Buyer wants service tag before purchasing

It is better not to give out the service tag to a potential buyer.  You can look up the specs (see below) and send them to the buyer minus the service tag:

http://support.dell.com/support/DPP/Index.aspx?c=us&cs=555&l=en&s=biz

Hi all, I am selling my old Dell laptop on eBay (1.5 yrs old).  A potential buyer has asked me to send him the service tag so he can check specs. Is this legit?  I've seen other auctions block out this information in pictures so I'm suspicious as to why he's asking (I listed most all specs in the auctions with pictures/screenshots of the specs!) I've searched Dell's website for a place to enter in random service tags to check specs, and I don't see anything unless I'm missing it, so I'm curious how he plans on checking it. Advice?

I wouldn't give it to him.  If you have an excellent rating on eBay, there will be plenty of other fishes aka buyers in the sea.

If I were you I would be wary about selling to someone like that. They can be trouble after the sell.

If you do sell this laptop, be sure to send it Priority Mail with Signature Confirmation.

Many many stories of scams on eBay, and you will out of your laptop and your $$$.

Thanks for the tip.  I don't want to give it out but I'm curious what exactly a buyer could do with it - do you know?

Thanks for the tip.  I don't want to give it out but I'm curious what exactly a buyer could do with it - do you know?

Remember eBay sides with the buyer in most cases.

The buyer can file a Significantly Not As Described.

I suggest you read the message boards at eBay for sellers and read the horror stories.

Oh I've read the message boards.  I'm familiar w/SNAD.  I'm just curious if I give someone the service tag to my laptop, can he claim it's stolen or something?   This person asking for the service tag before he purchases, I'm actually going to add him to blocked bidder list so he can't purchase my laptop at all.  It just sounds like trouble .. I've already got screenshots of my various system properties, etc in the auction.

Oh I've read the message boards.  I'm familiar w/SNAD.  I'm just curious if I give someone the service tag to my laptop, can he claim it's stolen or something?   This person asking for the service tag before he purchases, I'm actually going to add him to blocked bidder list so he can't purchase my laptop at all.  It just sounds like trouble .. I've already got screenshots of my various system properties, etc in the auction.

The buyer can pretty much lie about anything and get away with it. Surely you've read the stories of people claiming not to have received something only to turn around and sell it again.

I would also have blocked him as well. Very suspicious to me.