HP green Johnson motor on it, I was 10 years old. I miss the old days too.

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Birds like shiny new toys too.

Well, PayPal is pretty secure. I have an account. I would tell the guy to send the money. I will deliver the bike to him using my own shipping service. If he didn't like that, there are other buyers out there.

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Freedom isn't free.

Paypal tends to rule in favor of a person contesting a purchase. Then you'd be out the money which paypal would take from you or your bank account, and you'd be out the bike. If he wants the bike, have him send you a USPS postal money order, then verify the money order with the post office, cash it, then turn the bike over to his agent ONLY if said agent has a notorized authorization to take possession.

I've had PayPal since the 90's when they were giving you 10 dollars to sign up. Never an issue. All you have to do is be careful who you receive or send money to. It's frankly hard to believe that people still fall for these old scams.

Standard Scam. Anytime I go to sell anything non-gun related if there's a phone # they text with the same BS. I usually just send them insults and they leave me alone. Sell enough on the internet and you get a feel for this nonsense.

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Deplorable Me!

Have some dealings with PayPal, probably not as many as you.
Exactly how do you -
‘Be careful who you receive or send money to.’ ?

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NRA LIFE MEMBER

Cash or USPS money order only.

Cashier checks and certified money orders are forged everyday, the bike will be gone before the bank decides to come after him to get their money back.

Scam.

When I sell a vehicle, it's CASH, no matter the cost.

Don't have cash, take a walk.