Would you ship an $8,000 coin to an empty field? Updated at end - All went well
TopographicOceans
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I sold an $8,000 PCGS coin on eBay which is my most expensive listed.
I Google Earth the buyers address (on a County road) and see there are no structures there, just a dirt road. It is possible Google Earth can't find the correct location?
I called eBay and said I was suspicious of the transaction. Buyer has 150 FB with 2 within 6 months. One is buying a $50 Morgan and the other is for a $120 toy. However in the last 6 months I see he received FB from APMEX, but I can't see the items.
eBay said to call PayPal and they could run a "security check" on the transaction. PayPal has no idea what that is.
PP said it was eligible for Seller Protection. So somehow they've linked the ship to address with the payment address.
I asked about the number of ways I could lose $8,000 if the buyer disputed the transaction and she said yes that could happen on a charge back.
I paid $6800 so I make about $1100 on the deal - if it goes through without a problem. The downside is I lose the $6800 coin plus I'm out $8000.
What would you do?
Comments
I'm guessing the empty field can't sign for it and it will be sent back to you
EAC 6024
I'd wait for the buyer to get back to me on where the coin is being shipped to....that there are concerns. I wouldn't take the risk unless the information you receive is bullet-proof. You already have one big red flag. I've been scammed out of $2100 on Ebay so you don't want to go there. Being in the right and crossing all your "t's" doesn't mean you won't lose your $8K. The account could be hijacked, etc. Name your poison. If Paypal isn't fool proof on this one....don't dare send it. That's why I always shake my head in disbelief when bidders or seller claim they're covered by Paypal....assuming it's 100.00% for every potentiality.
Is this an empty "corn field" or a "coin field?"
Try a parcel search for said county. Google Earth is not always correct. (Shocker, I know)
Not unless someone is waiting there for the package. And these days, you can figure out the day, and approximate hour a package will show up. For $7K, I'll wait there all week if I have too....lol. If the USPS has a valid delivery address in that field, one could call them up and ask them to hold it for you while you come down to sign for it. That new delivery address might only be a few days old.
I'd put away the tinfoil hat and stop looking around every corner.
If it's such a hassle, stop selling that way and just use an auction service, and make less.
Or, hand deliver it there....a roundtrip ticket should cost much less than $1100 profit....
I've been told I tolerate fools poorly...that may explain things if I have a problem with you. Current ebay items - Nothing at the moment
Could the arrow just be on the parcel lot and the house it's being delivered to below it?
Do you have the buyers phone number on the eBay transaction page?
Tin foil hat? What about some simple due diligence that would only take a few minutes of your time? Send some PMs or emails via Ebay....or a call to the seller and/or local USPS postmaster. If the seller doesn't respond, don't send it. Worse that happens is you get a neg...boo hoo. $6,800 tin foil hats can be quite costly. I guess if you've never been taken for $1,000-$2,000 and up in the coin game, then you may not realize the risks, even if you do reasonable DD. What bothers me is that Paypal says there are ways for you to lose the entire $6800 if the seller disputes the claim. That's a huge problem for me. Figure out what PP needs such that they would cover the claim.
For example coin is viewed and appraised by your local coin dealer and videotaped. Then the package and coin are shown up close while being sealed and handed over to your local postmaster. If there are no ways where you are 100% covered by PP I wouldn't even bother.
Go to the county assessor site and type in the address to get verification. You can search by address and it will show the home owner for a double check.
I would say you are safe to ship it. My current residence is on 140 acre farm and when purchased the old house was torn down and we rebuilt. If you search it on Google maps the pin still shows the old houses location, which is noticeably further away than the current one.
To the right of the red dot, the area has been photoshopped. This must be a top secret installation and heavily fortified to get google to change their photo.
What would you of done before there where Google searches?
It's going Registed right.
Years ago, at a minimum, I'd verify the address actually existed and wasn't just a dirt field. In the old days any packages I sent out via REG mail for over $1,000 either went to dealers or collectors I knew...or had solid references for. There was no "blind man's bluff" for me back in those days. A lot coins went right to the show with me or were consigned to auctions. With the internet, PP, and google earth comes more required due diligence. I still do 99% of my transactions the same way I did them in the 1980's. If seller's want to send me $2,000 coins without knowing who I am, that's their business.
Registered is not fool proof because all it has to be is signed for and delivered to the "name" on the package. That takes the USPS off the hook. Anyone can scribble that name. Now if the package is lost in transit before delivery, then you are covered. In the old days that's how most packages disappeared. It wasn't usually the end user scamming you...it was the crook stealing directly from the USPS or FedEx, and oftentimes the employees themselves.
Don't do it!!!
Scam locally was to have packages sent to a vacant lot, that had a mail box installed, person went by and picked it up, and then claimed they didn't get it. Post office is not supposed to deliver a package to a vacant lot, or what appears to be non lived in address, but it happens. A package this valuable, pass, even If you have to take the neg
see if you can arrange a safer alternative with buyer, explain your concern!
I haven't sold much on Ebay recently but when I did I sometimes called buyers to verify addresses.
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pass on the deal ..............SCAM alert................ address forwarding to some other address ..lose the coin
You'd need signature anyway for an item this expensive. Plus, Google Earth isn't the end-all-be-all address verifying tool. It can be off.
Don't make fun of Bochi - he can't help it. His mind works, well, differently.
The Photoshop to the right of the arrow was done by me to obscure the address.
I'll confirm the address with the local PO tomorrow. If I ship it, It be registered and I'll even pony up for insurance (I normally self-insure.)
I only deal with the public on eBay, but I can tell you that if you do any type of retail sales (including eBay/PP) you will get hit with a chargeback at some point. PP won't fight it as hard as you would.
Uh, you guys ever look for addresses out in the country? In town, Google maps is pretty good. The guy probably owns 80 acres and lives in the house at the bottom of the field. No big deal.
If you're worried, talk to the guy. I wouldn't flake out on the sale because of a little mapping glitch. Chances are actual human-to-human communication will put your mind at ease.
I agree with baseball above. Looks like the parcel is for the house on the bottom of the photo. Not sure I would be posting a photo of a buyers home location on an internet coin forum though until I had a chance to talk with them first
It costs extra [when it really should be SOP for registered] but you can also get restricted delivery so that only the addressee can sign for it.
Try putting the address in Trulia.
I just tried my address on google earth and apparently my packages are supposed to be delivered to the pavement in front of my house, and not my house. Good thing my mailman goes by where my mailbox is, not where google earth says it is.
Call the local post office
and zillow
Buyer disappears from eBay then returns and buys two worthless coins and now yours? Trust your gut
Zillow says it is not in their database.
Trulia says:
This is a Mobile/Manufactured located at <> has 4 beds, 2 baths, and approximately 1,782 square feet. The property has a lot size of 15.75 acres and was built in 1997. The average list price for similar homes for sale is $295,000.
Official property, sales, and tax information from county (public) records as of 05/2015:
Very good point. The reason there is so much fraud is that it is very profitable.
An authorized PCGS dealer, and a contributor to the Red Book.
Contact the buyer thru ebay and arange the coin be delivered to an escrow service for pick up by the buyer or delivered to the buyer by courier.
Signature of buyer only, ID verified by the driver upon delivery.
Anyone buying a legit $8000 coin will understand your concerns.
I'm seeing two houses right there in the photo, so it may not be an empty field. You might try an actual internet search with the address to see what comes up, and search the name of the buyer using that town name.
It's right though to be suspicious, I have had a couple of buyers with odd addresses and both turned out to be scams.
www.spokeo.com should get you names that live/lived at the address. I used this often to research crime scenes.
EAC 6024
When in doubt, don't do it. You can be scammed when you least expect it, but when there are red flags, listen to them.
Dwayne F. Sessom
Ebay ID: V-Nickel-Coins
My V Nickel Registry Set - https://pcgs.com/setregistry/alltimeset/71874
and 15 acres
perhaps google plopped the marker into the 15 acres
call the local PO
use property records if they are online
use the online white pages
I wouldn't send it.....t's just too screwball.
Especially, if PayPal doesn't have your back on this one.
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if they paid for it, sure. If I wanted more control of who buys coins and where they are shipped to, i guess I'd have some conditions set before transacting the sale.
I agree.
I'll be waiting...
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I've had something similar with a 3K package to Australia. Middle of nowhere. Turned out to be on the edge of town where new construction had just started and a development was going up. It was just an old sat image. If I were to look at my farms image I would see my truck with a trailer on it. I've not owned that trailer in two years.
Where is this mystery location? Maybe someone can go there and sniff around for you. Failing that call the local post office. If the address is real, they should know.
Also, you should have a phone number on his/her address info.
I doubt my house shows up on the address I list. My house is 2 miles off the road in the woods. That said I would talk to the buyer before shipping
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Could be an image that hasn't been updated.
You could ask the person to send a photo copy of their drivers license. Not 100% fool proof but it would maybe help you feel them out in how well they cooperate.
"A dog breaks your heart only one time and that is when they pass on". Unknown
Can the post office hold it and the buyer can pick it up there?
I would call the Post Office, the local Police and the buyer.... direct contact with all three....and use a proxy service. Cheers, RickO
I had a similar situation a couple years ago, lesser item though. I asked tech expert Bill Myers about it and he and others said google was often slow to update maps, so not to worry. Just cover yourself in the usual ways. I ended up without having any issue on the transaction.
Thanks. Using this tool convinced me to ship. I didn't pay for the service, but I could see the current resident is my buyer. PayPal's Sellers Protection is eligible, so they verified the source of the funds matches the shipping address.
Google Maps and Bing, among others, do not frequently update their satellite photos. When that photo was taken it was a field. It probably has since had a house built on it. When I search my mother-in-law's house, it shows an area under development. Her house has been there for five years along with about fifty others.
Cheers
Bob
If a picture of a mobile home park popped up, you would also be scared. Maybe the advice of not selling coins online is not so bad if you are OCD in some manner.
Old McDonald had a farm ...
Good Luck...
I would never never never ... of course , the dated nature of Google (what Outhaul said) ... it's up to you. Find an alternative arrangement (ship to local B&M or established forum member perhaps for a small handling fee ?)
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In any case, either refund the payment or ship to the confirmed paypal address. I can understand your concern, but if you are going to be selling on ebay, you are bound to refund or follow through. Personally, I would not sell an item of that value on ebay, but if you follow all paypal regulations, ship with signature conformation and insurance, you should be fine. I doubt many sellers google map a buyer's address after receiving payment. Good luck.
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Make sure the signature conformation is from the BUYER. Not a house hold person.