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Any reason I should be suspicious as to why a potential buyer might ask for the serial number..?
Can they check themselves that it isn't stolen..?
Trek Procaliber 6 so not a BSO.
Only you know the answer to this...
Where did you buy the bike from?
No, it isn't stolen - I bought it new from Wheelbase in the Lake District and have all the paperwork, etc.
The question has just thrown me!
Not unreasonable request imo
Maybe theirs was stolen and they want to check if this is it.
Maybe theirs was stolen and they want to check if this is it.
This
Or maybe theirs was stolen and they want to claim this one is it.
Just ask why they want to know?
Personally I'd just ignore them completely or tell them you'll supply original receipts with the bike.
If you are concerned, ask them why. Maybe offer to provide a certain number of digits if you want to keep that information between you and the person who buys the bike.
Pretty common to ask for valuable old BMXes to check they are the year the seller says they are... assume that's not the case if you bought it from Wheelbase though?
Could be to avoid the scenario where the bike they want to buy has mysteriously had the frame number filed off / deliberately damaged to make it unreadable
I've asked him why he'd like to know and said I have full receipts, etc.
We'll see how this pans out!
We’ll see how this pans out
It's gumtree, its really only marginally better than Facebook market place. They'll either go radio silent or turn up with less cash than they agreed and try it on.
Seems like a pretty reasonable precaution by the buyer, although no buyer has ever asked me for any. There are registers out there to check for stolen bikes, which use the serial number. Can also be checked with manufacturer to check it is what you say it is. Would you advertise a car for sale but get suspicious if someone asked for the reg number?
You have the original paperwork, so can’t see how you would be at risk.
I’d show sticker blurring out half the number. Say not showing as stolen and full receipts provided. Too many scams.
I've always assumed every bike on gumtree is stolen 🤷♂️
It's Gumtree. If the seller isn't a scammer then the buyer is.
househusband
No, it isn’t stolen – I bought it new from Wheelbase in the Lake District and have all the paperwork, etc.
In which case why do you object to them checking it's not stolen?
In which case why do you object to them checking it’s not stolen?
I'm guessing the potential scam risk would be provision of the s/n as part of a phoney theft report by the would be "buyer" and then a lot of hassle for the seller especially if they didn't have the original paperwork.
After my experience of FB market place selling a cheap and cheery BMX this or a similar forum is about the only place I'd want to sell a bike of value these days. Sold one of the boys' outgrown bikes on here a year or two back and it was a very different and positive experience.
I advertised and sold a S Works Enduro on Pinkbike at a price that I was happy with but it was priced to sell and so quite a bit less than others advertised.
Guy from the NE wanted me to send a copy of proof of purchase and frame number as he really wanted the bike and would travel down later that day with the cash
Told him to travel down with the cash and he could have the receipt and check it against the frame number. I also told him that I would ring the shop it was purchased from whilst he was there to confirm.
Funnily enough he never got back to me.
I’m guessing the potential scam risk would be provision of the s/n as part of a phoney theft report by the would be “buyer” and then a lot of hassle for the seller especially if they didn’t have the original paperwork.
After my experience of FB market place selling a cheap and cheery BMX this or a similar forum is about the only place I’d want to sell a bike of value these days. Sold one of the boys’ outgrown bikes on here a year or two back and it was a very different and positive experience.
Fair doo's ....
I'm keeping an eye out for a bike (Calibre) for a mates daughter and saw one come up on a local FB MTB group .. the seller was saying "where can I sell to avoid a scam".. I asked "her" what size frame it was and "she" didn't know or even say I'm this height. (No idea if the seller really as a her/she) It didn't exactly fill me with confidence though... by which I mean it could genuinely be a women selling a bike she forgot what size she bought but why would I/my mate want to take the chance ??
I mean suppose she is legit (??) then not knowing/advertising the frame makes me feel she's more likely to fall victim of a scam anyway... or not sell it???
There’s no way I’d give a potential buyer the whole serial number. Why on earth would they need to know? All they need to know is that it has a full serial number & maybe see the original receipt on inspection which would have the serial number on.
Wot Tracey said,a polite reply saying that you have all the proof of purchase papers and details.They can decide.If they ghost you then they were never that serious.
Told him to travel down with the cash and he could have the receipt and check it against the frame number. I also told him that I would ring the shop it was purchased from whilst he was there to confirm.
Funnily enough he never got back to me.
As a buyer I'd be very wary of this. Arriving at an address with a significant wedge of cash and no idea of whether the seller is legit.
It's OK ,Tesco extra stores usually have a lot of cameras and security 😉
Like others said, this is a reasonable request, buyer most likely wants to check the serial number doesn't appear on a website like this:
https://www.bikeregister.com/bike-checker
Each to their own. Unless I know who I'm selling to then I wouldn't have them to our home. I've met alot of men from here and Pinkbike in carparks to sell and buy stuff. Never had a problem.
Coincidently I sold a Turbo Levo to some one I know during lockdown who needed a bike for his son and an ebike for himself. Did him a good deal on a Turbo Levo and a carbon Stumpy.
Just before we went on holiday he rang me to see if we had another for sale.
He's just driven away with my old one and left me with the cash. Both happy.
Seems all legit; he'd asked for the frame number so he could get the frame geometry... I had stated year and model but hadn't linked to the Trek specification for the bike as Gumtree wants payment for any links. I was happy to provide.
househusband
Seems all legit; he’d asked for the frame number so he could get the frame geometry… I had stated year and model but hadn’t linked to the Trek specification for the bike as Gumtree wants payment for any links. I was happy to provide.
Glad it worked out ... it really is a quagmire.
There is so much scamming going on on both sides ...
Unless I know who I’m selling to then I wouldn’t have them to our home. I’ve met alot of men from here and Pinkbike in carparks to sell and buy stuff
You know that sounds worse right? 😉
he’d asked for the frame number so he could get the frame geometry… I had stated year and model but hadn’t linked to the Trek specification for the bike
So to clarify that, they want a serial number to look up the geometry, which [so far as I'm aware] isn't exactly helpful as there's no easily searchable database where you can pop the number in and get the bike details - very happy to be corrected on that.
They already had a year and model with which to look up the geo, that is easy because there are several easily searchable databases and a few lesser known ones like Google.
Don't get me wrong but something sounds off here.
They probably wanted to check the mileage.
I'm pretty sure you do that surreptitiously before reporting the driver to the plod for driving without due taste and civility
I’m pretty sure you do that surreptitiously before reporting the driver to the plod for driving without due taste and civility
Well yes. You pretend that you need the serial number to check how many wheels the bike was shipped with, and whether 27.5 or 29er..
Maybe he's filed off the number from a bike he's nicked and is looking to replace it with a legit number. Kind of like the cloned car number plate scam.
As above, send him part of the number and if he wants the full thing tell him to F off.