Uggg…they’re getting as bad as craigslist for scammers. I posted a Stanley kids bedroom set this morning. So far I have received fourth requests to buy it where they will pay by Zelle and their brother will pick it up. Only question they ask is where am I located which is in the ad. I just give them the town. They never ask about the condition of the furniture or ask to see it in person. Every time I tell them cash only as it says in the ad, they never send another message.
PSU
It’s not the platform getting bad, it’s the people on the platform using it the wrong way. Happens with everything and it’s sad.
What is the scam with Zelle?
https://www.wearegreenbay.com/news/local-news/bbb-warns-face….
BBB explained a possible scam buyer will quickly contact you after you put a pricey piece on the marketplace and will likely say they want to pay by using a peer-to-peer payment app.
Even though the tracker mentioned Zelle, BBB said the scam could also work with CashApp, Venmo, or another similar service.
After getting the payment, BBB reports you would get an email supposedly from a payment service like Zelle.
BBB explained the email would say the buyer allegedly paid with a Zelle “business account” and you would need to upgrade your account to business status to accept the transfer.
To be able to do this, the buyer would apparently need to send you another $300 – which BBB warns they would be happy to do as long as you refund them after.
“I received an email from zelle@bankconfirmedpayment.com explaining that the funds were waiting, but the buyer had to send an additional $300 in order to upgrade my account because the transaction was over $600, and I would need a business account,” explained a recent scam victim.
BBB reports the scammer then “sent” the extra funds and included screenshots of their Zelle app with the money deducted from their account. After that, they pressured the victim to pay.
The victim said they realized the scammer never sent the money after the refund. By then, the scammer had disappeared.
Beware of Zelle!
https://www.fool.com/the-ascent/personal-finance/zelle-revie…
No “bank” stands behind the [Zelle] process even though it was created by banks!!!
sunray
a man who would NEVER use it
No “bank” stands behind the [Zelle] process even though it was created by banks!!!
sunray
a man who would NEVER use it
Never to a person you don’t know.
My husband manages his disabled brother’s P&I. His brother is not able to understand finances. He uses Zelle to reimburse his siblings for qualified purchases for the disabled brother. It is much cleaner than trying to send them checks.
What is the scam with Zelle?
I don’t know all the scams that can occur with Zelle. I saw some of the potential scams already listed on this thread when I searched Zelle scams. I have been selling several higher priced items before I move. I sold an upright piano, formal dining room set and now trying to sell a bedroom set. In all cases, the common theme is that the potential buyer says they want to buy it, their brother/sister/cousin/mover will come to pick it up. They will pay through Zelle. They can’t be there at the time of pickup.
They don’t ask when the piano was last tuned. They don’t ask if the dining table has any scratches in the wood or stains in the seat cushions. They don’t want to inspect the item. When I say I only take cash, I don’t hear another thing from them. None ask for me to hold an item while they get cash to their brother/sister/cousin/mover.
Due to the sheer number of Zelle payment requests with someone else picking up item, my internal “scam meter” starts buzzing. Do I know for sure it’s a scam? No, but it’s not worth the risk finding out.
PSU
Due to the sheer number of Zelle payment requests with someone else picking up item, my internal “scam meter” starts buzzing. Do I know for sure it’s a scam? No, but it’s not worth the risk finding out.
PSU
You are correct, they are scams.
Pay by whatever digital method you ant when you pick the item up.
Pay by whatever digital method you ant when you pick the item up.
No, there is still a risk of fraud including cancelling of the transaction. Cough up cash or forget it is the best option especially when they aren’t asking about the condition of the item and won’t pick it up themselves.
(A friend did sell his Porsche to a buyer in Germany. He carefully researched the person and the method of payment. It wasn’t a scam. The buyer paid for transport and the asking price.)
Pay by whatever digital method you ant when you pick the item up.
The seller is in control on method of payment. I’m the seller. They can choose to either pay cash or not buy the item. I don’t have any need for the proceeds. I’m selling stuff I don’t want moved to the new home. Anything that doesn’t sell will be donated.
PSU
Show me how you cancel Zelle since that is the topic. You can only cancel if it’s pending, and it’s only pending of the recipient does not have a Zelle account yet.
Show me how you cancel Zelle since that is the topic. You can only cancel if it’s pending, and it’s only pending of the recipient does not have a Zelle account yet.
I don’t have to show you how to cancel a Zelle account. It’s my stuff, my rules.
PSU
I don’t have to show you how to cancel a Zelle account. It’s my stuff, my rules.
My reply was not to yours and nothing to do with how you want to handle your stuff. Not even sure where this came from?
There is nothing scammish going on by having people pay via Zelle when they pickup an item, or even in advance.
My reply was not to yours and nothing to do with how you want to handle your stuff. Not even sure where this came from?
There is nothing scammish going on by having people pay via Zelle when they pickup an item, or even in advance.
Even though your reply was directly to another poster, your reply looked like a follow-up to your earlier post where you mention digital payment in person (at point of sale). I don’t see where that completely eliminates the potential scam. The person paying through the Zelle account is not the person standing in your house getting ready to transfer the item to their vehicle.
Again, I am wary of anyone wanting to buy something sight unseen. If the item is such a bargain that they can take the risk that the item is accurately described and buy sight unseen, then the bargain aspect doesn’t go away if they are asked to pay with cash.
PSU
Even though your reply was directly to another poster, your reply looked like a follow-up to your earlier post where you mention digital payment in person (at point of sale). I don’t see where that completely eliminates the potential scam. The person paying through the Zelle account is not the person standing in your house getting ready to transfer the item to their vehicle.
Very confusing.
Person shows up, looks at your item and says they want it. They ask for you Zelle address to pay you or you ask for theirs and send a request for payment. They pay you - right there in front of you. They load the item into their car and drive off.
What is so wrong wit this? Where is the scam? It’s the same transaction process when using cash.
Zelle, CashApp, PayPal all common for doing this sort of thing. It’s also safer for the buyer showing up with cash and getting robbed.
Very confusing.
Person shows up, looks at your item and says they want it. They ask for you Zelle address to pay you or you ask for theirs and send a request for payment. They pay you - right there in front of you. They load the item into their car and drive off.
What is so wrong wit this? Where is the scam? It’s the same transaction process when using cash.
As the OP of this thread, the person is not showing up and paying with Zelle. Every request to buy the item comes from a person who cannot be there physically. Also I take the advice from Zelle to not use their service through strangers. I don’t know what the scam is or if there is a scam. I just don’t see taking any risks if the service provider warns against it.
PSU
Every request to buy the item comes from a person who cannot be there physically.
Understood now. Still if they pay ahead of time via Zelle it’s like buying anything else online. They are on the hook hoping you will send the item.
The scams that run on Zelle and other payments systems are something a person with no common sense would fall for such as sending a fake email claiming the funds have been sent, things OUTSIDE of the payment system.
Ask for their address for Zelle or whatever payment system they are using, send a request for funds, when the payment is sent via Zelle or whatever payment system you use things are good to go. You don’t strike me as the type of person that would fall for something OUTSIDE of the payment system to prove money was sent and that’s how this plays out. If Zelle, Paypal etc say the money has been sent and the balance goes up by that amount in the App or on their Website you are good to go.
https://www.howtogeek.com/808769/how-zelle-scams-work-and-ho…
Online Sellers May Also Fall Victim ← section to explain it better.
In the end if you want people to show up with cash that is fine however if the item is ship-able you are limiting your potential market to unload things. BUT it’s entirely up to you! 
In the end if you want people to show up with cash that is fine however if the item is ship-able you are limiting your potential market to unload things. BUT it’s entirely up to you!
I’m fine with limiting my potential market. I limit it further by saying I will not ship. Local pickup only.
PSU