OrganicGirl

it's a mobile phone. I once sold a netbook via EDF. I met the guy in a local pub at his suggestion and he was absolutely great. I showed him the receipt for the netbook and everything went just great. Annette Curtain Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Well, depends on what you're selling. > > I mean, meeting someone in a local coffee shop > with a wardrobe on a trolly might seem a bit weird > all round. > > If you're selling a laptop, then it looks a bit > moody trying to sell it in the same way. I can see > both sides however, is it not possible to get a > friend to come over to yours when the buyer is > expected ? > > If not, there are professional vendors who will > sell items for you on e-bay ect. > > As Jeremy says.... > > "Your house, your rules" > > Nette

Actually the police statement says: "make sure that you meet in a busy area" and Gumtree added: ""Like the Police, we strongly recommend that people meet in daylight, in a public place and that you take a friend along." The advice to meet in a "busy area" and "in daylight, in a public place" would seem to indicate that meeting inside your own home when you live alone is not recommended. ianr Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > Looking at this article it seems the police > themselves advise you only to conduct these sorts > of sales in a public place > > That's not my reading, which is just that if you > are meeting in a public place, the police > recommend that it be a safe busy area. > > You mentioned being messaged. I'd distinguish > mobile phone messages from forum PMs. Someone > using an unknown mobile phone number I'd count as > being potentially untraceable by anybody. > Someone's PM'ing does at least potentially provide > you with a track record, and a link to forum, ISP, > etc. records that the police could access if they > thought it necessary. Similarly so, if you've > communicated via their private landline phone. > I'd count the existence of either of those > traceables as goodish predictors of my own safety, > in the absence of any evidence to the contrary. > > Personally, I think I'd be unlikely to buy any > valuable consumer item (particularly an as-new > one) without evidence of ownership, without > believing that the seller would be subsequently > findable if need be. An address or receipt would > do; I don't think corner seat, Caff? Nero, would.

Someone who has only ever posted on the forums once. That one message was to another person selling something, offering to go round that person's house to buy something or other and, I believe, asking for their address. Chick Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Who was the potential buyer?

Thanks for all the responses! The fact that my potential buyer seemed so absolutely dead set on getting my address and coming to my home doesn't sit all that well with me. I'd have understood if he/she had asked me to provide a receipt or something as proof that the phone really is mine or even show ID. But to insist on coming to your home and call off the purchase immediately when I suggested Cafe Nero, is a tiny bit odd in my opinion.

Gumtree.com robbery Looking at this article it seems the police themselves advise you only to conduct these sorts of sales in a public place

I recently advertised an item I'd like to sell. I had an interested buyer who messaged me something like "just give me your address and I'll come round." I replied that I'd prefer to meet him/her in one of the local cafes on Lordship Lane. I'm a single woman living alone and as the victim previously of an assault in my home, I do not just give out my address randomly and invite total and utter strangers into my home. The person then replied: "No as I would rather pick it up from an address and not just buy it on the street." What are your thoughts? Is it really so unusual to just meet a buyer in a public place?