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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GodinJ
New Community Member

 this is what i was sent by someone who wants to purchase soemthing from me... i smell scam what do you think?

 

 

<removed> paid you through PayPal.
Payments by 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 VisaMastercardAmerican ExpressDiscoverPayPal
Summary of this Payment

Transaction ID: 4X56274BHE1267514M

Sent to

Sent from

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

<removed>

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.
2. 

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.

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Seymour-
Frequent Contributor
Frequent Contributor

All they want to get their hands on is the $298. It IS a scam.

 

If you tell them that you realize they're trying to scam you, they'll probably try to threaten you to make you pay. They will not follow through with any threats they mention so, don't worry about them.

 

For additional confirmation, login to your account.

 

Do you see any pending transactions from this person there? of course you won't because, the (Faked) PayPal confirmation letter was sent by the scammer to your email (which he got from your ad).

'Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.'
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MeghanM95
New Community Member

Had a person interested in my laptop Alexandra ****** probably not even her/his real name, approach me via wallapop for a Macbook i was selling. Said it was going to need to be shipped international to Ghana (first red flag) I recived fake emails from this buyer that looked like they were from pay pal. Before I shipped I called Paypal and Kyle (service rep) helped me confirm it was a scam. Be carefull! Always check with Paypal the hold may be long to talk to someone but its worth it to be sure!

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Seymour-
Frequent Contributor
Frequent Contributor

There's really no need to call PayPal Customer Service for this.

 

You said it yourself, : I received fake emails from this buyer that looked like they were from pay pal."

 

But, if you don't see the deposit Pending when you login to your Paypal account, it's more than likely, a scam.  (ALWAYS be suspicious to start with!)

 

These scammers prey upon your willingness to complete the transaction quickly! Tell them you're waiting for the Pending transaction to appear in your account. They'll cry and complain that they sent it and you should've received their (fake) PayPal confirmation email. (trying to hurry you into making a mistake and getting scammed). Ignore their protests & demands. 

 

No Pending transaction record in your PayPal account = NO transaction Pending!

 

it's really as simple as that.

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

Worryingly, I have just received an email from  "paypal" actually mentioning my full name! 

 

 

   XXXXX XXXX,today we need just 5 minutes from your time.

It have been necessary for us to temporarily disable your account.

Update-today

XXXXX XXXXX,so this may never happen again, deauthorise all computers/devices associated with your account then reauthorise one by one.

4/15/2016 1:28:04 PM XXXXX XXXXX,we thank you

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Seymour-
Frequent Contributor
Frequent Contributor

They (the spammers) have obtained your real name & email address from somewhere else. They're not even certain that you actually have a PayPal account. They're simply phishing (in case you do).

 

Since PayPal advises its members that PP will ALWAYS address you by your full name in any correspondence, the scammers are hoping seeing your full name will prompt you to click on the FAKE link to your account.

'Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.'
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Seymour-
Frequent Contributor
Frequent Contributor

After re-reading this, at 1st I thought maybe it was legitimate.

 

But, it doesn't quite sound like the way PayPal would compose an email.

 

To me, it sounds like a hacker has gained access to one of your devices and wants to see what else you've got for other devices by having you logout of each one. then, log back in.

 

The only way to be certain is forward it to spoof@paypal.com.

'Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.'
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DestinyMcCarty
New Community Member

I was scammed but I'm not sure how this works. Can someone help me

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Seymour-
Frequent Contributor
Frequent Contributor

If you don't mind sharing some details of your story, I'll try to explain how you got scammed.

 

"I was scammed" is not enough of an explanation.

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

why are my country men and women giving us bad names all around the world, please, you guys should help us to fish out this people giving us bad names and make them public. Am from Nigeria and the world is seeing us as the most courpt people on earth

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