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Might've got scammed out of $533. Details in OP.

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AIan

AIan

Member
Oct 20, 2019
4,859
This was incredibly stupid of me. I trusted a complete stranger on November 7 (due to their Reddit profile looking legitimate), when they were selling their PS5. Sent them $533 on PayPal, using a bank transfer as my debit card was unavailable at the time. I used the Friends and Family option which was a dumb idea.

Fast forward to today and the person has not sent my money back. They didn't block me but they ghosted me completely. I called my bank to do a chargeback but they said they were limited in ACH transactions. Because I payed using my bank account--not debit card--and the transaction was authorized by me, they were unable to do a chargeback.

I can't call PayPal to do a reversal because it's the Friends and Family option, and PayPal can't do returns with that.

Am I stuck? Wonder if anyone has been in a similar situation as this.
 
criteriondog

criteriondog

I like the chili style
Member
Oct 26, 2017
11,126
Oh no, another friends and family on PayPal to a stranger...

Someone else on this forum did a friends and family transfer to a stranger online for a PS5 through PayPal and got scammed.

Wish you luck OP...
 
rpm

rpm

Into the Woods
The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
12,356
Parts Unknown
I'm pretty sure you're fucked, yeah. Don't use Friends and Family with someone who is neither a friend nor family.
 
Eggiem

Eggiem

Member
Oct 27, 2017
8,777
Posting in caps because some people still didn't get it

NOBODY SELLS THEIR PS5 FOR 500 BUCKS!

Damn OP, I don't know what to say. Why did you use friends and family, that is a rookie mistake.
 
catpurrcat

catpurrcat

Member
Oct 27, 2017
7,790
This is still fraud, right? Talk to your local police about options in your jurisdiction and reach out to PayPal by phone to let them know you've been scammed. Maybe they can help.
 
Pikagreg

Pikagreg

Member
Feb 5, 2018
469
Sorry to hear about that. I would have paid a little more to not do Friends and Family personally if they were keen on avoiding fees but it sucks to see that happen to people. Many trade forums advise against personal payments because of stuff like this.
 
Absoludacrous

Absoludacrous

One Winged Slayer
The Fallen
Oct 26, 2017
3,184
I'm surprised so many people are willing to do the Friends & Family option with a complete stranger for such large amounts of money. What are they saying to make it sound like the safe thing to do?
 
nihilence

nihilence

nøthing but silence
Moderator
Oct 25, 2017
15,932
From 'quake area to big OH.
OP
OP
AIan

AIan

Member
Oct 20, 2019
4,859
It really sucks how the F&F option is the top option :( I had just woken up in the morning to the "seller's" reply to my inquiry so I was super excited to get my hands on a PS5. Went through PayPal, clicked on the first option as I wasn't sure if I was eligible to use the Seller option and thought nothing of it. It really sucks that F&F is like that.

It's an expensive lesson for me. Hope this helps people out there in the future!!!
 
Jedi2016

Jedi2016

Member
Oct 27, 2017
15,669
Why oh why do people let complete strangers talk them into using Friends & Family? When they're not A) a friend, or B) family?
 
dom

dom

▲ Legend ▲
Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
10,452
rpm said:
I'm pretty sure you're fucked, yeah. Don't use Friends and Family with someone who is neither a friend nor family.
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Nothing wrong with F&F with strangers. Problem is OP and the other person did that when they would be getting the Console shipped to them. If you're doing the exchange in person, F&F is no different than cash.
 
exodus

exodus

Member
Oct 25, 2017
9,949
If you look at the OP's posting history, it's clear they already have a PS5. What's up?

Abelisk said:
Well, Demon's Souls just crashed my PS5 while loading 1-3. To be fair, my PS5 was also copying God of War 2018 from disk to external hard drive, so maybe there was too much power being consumed and it... shut down or something. IDK. Kind of bummed out my console had an issue.
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dreamer3kx

Member
Oct 27, 2019
176
Damn, hate seeing stuff like this man, I would talk to multiple people at paypal, someone there might be able to do something.
 

Deleted member 70788

Jun 2, 2020
9,620
Eggiem said:
Posting in caps because some people still didn't get it

NOBODY SELLS THEIR PS5 FOR 500 BUCKS!

Damn OP, I don't know what to say. Why did you use friends and family, that is a rookie mistake.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

I mean, I sold an extra I had to a fellow Resetera member at cost. So some people do.
 
rpm

rpm

Into the Woods
The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
12,356
Parts Unknown
domthybomb said:
Nothing wrong with F&F with strangers. Problem is OP and the other person did that when they would be getting the Console shipped to them. If you're doing the exchange in person, F&F is no different than cash.
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It is when you're using it to send a large amount of money.
I use F&F in the B/S/T thread when buying cheap keys if the other person's feedback is good enough but I'm well aware I could lose that money.
Never send more via F&F than you're willing to lose.

If I was doing a transaction in-person, wouldn't it still be smarter to send it via G&S if it was a large amount of money? What if it's faulty?
 
Rosebud

Rosebud

Two Pieces
Member
Apr 16, 2018
43,583
Paypal should remove F&F option at this point, at least for $200+ transactions or something.
 
Shoichi

Shoichi

Member
Jan 10, 2018
10,456
Don't use FF if you don't have any way of verifying the seller is a legit and honest person
 
CostcoCousteau

CostcoCousteau

Banned
Nov 2, 2017
4,490
Eggiem said:
Posting in caps because some people still didn't get it

NOBODY SELLS THEIR PS5 FOR 500 BUCKS!

Damn OP, I don't know what to say. Why did you use friends and family, that is a rookie mistake.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
the thirst has brought out the markiest of marks. I get really wanting the latest console but dont let your eagerness cloud your judgements.
 
ClickyCal'

ClickyCal'

Member
Oct 25, 2017
59,687
exodus said:
If you look at the OP's posting history, it's clear they already have a PS5. What's up?
Click to expand...
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giphy.webp
 
PeakPointMatrix

PeakPointMatrix

Member
Oct 25, 2017
19,095
Make a reddit thread and shame the user.

But man, you'd think with how public the last thread on a user here being scammed, more people would have taken note on the friends and family" risk. I certainly didn't know before.

I wish you luck.
 
Speevy

Speevy

Member
Oct 26, 2017
19,351
The words "Either use Paypal friends and family or pay the fees." has been a staple of forum exchanges for years.

That isn't the problem.

The problem is where, when, what, and how.

I texted a guy on Offerup (craigslist-like app) who had a cheap PS5.

He said "ok"

RED FLAG. Anyone who agrees to an offer within seconds without any other details is trying to hide something.

So I asked him the following questions

1) Can I have more pictures?
2) Where are you located?
3) Can we meet so I can inspect the item?

He didn't reply, this person who agreed to the offer in 8 seconds. Imagine that.

If you're putting up half a grand to a stranger, give them the third degree. Who the fuck cares if they get offended? It's your money. I'm tired of sellers ripping people off or thinking they have all the power in a transaction. I also get tired of the lack of communication in general that pervades message board transactions among legitimate sellers. People should state their feelings and terms right from the getgo.

I'm sorry this happened to you, OP. I hope you get your money back and you get a PS5. I'm looking for one too, and I've been scammed for other stuff before, so I know how that feels/
 
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