Kelvin Collins: Beware of overpayment scam when selling used items online (2024)

FAQs

Kelvin Collins: Beware of overpayment scam when selling used items online? ›

Kelvin Collins: Beware of overpayment scam when selling used items online. If you are decluttering your home by selling unwanted items online, be on the lookout for buyers wanting to pay you more than the listed price. If the offer seems just too good to be true, it probably is.

Report a Scam to the FTC

If you experienced a scam — or even spotted one, report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Contact your bank immediately to let them know what's happened and ask if you can get a refund. Most banks should reimburse you if you've transferred money to someone because of a scam. This type of scam is known as an 'authorised push payment'.

While many online sellers are legitimate, unfortunately scammers can use the anonymous nature of the internet to rip off unsuspecting shoppers. Scammers use the latest technology to set up fake retailer websites that look like genuine online retail stores.

In most cases, PayPal will not refund your money if you have been scammed. They may refund you if an item you bought never arrived and report it as potential fraud against the seller and they are unresponsive. However, in other instances, Paypal will not refund money lost in scams.

One of the most common ways to verify buyer identity is to ask for a photo ID, such as a driver's license, passport, or national ID card. You can request the buyer to send you a scanned or photographed copy of their ID, or use a third-party service that can verify IDs online.

Determine if their body language is open or closed

'If a person is genuine and open, their language will reflect this. Such as having a relaxed posture, open hand gestures and natural eye contact,' explains Adrianne. 'Alternatively, if a person is tense, unsure, and nervous, their body language will show it too. '

So, if you want to scare a scammer, the best thing to do is threaten to report them to the police or the agency around you. Scammers will usually back off if they think they're in danger of being caught. But be careful - never threaten a scammer with violence or harm. That's not only unethical, it's also illegal.

How do you get someone back that scammed you? ›

Consider filing a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. If you've been a victim of fraud, identity theft or deceptive business practices, filing a consumer complaint with the FTC may be a good option for you to potentially recover money from a scammer.

If you yourself have been scammed, it will be helpful for you to find ways to take care of yourself – such as leaning on your support system of caring family and friends, taking time for self care activities, and not getting caught in negative or distorted thought patterns associated with the fraud/scam.

Report the scammer to the relevant authorities, such as your local police department and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) if you're in the United States. Provide them with the evidence you've collected and a detailed account of the scam.

Your bank can only refuse to refund an unauthorised payment if: it can prove you authorised the payment. it can prove you acted fraudulently. it can prove you deliberately, or with 'gross negligence', failed to protect the details of your card, PIN or password in a way that allowed the payment.