Selling an iPhone

[bethmennell]

Hello, I am selling my phone and the buyer has requested he pays via PayPal - what security measures do I need to take?

[sharpiemarker]

@bethmennell 

Ensure you see a record of payment in your PayPal account first before shipping.

If you're asked for your PayPal email address AND your full name that's a red flag, they are used to make and send fake PayPal emails saying payment's been sent but payment is held with instructions buy gift cards, pay a third party or provide a tracking number first before you see it in your PayPal account. 

https://www.paypal.com/au/smarthelp/article/how-to-spot-fake-emails-faq2340

Some more tips here:

https://www.paypal.com/au/webapps/mpp/fraud-prevention

https://www.paypal.com/au/webapps/mpp/phishing

https://www.paypalobjects.com/webstatic/en_AU/mktg/pdf/FraudPreventionChecklist.pdf

[bethmennell]

Awesome! I'm selling the iPhone in person - the buyer has just requested he pays via PayPal, after giving him the phone and receiving the money into my PayPal account, will there be any other issues I need to consider? 

[sharpiemarker]

@bethmennell 

I presume you are giving him the phone after you see payment in your account on the spot. 

From seller's standpoint, pick ups or delivery in person transactions are not covered by PayPal Seller Protection.

Ineligible items and transactions

Your sale is not eligible under PayPal’s Seller Protection Policy if:

• The buyer claims (either with us or their card issuer) that the item you sent isn’t what was ordered (referred to as a “Significantly Not as Described” claim).
• You receive more than one payment for a single transaction.
• It involves an item that PayPal determines, in its sole discretion, is a counterfeit item.
• It involves activity that we reasonably believe to be fraudulent, whether or not within PayPal’s system, and even if we initially labelled the item as eligible on the transaction details page.
• It involves an item that you deliver in person or is picked up from you in person, including in connection with a payment made in your physical store.
• It involves sales that are not processed either through a buyer’s PayPal account or a PayPal guest checkout transaction. For example, if the sale was made using the PayPal Payments Pro/VT product or PayPal Here, then it is not eligible. 
• It involves items equivalent to cash including gift cards.
• It involves downloadable or streaming content, or a licence for digital content.
• It involves a donation.
• It relates to the purchase of a financial product or investment of any kind.
• It involves a payment sent using PayPal’s Friends And Family functionality.
• It involves a payment made using PayPal Payouts or Mass Pay.
• The item is a vehicle, including, but not limited to, a motor vehicle, motorcycle, recreational vehicle, aircraft or boat.

Nor is the buyer eligible for protection either on items they come to collect in person or on their behalf for reason of Item Not Received but they can file a Significantly Not As Described dispute to return item and get a refund. Also the buyer has 180 days from date of payment to file a dispute so perhaps you need to keep this money on hand until passed that point or simply accept cash instead.