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How to not get scammed?

Cornern

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May 12, 2022
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Hi. Anyone got any good tips on how I can know if someone are tryna scam me. I would love if someone could start a conversation with me, because im trying to buy from the Evo 2 pro fly more from someone. And need help to know if hes legit.
 
you can get help here, just start with telling us the selling price and who you are thinking about buying from (maybe thru which platform) and the payment method desired. then we can get into the details about the drone itself....
 
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you can get help here, just start with telling us the selling price and who you are thinking about buying from (maybe thru which platform) and the payment method desired. then we can get into the details about the drone itself....
Thanks for helping! Im buying a Autel Evo 2 pro fly more (3 batteries, bag & nd filters) for $1500. He said he was selling it, and I contacted him through a thread. I got his email and he said he wasnt confident with me paying through paypal because the buyer could cancel the payment when he got the package. But he said I could pay through bank transfer, but not if I wasnt confident with that. He said the Evo 2 pro he had was a replacement from Autel Care, and the aircraft had only been flown for two days. He often takes a few days to reply, wouldnt most scammers answer within a few hours. Does he sound legit to you? Again, thanks for the help.
 
personally:

paypal or bust. it's a myth the buyer can just receive the good and then cancel the payment.

i would *never* initiate a bank transfer from my bank account to someone else's bank account i do not know. ever. not unless i got the drone first. to me, those are red flags in 2022.

again this is just me and we haven't yet started talking about the [overpriced] drone itself.
 
personally:

paypal or bust. it's a myth the buyer can just receive the good and then cancel the payment.

i would *never* initiate a bank transfer from my bank account to someone else's bank account i do not know. ever. not unless i got the drone first. to me, those are red flags in 2022.

again this is just me and we haven't yet started talking about the [overpriced] drone itself.
Appreciate the help, ill stick with paypal only. Do you know what a good price for the 6k version is? And maybe where to find one?
 
Appreciate the help, ill stick with paypal only. Do you know what a good price for the 6k version is? And maybe where to find one?
i would keep an eye on the classified section in this forum. as soon as the evo3 is announced/leaked, many of us will be selling our evo2 drones.
 
There is a paypal (and venmo) scam for sellers where you agree on price etc, then you request them send you a paypal for the amount, you then get an email saying the transaction can not be done, however if you have the sender raise the amount by $300, you can then refund the $300. Thats a scam, dont do it, again, thats more for a seller, however would not be surprised to see if tried or done to a buyer. In addition to keeping eye on classified section in this form, also check out Facebook market place, just saw some E2P bundles there.
 
There is a paypal (and venmo) scam for sellers where you agree on price etc, then you request them send you a paypal for the amount, you then get an email saying the transaction can not be done, however if you have the sender raise the amount by $300, you can then refund the $300. Thats a scam, dont do it, again, thats more for a seller, however would not be surprised to see if tried or done to a buyer. In addition to keeping eye on classified section in this form, also check out Facebook market place, just saw some E2P bundles there.
yep. same old scam, new platform. a prince from nigeria wants to buy your car but not sure how much it will cost to ship to tunisia so he pays you with a "cashiers check" for double your asking price and all you have to do it use the extra money to pay the shipping, take your "tip" for the convenience, and wire him back the difference by western union. :oops:
 
yep. same old scam, new platform. a prince from nigeria wants to buy your car but not sure how much it will cost to ship to tunisia so he pays you with a "cashiers check" for double your asking price and all you have to do it use the extra money to pay the shipping, take your "tip" for the convenience, and wire him back the difference by western union. :oops:
But he is willing to pay my asking price! 🤣
 
There is a paypal (and venmo) scam for sellers where you agree on price etc, then you request them send you a paypal for the amount, you then get an email saying the transaction can not be done, however if you have the sender raise the amount by $300, you can then refund the $300. Thats a scam, dont do it, again, thats more for a seller, however would not be surprised to see if tried or done to a buyer. In addition to keeping eye on classified section in this form, also check out Facebook market place, just saw some E2P bundles there.
Thanks for the info! Do you know if google pay is safe, or maybe bank transfer? And does a person saying I can meet him in person and check the drone and buy from him there sound safe?
 
Thanks for the info! Do you know if google pay is safe, or maybe bank transfer? And does a person saying I can meet him in person and check the drone and buy from him there sound safe?
none of that is safe. honestly, i feel badly for you, Cornern. i know there are bad actors out there but you seem to be a target; is there a reason why? where are you located?

you really would be ok with taking $1000+ cash to a parking lot just to buy a used drone? :oops:

it's a s-c-a-m.
 
none of that is safe. honestly, i feel badly for you, Cornern. i know there are bad actors out there but you seem to be a target; is there a reason why? where are you located?

you really would be ok with taking $1000+ cash to a parking lot just to buy a used drone? :oops:

it's a s-c-a-m.
Im located in Norway, Oslo.
Obviously, I always take with me cash to meet the seller if I got the chance (to see if the conditon is as described, everything is working, and make a safer transfer.) Isnt that very normal, if not that then hes gonna send it. And sending it means im gonna pay more. The drone doesnt sound overpriced to me. Ive gotten 20+ emails from people selling theirs for $1800-$2000. A scammer would answer me within a few hours to send me short answers, and quickly start talking about payment. But could also be diffrent. The guy im talking to took a week to answer my email. No scammer sleeps that long.
 
Im located in Norway, Oslo.
Obviously, I always take with me cash to meet the seller if I got the chance (to see if the conditon is as described, everything is working, and make a safer transfer.) Isnt that very normal, if not that then hes gonna send it. And sending it means im gonna pay more. The drone doesnt sound overpriced to me. Ive gotten 20+ emails from people selling theirs for $1800-$2000. A scammer would answer me within a few hours to send me short answers, and quickly start talking about payment. But could also be diffrent. The guy im talking to took a week to answer my email. No scammer sleeps that long.
sure, if you feel comfortable then it might be ok. different people have different levels of risk i guess. if you are fine with handling that amount of cash then face to face meeting is probably the only way to make it work. otherwise, you probably have limited options on how to get a drone so it only makes sense to work with whatever you have. i can't tell you how people will respond over email; there's no reliable way to judge them or the transaction. good luck with whatever you end up doing and stay safe!
 
Thanks for the info! Do you know if google pay is safe, or maybe bank transfer? And does a person saying I can meet him in person and check the drone and buy from him there sound safe?
Avoid bank transfers, avoid regular checks, if electronic then paypal or venmo just watch for scams. When meeting people do it at a public place where others are around, have somebody go with you just in case. If somebody invites you to their address, have them meet at public location. When I get asked what my address is, I tell people to meet at an address in the parking lot which is the police station. Only had one who said no deal. Also if buying ask for a bill of sale, if selling, have buyer sign a bill of sale, at least you have it if needed. And yes, you should if at all possible check the drone out, or, have a return guarantee.
 
Not sure why some people are saying cash is a bad idea... I mean, don't put yourself in a situation where you can be robbed, but cash is one of the safest ways to purchase a used item from a stranger. It's anonymous, fast, and cheap.

I purchased a laptop for $700 cash several hours from my house from a stranger. We met at a restaurant, he brought his girlfriend along. I looked over the device, ran a few tests together, then I gave him a bill of sale and said fill this out and I'll return with the money. Came back with the cash that was just outside in my vehicle, and we exchanged. Easy and safe.

My advice would be have a checklist of things you want to test / check: All the buttons on the remote, screen in good working order, cables all work, drone hovers in place, gimbal moves all directions, etc. You can check battery life too but batteries are easily replaceable.

Stay away from bank transfers or other payment types you don't regularly use (PayPal is fine). I often ask someone for their eBay handle, even if it is not an eBay transaction--I have good feedback on my eBay account which I've had for 15 years.
 
Not sure why some people are saying cash is a bad idea... I mean, don't put yourself in a situation where you can be robbed, but cash is one of the safest ways to purchase a used item from a stranger. It's anonymous, fast, and cheap.
Cash is king, as long as it is real cash ;), just be safe, use common sense, meet in safe public place, have somebody with you if possible, concur with the bill of sale.
 
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