Suspected Fraud

ALGP
New Community Member

Hello,

I'm looking for some advice. I think I've just been scammed.

I was selling an inherited, sentimental piece of jewellery on eBay. I received a message from a buyer stating that they would like to buy it (and offered slightly more than the asking price) and for it to be shipped out to them which is in S.A.

 

They gave me their e-mail address and asked me to send Paypal a request for the monies.

I received an e-mail from PayPal looking very authentic, with absolutely no clues to it being fraudulent, stating that I have recieved a payment from the recipient, then it seems like an eBay insert, with shipping details etc

 

I then received an e-mail, again from PayPal

 


Dear A..... A.......,

 

Be advised that payment of £****.00 GBP was made to your PayPal Account [a*&^%$£@!@hotmail.co.uk] by M...... S......

According to the new PayPal/eBay International Sale Security Policy: You are required to ship out the purchased item within the next 24 hours of receiving this notification and mail the shipment tracking number to the buyer: s*&^%$£@hotmail.com [As Requested and linked], for immediate verification and instant credit of this fund into your PayPal account once buyer have confirmed shipment to us.

Note:
This fund will not reflect in your account at the moment, though it has been deducted from Payer's PayPal account and reserved by PayPal, until shipment tracking number is received by our customers care team through the buyer as guided by EBay security policies, we do this to avoid fraud and to balance the buyer and seller's trading ratio.

Sincerely,

PayPal

 

With all the blurb at the bottom...which seems to be the same address in Luxembourg as all other e-mails from PayPal?

 

I regrettably and stupidly gave the shipping number and have shipped it off....PayPal are saying that this sounds like a fraudulent case.

Has anyone come across this? Is it the case that the money can be held and waiting? 

Any information whatsoever would be much appreciated.

Thanks 🙂

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3 REPLIES 3

kernowlass
Esteemed Advisor
Esteemed Advisor

@ALGP

 

 

THIS IS A TYPICAL PAYPAL SCAM.

They encourage you to use paypal and often ask you to send the item as a gift to a relative somewhere often Nigeria.

You will get/got a "fake" email that looks as though it is from paypal.....it isn't.

It will say the buyer has paid ...you won't have been paid.

They will tell you that the payment is released when you provide paypal with a tracking/shipping number......this won't happen.

They also threaten legal action...have a laugh at that one and ignore it as its rubbish.

Paypal NEVER tell you to send trackable, they advise it for seller protection etc but it is not compulsory.

Paypal NEVER tell you to send an item before the payment is showing in your paypal account.


As you have sent it Smiley Sad then as long as you put a return address on the parcel you can try contacting Nigeria post (if that is where you sent the item or a similar countries postal system) and see if they can stop it and return it.


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ALGP
New Community Member

Thanks so much @kernowlass 

I have advised FedEx of the situation and pleaded with them to intervene before it gets to the recipient, so I'm hoping that at least I get it back.

The recipient has now responded to previous e-mails I'd sent out, saying that they're going to go to the bank tomorrow to reconfirm! I feel like a prized idiot! 

It was Jo'burg, so close!!

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kernowlass
Esteemed Advisor
Esteemed Advisor

@ALGP

 

Best of luck, post back if you get it back again.


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