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

[Rickyjw]

Yep, I someone just tried to do the same to me regarding a bedroom set I had for sale on KIJIJI....  My first clue was WHY would someone want to pay all that EXTRA money to have something shipped, when they can buy one where they are and save all that money..?  Makes no sense right off the bat.. 

[LoveMrsLaws]

There is an international sport known as "Scambaiting." When an obvious scammer tries to trick you, you pretend to go along. (I have an email and paypal account set up just for this purpose. If you want to try this sport, you should seriously consider as many layers of protection between you and them as possible.) (I may buy a cheap Tracfone for the game, now that you guys have tipped me on how to find scammers in full bloom!)

Scambaiting is fun because:

1. You will be wasting the time they could be scamming someone else. 

2. You will be raising their hopes, and then dashing them, maybe more than once.

3. You will frustrate them like they tried to do to you.

The real artists at Scambaiting can get the scammers to fly to distant airports, for meetings which will never take place... the VERY best can get a few dollars from the scammers, with their own tale of a "banking trust early funds release fee" or whatever.

419eater.com is the best of the scambaiter websites, but there are several. Have fun turning the tables on these THIEVES!!! Bait a Scammer Today.

[subgirl06]

I got an email from a guy named andrews saying he had sent me $500 to buy a brand new psp in th he box.first off I have never sold or bought a psp on ebay he also said he had reported to paypal and if I dont respond he is gonna turn it over to the FBI but it has him as the seller along with the item number .I recieved the email today but it shows from the email the item closed like dec 2014.what can I do I logged onto my paypal account it doesnt have any open or closed cases on me ever.not sure what to do now

[Seymour-]

He's just trying to scare you into sending him money.

You owe him nothing.

Ignore him and forward the email to spoof@paypal.com and wherever you send fake phishing emails for eBay. I don't deal with eBay so, I don't know that one. sorry..

He didn't address you by name (because he doesn't know you).

The only info that matters is what you see when you login thru www.paypal.com. Don't believe what anyone tells you about your account (especially when provided by unsolicited strangers) unless you see it with your own eyes in your account.

Another huge clue to it being a scam is that the FBI doesn't investigate eBay or Paypal disputes. lol.

Scsam-baiting FTW (though, I wouldn't recommend that course of action for you). But, it may be wise for you to go visit http://www.419eater.com/ just to learn what to watch out for. 

[subgirl06]

Thanks I did report it at ebay and paypal both said it is a scam!!! Thanks for the advice

[desertscout]

You can also report this bug to the FBI-I've just 'almost' gone through one of these scams, andI have followed through on filing a complaint to the FBI. My CL listings specify buyer pick-up. Anything where I have to shell out money I have never received to ship is fraud, and prosecutable under internet and wire fraud statutes. Pay-pal seems kind of lukewarm on pushing for prosecution, though.

[Seymour-]

Last time I checked the FBI only investigates Criminal offenses, not Civil offenses. these offenses may fall into a grey area...

Also, the FBI are 100% useless (not too mention powerless) outside the US in regards to offenses like these. Whenever someone threatens me with contacting the FBI, I burst out laughing. I'm not an American. Even Americans should not fear these empty threats.

Let's analyze...

someone you don't know contacts you with a story and you believe it and send them money.

Criminal? or just stupidity on your part?

[Baydabom-07]

I've just gone through the exact same thing!!! I didn't fall for it because I can tell the difference between real and fake emails from PayPal Don't fall for this! I have a car for sale on a New Zealand trading site (like eBay) and the guy claimed he was a marine engineer and wanted to buy my car for his father back in the UK. He plan was foiled when he asked my to send $900 to the UK for an "agency" to come and pick up the car and take it back to the UK. I thought this was fishy too as shipping between NZ and Australia costs over $2500 for a car so yeah... This guy insisted continuously that I pay the money and that my asking price of $8.2k would be in my PayPal once I'd sent it. I told him to get **bleep** haha. I'll be reporting it to local authorities which will hopefully be handed off to NZ cyber crime unit. But it goes to show that these scum are always trying something new and innovating. Cunning mothers they are. Don't be fooled!

[Shadyhunter]

Hi, I am in New Zealand and it appears I am being scammed by the exact same person, in the exact same manner, was wondering what the outcome was for you?

[Seymour-]

doubtful it's the same person trying to scam you. Probably a different scammer (just using the same text & approach). The world is full of them... all looking for 'free' money.

Scammers spend some time refining their bogus stories until they create a story that works (gets them some money).  Then, the other scammers steal the story from those scammers (because they see it works) and the 'story' goes viral. In other words, ALL the scammers start using the same story. lol. 

I receive at least 4 'cheap Viagra' attempted scams EVERY day (all the exact same 'ad', but, always from different senders) among other repeats. 😛

There should only be one outcome for you. Delete the email, ignore any others that have this 'flavour'.