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12 comments
If it's a high value bike watch out for the following scam:-
1) You give your address so they can view or buy;
2) they don't turn up, make excuses or just go silent, and;
3) you get burgled very shortly afterwards.
Best way to avoid is do as much due diligence as you can on the buyer, check feedback etc and or meet at work or some other "safe" place. Can happen on any platform although I suggest less likely on ebay if the buyer has good feedback and a long trading history.
Likewise facebook if they joined in 2023 ... it's probably a scam.
Interesting, thanks for the warning. A mate of mine had the same thing in reverse, or suspects he did: he went to buy a bike and the seller insisted on holding his driving licence (with address, obviously) while he took it for a test ride, then a couple of days later his house was broken into and the bike stolen. No way of proving it but rather suspicious that the thieves went straight for the bike and took nothing else...
The trouble with not allowing buyers to come to your home is that people like me (and I buy several bikes a year on behalf of friends) won't agree to anything else, there are too many on Gumtree who want to meet at Peckham Station or wherever, it's an immediate red flag for me. Your suggestion of meeting at a workplace seems a good compromise.
Yes another side to the scam from a buyers perspective, if some insists on cash and you "coincidentally" get robbed a short distance from the agreed meeting point. Or vice versa as a seller they pay you cash and then their mates rob you.
A good suggestion is to get them to phone you before giving the address. It has the advantage of giving you lots more information about them, they way they speak, do they have a clue about what they are buying, where are they travelling from etc to decide if you want them to turn up at your house.
It's a minefield but the old adage applies if it sounds too good to be true it is.
How do you know they work there !
They all work at Peckham station !
Or could wait in reception and it would appear you work there.
Trust me, nobody works at Peckham station...try getting assistance with a wheelchair passenger or a ticket when the machine's broken!
I've only purchased a bike from somebody's workplace once but I did check by asking for him at reception that he did work there, I wouldn't settle for just meeting somebody outside a building.
There is an islabike buy / sell group on facebook.
Nextdoor and Gumtree are good for low-ish value stuff that needs to be collected in person. Watch out for scammers though.
Yes, I've had people trying that on FB - but it can be almost anything, anywhere sadly.
My suggestion for that sort of bike would be to join a relevant (local) facebook group. I would probably look first for a cyclocross buy/sell group, but also consider general bike buy/sell groups (ideally a local/regional one), children's bike buy/sell groups and/or local parent's groups (that permit buying/selling).
I don't think I've been asked for such documents as an ebay seller. But I'm quite pleased they're doing something like this - if only Facebook Marketplace and Gumtree (answers to your question!) would do likewise.
The Post Office ID is intended to work as a cheap alternative to a passport or driving licence - although not many people have heard of it, which doesn't inspire confidence. www.postoffice.co.uk/identity/pass-card
I thought there used to be a road.cc classified page, but can't find one now.
I withdrew my bike sale from ebay. You have to offer paypal for collection items and it's too easy for buyers to claim they never collected and get a refund up to 60days after.
They have a mobile app and you can swop codes with the buyer when its collected but my buyer turned up without the app/code even though I remined him. No code cant have bike and I cancelled the sale.
Too risky.