I've had a rough year and thought I'd treat myself to a new (used) bike.
I found what I was after on Pinkbike, and agreed to buy it last week. The seller seemed good - they'd been a member since 2013 and were able to answer all my questions about the bike. They answered quickly and communication first through Pinkbike DMs then through email was good. They're based in Ireland.
They requested payment by a Paypal invoice to a business account, which seemed to work. I did a bit of research, having not paid that way before, and it seems that you can only use an invoice for goods and services. The invoice came to my Paypal account, I checked and triple checked to make sure the url was legit and it was a genuine Paypal invoice.
Now, after 5 days, the seller has gone silent. That's not that long but now they've also closed their Pinkbike account, which seems like a red flag.
I've been diddled right? But, how? What have I missed with the Paypal invoice? Reckon I'll see a penny back from this?
Can you see the transaction when you login to Paypal? If its there start the claim right away. The only thing that I can think of is that the account has been hacked
Sorry to hear this tale, it must be sickening tbh.
Might there be recourse via PayPal, if you haven’t done friends and family?
You should have some protection through PayPal. Also how did you pay PayPal, you might have some cover there, too. I would say 5 days without communicating is worrying but not unusual, but if they have actually closed the pinkbike account then that is a red flag.
Can you see the transaction when you login to Paypal? If its there start the claim right away. The only thing that I can think of is that the account has been hacked
This is the only answer, start a claim. Worse case the seller comes back and says it is on the way
Thanks, I've started a claim. I just don't see how this works for the seller/scammer. If I've paid goods and services, which I believe I have (and PayPal seems to think so too, as they let me go through the claim), then how do they get anything out of it?
Could be paid into a hacked/fraudulent bank account that they then shift the money from before the claim goes through. Seems like a lot of effort for a Pinkbike scam though
If it's a hacked account they'll use it for lots of stuff (not just one pinkbike sale) and as has been said, transfer the cash out before the claims happen, at which point Paypal's left with the cost after refunding you.
Is the PB account closed or just blocked/banned by PBs very aggressive system. Mine got blocked multiple times last year when I was trying to sell a frame. Only reason I could see was putting links to reviews and geometry in the description.
If you have an address and it’s in the Cork area I could pop round with some sausages for their lawn. I don’t own bombers and if they have a dog you can forget that option.
Have you contacted the PB team as well? It doesn’t sound dodgy so I’d contact them and start a PayPal claim. Like someone else said, you can always cancel it if they pop back up
andy4d - they are near Cork (Midleton) but sadly, I don't have their address. Maybe you could just scatter-gun some sausages in that area?
There's a thread on Pinkbike for reporting scammers - I'd check to see if the seller is on there.
