PayPal Payment Scams

jaymenon

I was recently contacted by someone requesting to buy my little 1W amplifier. Now that happened to be on Facebook marketplace; however, the scam is applicable to anywhere you may advertise your stuff for sale.

The buyer asked me for my PayPal details and shortly thereafter replied:

Hello the mail I received from PayPal says the confirmation of the payment has been sent to you via email check your email box if you did receive any confirmation from them?

By which point, I had received the email below: (please note that it’s a scam, and it’s not from PayPal).

I replied: I haven’t received any PayPal payment from you, just a scam email

The “buyer” immediately left the group.

I’m sure many of you know this already, but for those that don’t, look carefully at the email address from where the email supposedly from Paypal has been sent. There lies the simple clue that it’s a scam.

Jabba74

This is extremely common on FB marketplace. Scammers will ask for PayPal detail or bank details to send payment before their brother/sister/mother/father will collect. 

They then try to send you down a rabbit hole to get you to send them money so the payment clears. 

Best is to just ignore them. Most of the reply’s are copy and paste jobs so easy to spot them after you have had a couple. 

RevMatt

Thanks for sharing, seems obvious that PayPal wouldn't be using a Gmail account but these kind of things can be quite convincing so good to be aware.

pjf

Scammers are cruel and heartless, stay vigilant (especially over Christmas) everyone and keep a healthy dose of scepticism over anything that looks “off”. 

dhankotb

Heey I just started a thread about this on off-topic. Anyone know whether there are possible ways to scam the scammer after they've sent the money by using a new/burner paypal account and transferring the money out/buying crypto or something?

StormshadowGuitars

dhankotb said:

Heey I just started a thread about this on off-topic. Anyone know whether there are possible ways to scam the scammer after they've sent the money by using a new/burner paypal account and transferring the money out/buying crypto or something?

They never actually send you anything at all, their scam is trying to get you to send them money. 

dhankotb

StormshadowGuitars said:

dhankotb said:

Heey I just started a thread about this on off-topic. Anyone know whether there are possible ways to scam the scammer after they've sent the money by using a new/burner paypal account and transferring the money out/buying crypto or something?

They never actually send you anything at all, their scam is trying to get you to send them money. 

Typical!

FenderBender

RevMatt said:

Thanks for sharing, seems obvious that PayPal wouldn't be using a Gmail account but these kind of things can be quite convincing so good to be aware.

Unfortunately or unknowingly, some people don't check those details as carefully sometimes. The scamer may also register a domain that looks almost like the original, except for one character, your eyes just don't notice it sometimes. It's good to be reminded every so often though, sometimes even I get too complacent. 

carlos

www.paypaI.com 

Bats_

Another good tip is use give them your PayPal handle instead of email address, it will stop that fake email getting to you. 

Hydra19

I have gotten this scam each time I post anything for sale, even on reverb. They send you an 'offer' that is your exact asking price and then try to do this. If you're selling ANYTHING, you should never have to pay to sell it or recieve money. Paypal has been around long enough that they can fix 'little problems'.
I usually reply joking them around or tell them to stop being a loser and get a life
Good luck out there, it is sad what human nature has become

mooncat

PayPal will always use your name, not "Dear Customer"

grungebob

You might want to edit out your email address from the OP as this is an open forum. 

Fishboy7

Clearly a scam but I don't get it. Aren't they asking for the buyer to add the extra 200?

FenderBender

(edit, made some additions to provide other things that were red flags)

For awareness...To add a 'different' paypal scam, I was nearly scammed last night. Actually I would have been, if the payment went through.

Firstly he asks to move the conversation to email, for a 'quicker response'. (I've done this at least once before with no issues, this time must be fine right).

I was paying by Friends and Family (as I've done in the past, but have to reconsider going forward), but he gives me a different email address to pay to.

Then paypal said I had to pay £2.99 to send the payment. Never happened before. A quick Google shows this may happen if the paypal account is international. On telling the seller, he then offers to pay the fee (how generous, but does not offer explanations).

DESPITE alarms going off in my head, as I was on a mobile I said I would wait until I was home to try on my computer. I then get a different paypal message (seems they may have been made aware?). I message the seller about this, he says try his wife's paypal email account. I was curious, so I tried and got same message.

I offer to pay by bank transfer and I raised some concerns with him...of which the response to me is 'Why the lack of trust in society', and he offers to ship me first. Again, does not address my concerns. Shipping first would be great, but that means I have to provide:
-my full name
-my full address
-my mobile number

Everything a scammer could use to impersonate or research me elsewhere etc.

The moral of the story, it is better to lose out on 'buying' that guitar than possibly lose your money.
If that initial paypal transaction went through, I would have been affected. But the fact at least one other forum person said they also tried to send money, means its not just me who was gullible and this seller would have gotten us all to pay.

We were too caught up in the frenzy of getting that guitar, and did not think straight and too trusting of people on the forum when there were clear signs to be wary. We also did not raise concerns immediately to moderators or other users. A long time forum account can be compromised.

viz

Also, please, people, ask the seller to take a photo with a piece of paper on it with something written on it like “horse’s arse” or today’s date, or anything else unique, to prove they actually have the item, which is at least something. 

If that pisses them off, well, they didn’t have the item, did they. 

barnstorm

viz said:

Also, please, people, ask the seller to take a photo with a piece of paper on it with something written on it like “horse’s arse” or today’s date, or anything else unique, to prove they actually have the item, which is at least something. 

If that pisses them off, well, they didn’t have the item, did they. 

This is a requirement for FS ads on ukuleleunderground - bit of paper alongside the instrument with username and date. Not remotely a hassle, so might be worth making it the norm here.

LPManic

If someone "new" is selling something for a few hundred quid cheaper than it should be then it's likely a scam. There are no great deals out there anymore.

FenderBender

LPManic said:

If someone "new" is selling something for a few hundred quid cheaper than it should be then it's likely a scam. There are no great deals out there anymore.

That is the thing though, in my case the user was not new. That username first started 7 years ago. And they had other sales threads through the years with some marked sold. What was also a red flag, which may just have been a coinidence, is that they had no trading feedback. A user of 7 years, with stuff sold, definitely should have at least one feedback left for them.

And also, there are a few great deals 'sometimes' (to me atleast). I missed out on one last year, it came back around this year, albeit a bit higher price but I was made fully aware of what the situation was. And the seller did everything above board.

But I agree, if its a 'new' user, then it could be too good to be true unless you are doing that deal in person in a safe way.

mankytom

barnstorm said:

viz said:

Also, please, people, ask the seller to take a photo with a piece of paper on it with something written on it like “horse’s arse” or today’s date, or anything else unique, to prove they actually have the item, which is at least something. 

If that pisses them off, well, they didn’t have the item, did they. 

This is a requirement for FS ads on ukuleleunderground - bit of paper alongside the instrument with username and date. Not remotely a hassle, so might be worth making it the norm here.

This is a good idea… I will start doing this whenever I post anything! 

guitarjack66

barnstorm said:

viz said:

Also, please, people, ask the seller to take a photo with a piece of paper on it with something written on it like “horse’s arse” or today’s date, or anything else unique, to prove they actually have the item, which is at least something. 

If that pisses them off, well, they didn’t have the item, did they. 

This is a requirement for FS ads on ukuleleunderground - bit of paper alongside the instrument with username and date. Not remotely a hassle, so might be worth making it the norm here.

Ransom demands. You cant beat 'em!