I have put up some items for sale in the Facebook Marketplace. Recently I received 2 strange emails wanting to buy those items.

The first email was received in September. This buyer wanted to purchase a T-shirt from me and he is willing to pay $25 plus shipping and handling charges (I am selling the T-shirt for $15.95). He said the T-shirt is a birthday gift for his relative in Africa. He wanted to have my Paypal e-mail ID so that he can proceed with the payment to my Paypal account.

I find that this is rather strange as normally people will bargain with me to reduce the price and I wonder why he is willing to pay more than what I have asked for. I feel that something is not right and went to view his facebook. There is no photo and no basic info about him.

I wrote back and asked for his name and address so that I can check with the Post Office for the postage. I also asked whether he is in Singapore or somewhere else. He did not reply.

The second email came in October. This buyer has a more decent profile in the facebook. He has friends and wrote some information about himself. But I still feel a bit strange for him willing to pay US$650.65 plus postage charge for a watch that I am selling for S$495.95.

He said he is getting the watch for his daughter who is currently studying at the British international college in West Africa. Same as the first person, he asked me to get back to him with the final asking price and the Paypal Invoice.

I wrote back and asked why he is willing to pay so much more than I have asked for. I also asked him why does he need to have my paypal account. He could send me cash, money order, postal order or transfer the money to my bank account. I further asked if he is in Singapore we could meet up for the transaction.

According to the facebook, this second buyer hometown is in Columbus, Ohio, USA but he is currency living in Manchester, UK. He is working with a German company. I was thinking why can’t he buy the watch in UK and send it over to Africa instead of going through me? Aren’t there any watches in Manchester, besides football?

There are some significant similarities between these two buyers. Both are willing to pay more than the price I have advertised. Both said that the items are for someone in Africa and both are asking for my paypal account. I gathered and think that this could be the popular Nigerian scams and do a search in the Internet. True enough I found some people were cheated by sending out the goods but never get paid. Through the Internet, I saw one of the addresses given by the scammers is the same as what the second buyer has given me. I confirm that this is a scam and will not send the watch until I have received the money.

I wrote back to the second buyer and asked for cash or postal order to be sent to my post box. Here is the link on the Nigerian scams http://www.whoisandrewwee.com/ebay-auctions/ebay-nigeria-scam-exposed/