A buyer on Gumtree wants to send a courier to collect and pay me afterwards. Is it a scam?
Almost always, yes. The buyer never meets you, sends a fake proof of payment and a courier collects the item before you notice no money arrived. In another version you are asked to pay the courier fee first and get it "refunded" with the payment that never comes.
The messages are polite and in a hurry, often by email or WhatsApp rather than on the platform. The buyer does not negotiate and does not ask questions about the item, which real buyers do.
How to protect yourself
- Only release an item once the money is cleared in your banking app.
- Never pay a courier, insurance or "transfer fee" for a buyer.
- Be wary of buyers who will not meet, will not call and want to move off the platform.
- Check the buyer's number and email address for scam reports.
- If a courier shows up without cleared payment, do not hand anything over.
Frequently asked questions
- The buyer paid extra to cover the courier. Should I pay the courier?
- No. Any "extra" is on a fake POP. The courier fee you pay is the actual theft.
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