Scammed on Pinkbike...
 

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Scammed on Pinkbike. Will PayPal help?

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Transition Spur frame at £580 was too good to be true and I was naive.

I paid PayPal, not family and friends.

Pinkbike have now flagged the seller as a scammer.

I started a case with PayPal but it seems all they do is pass on my message to him. To my surprise he escalated to a claim!?

Will I get my money back? Any tips or experience to share? 

Thx

 
Posted : 15/09/2025 6:04 pm
Posts: 20675
 

When the frame doesn’t turn up, you’ll get your money back, if the scammer doesn’t refund you double quick. As they know they are on a hiding to nothing, with you having used PP they just give it back and move on to the next one.

 
Posted : 15/09/2025 6:25 pm
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if its normal pp it will get sorted, if family and friends not a chance

 
Posted : 16/09/2025 6:54 am
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Had the same thing last year on Pinkbike and PayPal refunded me pretty quickly. 

 

Pinkbike seems to be the place for this at the moment - I did all the checks (reasonable not ridiculous price, long time user, able to answer technical questions well) and payed PayPal goods and services through an invoice from the seller and it never showed up. 

 
Posted : 16/09/2025 7:06 am
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i did see someone post a comment on there that the increase in scammers seems astronomical. Such a shame.

 
Posted : 16/09/2025 7:17 am
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You should be fine. This sounds very similar to what happened to be recently (first time I've ever been scammed in a LOT of years on the internet, I'm usually mega cynical)

Santa Cruz C level frame, lots of good pictures, not too cheap price, good comms. Happy to pay by PayPal good and services. Sent invoice, all went a bit weird when he then part refunded it and had to send me one from another address. Spidey senses going over drive but in too deep at that point. Sent tracking number, was from the States when he was supposed to be in Wales, got delivered to a business 50 miles away etc etc. Bizarrely was still communicative after that, and just said 'sorry, PayPal have screwed up, you'll need to get a refund from them'. 

Anyways, dispute opened, no contest, after the time expired I was fully refunded. 

The thing that bothers me most is I'm just not sure how this worked! PayPal will take the money out of 'their' account. I'm guessing it's a hijacked account,  and they transfer it to another asap then withdraw? Or buy something else with it?

Either way, ended up buying a full bike from a lovely STWer that my son loves. Hope it all works out ok for you.

 
Posted : 16/09/2025 7:42 am
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Posted by: submarined

You should be fine. This sounds very similar to what happened to be recently (first time I've ever been scammed in a LOT of years on the internet, I'm usually mega cynical)

Santa Cruz C level frame, lots of good pictures, not too cheap price, good comms. Happy to pay by PayPal good and services. Sent invoice, all went a bit weird when he then part refunded it and had to send me one from another address. Spidey senses going over drive but in too deep at that point. Sent tracking number, was from the States when he was supposed to be in Wales, got delivered to a business 50 miles away etc etc. Bizarrely was still communicative after that, and just said 'sorry, PayPal have screwed up, you'll need to get a refund from them'. 

Anyways, dispute opened, no contest, after the time expired I was fully refunded. 

The thing that bothers me most is I'm just not sure how this worked! PayPal will take the money out of 'their' account. I'm guessing it's a hijacked account,  and they transfer it to another asap then withdraw? Or buy something else with it?

Either way, ended up buying a full bike from a lovely STWer that my son loves. Hope it all works out ok for you.

 

He didn't buy with goods and services, he used friends and family... I think that means, he's stuffed.

 

 
Posted : 16/09/2025 7:44 am
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He didn't buy with goods and services, he used friends and family... I think that means, he's stuffed.

I don't think he did?

I paid PayPal, not family and friends.

If it was goods and services you'll likely be fine.

 
Posted : 16/09/2025 7:50 am
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Yes I paid with fees and even got an invoice from the "seller"

Thanks all. The seller has 10 days or so to act and PP seem to say they will refund if he doesn't reply.

 
Posted : 16/09/2025 7:56 am
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Ah mis-read that... 

 
Posted : 16/09/2025 7:58 am
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Could be a Pay Day Loaner. You see it a lot on an AV Forum I'm a member of.

Legit looking seller lists an item for sale, buyer pays, item doesn't turn up, refund issued on pay day.

 
Posted : 16/09/2025 9:16 am
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I think on PayPal accounts are being hacked - in my case it was a guy in Northern Ireland and the account was hacked by a guy in Nigeria. Money arrives in his PayPal account, he takes it out and closes the bank account. By the time the dispute is raised PayPal has no way to get the money back but still refunds the buyer. If you're anti-capitalist it's sort of a victimless crime but it still stings being on the end of it.

 
Posted : 16/09/2025 9:37 am
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Just as a heads-up. There's 2 more Spur frames, same size, same colour that have popped up on the pink bike classifieds. Users both pretty new with minimal account history. Could be similar story with those.

Are any of the pics the same as the one you bought?



 

 
Posted : 18/09/2025 8:45 am
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Chris I spotted them this morning but the pics are different! Same colour and size frame but different shocks. One from Wales and one from Scotland, "mine" was from Wales (allegedly). 

They are now gone I think!

This is crazy and has put me off buying on Pinkbike. Weird world we live in where fraud is seemingly possible in total inpunity.

 
Posted : 18/09/2025 3:52 pm
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It's back.

https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/4091892/

I got my money back btw. 

 

 
Posted : 03/10/2025 8:10 pm

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