Examples of Suspected Fraud or Fake Emails

PayPal_Andy
Moderator
Moderator

Hey Everybody!

 

In an effort to make things easier to find and research, I'm going to consolidate as many threads as possible where we have examples of people trying to defraud hard working sellers (Craigslist emails, 'PayPal' emails asking you to send money outside of PayPal, etc).  This will also be used as a master thread for future posts regarding this same situation.

 

When you post your examples here, please remember to not include last names or contact information of whoever is sending these emails.  There's no way to confirm if that person has been defrauded as well and the name is being used fraudulently.

 

Thanks for your cooperation and remember, keep the conversation productive, on task, and above all, keep it clean. I know these things can be difficult and frustrating, but bleep filled posts or posts that look like government redacted files will never benefit anyone. 😄

 

Andy

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Seymour-
Frequent Contributor
Frequent Contributor

I've never had any problems with Paypal in my 9+ years of using them. sorry you are.

Can I ask why your wife's name is on your business's Paypal account? Is she part of the business?

'Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.'
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RuccioRoche
Member
Member

Hi everyone, today I received this email, its suposed to be from Paypal support:

 

Suspicious Transaction.

Your account take suspicious transaction, We've temporary limited your account due to this suspicious activity until the issue is resolved.

If you didn't authorize this transaction, please dispute transaction soon.

 (Link to fake paypal web page removed)

Here is transaction detail :

  • To : (Name removed)
  • To email : (removed)
  • Transaction date : August 19, 2016
  • Transaction ammount : $78 USD
  • Transaction ID : 1AB3AB200112PA899676Y
  • Note : (shipping address removed)

Please login to your account and provide the requested information to dispute this transaction before August 23, 2016.

If we don't receive the requested information soon, We can't refund your money and your account may be closed without any notification.

Sincerely,
PayPal

These **bleep** scammers Smiley Indifferent

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Seymour-
Frequent Contributor
Frequent Contributor

It's not from Paypal. The poor English is the big indicator that it's a scam.

 

ALWAYS login to your paypal account from www.paypal.com. NEVER click a link embedded in an email like this (or any email for that matter).

 

HINT: Hovering over the link, look in the bottom left corner of your browser. There you should see the address clicking the link will take you to. It won't be a paypal domain address.

'Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.'
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Rivera
Contributor
Contributor

Thankfully they make English mistakes and often have sender addresses that could not be PayPal 

I have received a dozen email scam attempts in the last fortnight and receiving 4 in the last 12 hours is disconcerting - thus why I am here 

I forward them all to paypal but I don't know what they can do - it must be a worry for them too

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Seymour-
Frequent Contributor
Frequent Contributor

Whenever I make a payment using my PayPal account, I automatically receive 2 fake emails within minutes. I suspect they've somehow setup a notification tied to my account to notify them I've made a transaction.

 

I also 'win' and/or have beqeathed to me millions of dollars worth of lottery winnings, inheritances, found &/or stolen money. lol.

 

After awhile, I've gotten so I can spot a scam a mile away.

'Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.'
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RokU2XS
Contributor
Contributor

Trying to sell my motorcycle on Craiglist and got a (to good to be true?) reply almost immediatley. But it sounded Jamaican banker fishy to me...anyway I googled Paypal, Marine Engineer, Craigslist and found some archived conversation about this subject....it is archived since 2010 but they are still out there folks...buyer beware.

 

  • Sep 5 at 9:49 PM
 
Message body
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kernowlass
Esteemed Advisor
Esteemed Advisor

@RokU2XS

 

Yep scams been ongoing for years, glad you were not caught out.

 

Just remember >>

 

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.

Paypal NEVER expect you to use a rival money transfer service.




Advice is voluntary.
Kudos / Solution appreciated.
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Hannabee
New Community Member
Hi, I had this email last night. Thanks for your response, I want you to consider this a deal as i am willing to pay your full asking price! i actually want to buy it for my cousin who is urgently in need of it, i have checked through your advert and i'm fully satisfied with the size,color,designer,neckline and everything. It’s such a wonderful dress! Unfortunately, i would not be able to come personally to collect, i work offshore as an instructor on a oil rig so i don't have time at all, but like i said i am 100% OK with the advert. Also, if it has not been dry cleaned i will sort that out myself . I will pay you via PayPal once you are ready and send my courier agent to collect after you have fully received your money as that is the only means of payment available to me at the moment. I will contact the courier agent now so please get back to me with a suitable collection time. X Did you report yours to anyone? Thanks,
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pschwartz50
Contributor
Contributor
Definitely a scam. That's the exact langiage they ise.
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Seymour-
Frequent Contributor
Frequent Contributor

@Hannabee wrote:
Hi, I had this email last night. Thanks for your response, I want you to consider this a deal as i am willing to pay your full asking price! i actually want to buy it for my cousin who is urgently in need of it, i have checked through your advert and i'm fully satisfied with the size,color,designer,neckline and everything. It’s such a wonderful dress! Unfortunately, i would not be able to come personally to collect, i work offshore as an instructor on a oil rig so i don't have time at all, but like i said i am 100% OK with the advert. Also, if it has not been dry cleaned i will sort that out myself . I will pay you via PayPal once you are ready and send my courier agent to collect after you have fully received your money as that is the only means of payment available to me at the moment. I will contact the courier agent now so please get back to me with a suitable collection time. X Did you report yours to anyone? Thanks,

 

 

The scam comes after you give them your email.

You suddenly receive a (fake) email from PayPal saying funds have been deposited in your account. They then want you to send the agents collection fee, which is all they were after in the first place.

 

P.S. If they've got access to PayPal, they've got access to their bank accounts online so, I cannot believe the claim about only having PP available

REPORT TO: spoof@paypal.com     thanks..

'Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.'
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