Selling on Gumtree, receiving payment through PayPal..

[Kirsten34]

I have just put a few thngs  on Gumtree for the first time. I quickly receieved an email asking if the items were in good condition then asking for my paypal email address so they could send the money. I've used paypal to pay for items but have never received payments or sold anything online so I'm aware of scams etc since I am new to it. Just wondering if it would be my email that I use for paypal and if the person could scam me in anyway?

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!

[IanSpringham]

Gumtree is for face-to-face trading, preferably with cash.  Any hint of electronic money transfer systems should be viewed with the greatest caution.

Gumtree's safety pages - http://gumtree.gtsandpit.cs2.force.com/Help/articles/General_Information/Warning-signs - state, amongst other warnings:

• The number one thing to remember: Gumtree is all about being local. Always meet with whoever you’re dealing with face to face, which is an easy way to avoid any potential scams.
  
• Requests to use money transfer services like Western Union or MoneyGram. These services are not meant for transactions between strangers. In our experience they’re favoured by fraudsters. 
• Payment or protection services allegedly offered by Gumtree or other well known sites such as eBay or PayPal. You get an email that claims to be from Gumtree, eBay, PayPal or another company and offers buyer protection or an online payment system.

There is more information and Gumtree-specific discussion at http://forums.gumtree.com

[PayPal_Siobhán]

Hi there Kirsten34,

All a customer will need to send you a payment is your email address.

If you are receiving a payment through PayPal you need to make sure it is marked as a payment for 'Goods'.

Not all transactions are eligible for PayPal Seller Protection. If a transaction is eligible for PayPal Seller Protection, you'll see 'Eligible' or 'Partially eligible' on your 'Transaction Details'

Other eligibility requirements:

• The item must be a physical, tangible good that can be shipped.
• You must ship the item to the shipping address on the Transaction Details Page.
• You must retain proof of shipment or proof of delivery in accordance with the Seller Protection requirements.

To learn more about PayPal Seller Protection, click 'Legal Agreements' at the bottom of any PayPal page, then click 'User Agreement for PayPal Service'.

Siobhan