Buyer wants me to purchase report in advance

[minordetails]

A buyer with FB <10 wants me to purchase a report on a site called checkpeople.com. Before I even get the price, they want me to enter a little personal information which is fine, but I decided not to do it.  I sell genealogical services and have not had to purchase reports/records for people as of yet. In this case, I told the person no and they were a little pushy saying they needed to get it for their mom.  Either way, I do not want to take the chance with a newer buyer, purchase a report that is probably at least $79 and I would have to charge more to net the $79 which may not even be within TOS and then have to wait for my money for two weeks as I am not seller plus and risk the fact they might cancel.  So, two questions:

1) Does the opportunity seem a little scammy?  The buyer is in Hong Kong and did not give me a great reason when I asked why they could not purchase the report directly
2) Going forward, is it within TOS for me to purchase a report or record on someone's behalf and cover my net costs by adding over 20% to net the cost of the document.  Or, is it better to just provide the buyer the link to purchase directly.

[leannelrivers]

I'd stay well away from anyone telling me to purchase something first. Sometimes buyers will ask me to find and provide background music to add to a voice-over I'm recording for them. I don't think there is any rule against purchasing something to complete an order, but I can only speak for myself and the VO category. If buyers want me to buy a music track, I usually direct them to a few options where they can buy the music and license themselves, which saves a lot of potential hassle. If my client purchases the music track, they have the invoice and usage rights in their name. It's also tricky to price this in because I live in the EU, so I'm dealing with fluctuating exchange rates between dollars and euros. 

[sharzilzofi]

Hey there!

When it comes to dealing with new buyers and unfamiliar requests like this, it's always important to prioritize your own security.