Examples of Suspected Fraud or Fake Emails

[PayPal_Andy]

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

[gloribaby]

Im in the process of selling my car and they are trying to get me too. I played along up to the "payment" email and i have stopped responding to the e-mails. met this lovely message waiting for me this morning

I just wanted to let you know I am totally disappointed with your attitude.It's been a day since the payment has been made. I want you to confirm that you've indeed received the payment confirmation. I wonder why you have decided to stop writing me ever since you have gotten the payment confirmation.I explained earlier to you about the problem i had with the pick up agent. I hope you do not intend to steal from me by keeping mute.I need a detailed confirmation of the transfer of the funds you have sent to my agent at once.Here is the agent information to send the money to via MoneyGram transfer to the name and address below:

Name: ********
Address:**********
City: Orleans
State: Indianapolis
Zip-Code:47452
Country:United States.

  I will need the details of the transfer once you have sent fund . . .
1.The MTRN number that is the 8 digits number on the MoneyGram receipt
2.Sender's name and address used in sending the money
3.Actual amount sent.
Please pay off the MoneyGram charges from the $950.00 USD added to your  money.Kindly locate a Moneygram outlet close to your address..thanks

[Seymour-]

If you'd like to waste some more of their time, tell them you're having problems validating their deposit on your end (& play dumb.)

It seems only fair, since they wasted your time to begin with. lol.

[gloribaby]

i sent a quick message that im not seeing the payment and this was the response 

Hello There,
     Thanks for getting back to me asap...i have completed the
payment and i believe you should have received a payment
notification email from paypal confirming the payment has   been made
to your paypal account,if not,pls kindly check   both your spam and
junk inbox and make sure you go through   the content of the
notification email of payment from   paypal so that you could
understand the payment procedures   in order to get the payment
credited into your account,pls   do check very well and get back to me
as soon as   possible..I look forward to your reply..thanks 

now im being ever so helpful to "try and resolve the proplem" lol

hello there

still have not seen the confirmation email from paypal nor any money when we sign into paypal. try cancelling the last payment and doing it over then screenshot the confirmation screen from your end. I would like to wrap up this transaction as soon as possible. awaiting your reply

lets see what tomorrow brings 

[Seymour-]

They think they've still got you 'on the hook' and are going to be able to separate you from some of your money. It can be quite a satisfying feeling to 'turn the tables' on them.

You have just participated in your very 1st scam-baiting session. You can end it now or, 'play' with them some more. I like to make them wait a day or 2 before I respond with another excuse. then a couple more days until it's fixed... and so on... Eventually, you can make them give up BUT,  they will pass your email around and you'll start getting all different kinds of scams.

My email is on their lists. I love it. I want them to send me all their scams. (Forewarned is Forearmed)

I can spot a scam a kilometer away.

There are entire sites dedicated to scam baiting. (some people take getting ripped off very, very personally)

[girlyband]

I too received this kind of email from <removed> team from a person named <removed>. I posted the fridge I am selling in OLX,got a txt that he's interested, said that he would pay for $240 thru paypal instead of doing wire transfer(as I requested) because he cant go out as he has work. He sent email that he already transferred the amount of $360(shipping fee of $120 included) to my paypal account and requested to ship the item in Nigeria via dhl or Philpost, as a gift for his daughter... At first I thought its not a scam but when I checked my account there was no pending transaction done..I even went to dhl to inquire how much would be the cost to ship the fridge to Nigeria, (P50,000 or $1000).I emailed back to "paypal" to cancel the transaction due to expensive shipping fee, and now they want me to send the money $300 to <removed>'s daughtee in NIGERIA, and to send them a transaction alip before they can complete and transfer the money to my account.. Thank God i read this forum. It saved me from being scammed.

[kenhjh]

Just been frauded by that, I got similar situation with you. Since the first time with Paypal, I dont even know how it works. I sent my stuff and money out. When i realized it today, I cant no longer get them back now. Hope people not fall into it any more. 

[Seymour-]

I know you must feel bad. Please, don't feel too badly. They've caught a lot of other people too. (me included) BUT, they won't catch you again! (take some comfort from that)

[GodinJ]

so ive been trying to sell a few things since i blew my knee out and i was contacted by this person and this is my first time using paypal and im a little weery on even setting it up, please let me know ASAP if this seems legit cause it sure doesnt seem that way 

 so this is what i was sent:

<removed>  paid you through PayPal.

This email confirms that <removed> has sent you $ 898.00 CAD

Status:  Pending96% Done......

View the "NOTE" of this pending transaction below

Payment Details
 

Note From Buyer:

As requested by PayPal, I included $298.00 CAD meant for Pick up Fee and extra $100.00 CAD for Money Gram Charges.

 

Paid Invoice Pay with Summary of this Payment

 Transaction ID: 4X56274BHE1267514M

Sent to      Sent from
Helena Paul
  Date
Payment number Mar 18, 2016
092 Items Price, $500.00 CAD

Pick-up & Delivery Fee

Money Gram Fee

Total

Merchandise Title

Receiver Info:


Address Status:

$298.00 CAD

$100.00 CAD

$898.00 CAD

 
Oscope and Webbing

Name: <removed>

City: <removed>

State: Maryland

zip Code: <removed>

Country: United States

Confirmed

The total fund has been deducted from the buyer's (<removed>) account including our service charges and a temporary hold as been placed on it by our fund verification team, the payment will not show up in your account balance due to the temporary hold placed on it. The total fund is being held at our fund verification team desk for verification due to the Route of the transaction. Below is the verification procedure you are to follow before we can release the total sum of $898.00 CAD which is on hold to your account.
1. You are to send the added shipping fee upfront to the shipping agent's name and address below via Money Gram at any of Money Gram location.

Please note:
 The Buyer will not be permitted to reverse the fund before or after you have sent the shipping fee of $298.00 CAD to the shipping agent's name and address below via Money Gram Transfer.This means that you are also safe and secure by sending the shipping fee upfront to complete this transaction. 

Click Here to locate nearest Money Gram Agent in your area or send money on-line.

Questions  Please Click Here to contact PayPal® Customer Service Department concerning this Transaction.

[Seymour-]

requiring an upfront shipping fee indicates it's a scam!

[Seymour-]

Scam.