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

[Nat01]

Reporting scam i got today, claims to be Paypal but the thread is form Ukraine, I chekced my account and nothing is wrong or flagged.

Notification of Limited Account Access Dear Member,

As part of our security measures, we regularly screen activity in the PayPal system. We recently contacted you after noticing an issue on your account.We requested information from you for the following reason:

We recently received a report of unauthorized credit card use associated with this account. As a precaution, we have limited access to your PayPal account in order to protect against future unauthorized transactions.

Case ID Number: PP-204-863-415

In accordance with PayPal's User Agreement, your account access will remain limited until the issue has been resolved. Unfortunately, if access to your account remains limited for an extended period of time, it may result in further limitations or eventual account closure. We encourage you to follow our verification procedure as soon as possible to help avoid this.

Click here to login and restore your account access

Once you log in, you will be provided with steps to restore your account access. We appreciate your understanding as we work to ensure account safety.

This is a final reminder to log in to PayPal as soon as possible.

We thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. Please understand that this is a security measure intended to help protect you and your account. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Sincerely,
PayPal Account Review Department
PayPal Email ID PP-204-863-415

---

Please do not reply to this e-mail. Mail sent to this address cannot be answered. For assistance, log in to your PayPal account and choose the "Help" link in the footer of any page.
PayPal Email ID PP638

[mmafia_09]

Has anyone seen these emails when getting "scammed" *Service at PayPal.co.uk* *paymentverification10 at mail.com*

Those seem fairly new to me. and makes the emails very authentic looking as well. keep your eye out. i dont believe they are real

[msglide]

I listed a cell phone for sale on Craigslist yesterday and within minutes started receiving txt messages from individuals wanting to purchase the phone.  All had indicated that they wanted to pay through PayPal and for me to send them my PayPal email address.  I did not have an account with PayPal and was at work and told the individuals that It woul be later last night before I could get on PayPal.  I was immediately uncomfortable with sending my email address to anyone so I told them that I would invoice them through Paypal if they would send me their email address.  One of the individuals just burned my phone up with messages asking over and over when I was going to do it.  The txt from 2 of them indicated that the phone was a gift for some relative.  I invoiced one of them when I could last night and let him know via txt that I had.  I continued to get txts throughout the night asking when I was going to ship the phone.  Big Red Flag!  He informed me this morning that payment had been made and I was to ship the item via USPS Priority immediately.  I checked my account and the invoice still showed as unpaid and I would not send the item without payment confirmation.  When I told him that he started getting a bit hostile tellimg me that it would not show up in my account until I shipped the item and provided a tracking number to PayPal.  When I questioned that he informed me that that is how online transactions work.  Another Big Red Flag!  Knowing that wasnt the case, I cancelled the request for payment that I had made to him.  Shortly after received another txt with a similar story.  I asked for email to send invoice and sent the invoice to the individual.  He started asking if I had shipped it yet and when I said that I wouldnt until payment had been received he to got hostile.  He told me that I should have an email confirming payment and I did but my PayPal account did not reflect any payment.  The email gave a shipping address in Nigeria and did not seem to be worded in a way that would have come from PayPal.  The email looked similar to other emails that I have received from PayPal but lacked any disclaimers or other "official" looking jargon in it.  I then called paypal to question it and was told that it was indeed a scam.  I am now getting awful txts from the 2 individuals that I was dealing with and wanted to warn others to be on the lookout.  I had an uneasy feeling all along and was correct.

[samwolf]

I got the same trap and did not send anything. they called my cell for 2 days, the same number but I did not answer their call or text. eventually they stopped.

[judyrob]

I have received another email from PayPal requesting my bank information.  It states that my PayPal is almost complete.  This is the second time I have received this email.  Have had my paypal account for years.  Have contacted PayPal before, this email is a fraud.  The email asks that you not reply,  just send your bank informaton.  FRAUD>>>  Just so you know

[TiffanyNC]

Hi everyone-

This is the e-mail I received today.  

We recently noticed an issue with your account.

It's usually easy to resolve an account limitation.

Most of the time, we just need some information about your account or latest transactions.

Here's how:

Log in to your PayPal account and follow the instructions required to Remove Limitation.

To provide the information requested to resolve this issue, go to the Resolution Center.

Completing all of the checklist items will automatically restore your account access.

If you've completed the suggested steps and your account is still limited, it means one of 2 things:

We need more information, and we've sent you an email that asks for it.

We're reviewing the information you provided and we'll email you with an update (usually within 3 business days).

Copyright © 1999-2014 PayPal. All rights reserved.

[Sapling-Learnin]

I got an email from paypal saying 19.99 had been taken out of my account for Sapling Learning to a guy named Matthew ****, who I've never heard of. They provided a link to cancel but wanted all my banking and physical address info plus my social security number & mother's maiden name which is really invasive. I tried to send an email back to this Sapling Learning school (which is real btw) but i got a mailer deamon back. I tried to call, got a recording to vitit their website... Ya, ok tried that.... The recording said press 1 to leave a message... pressed 1... got a message that said I pressed an incorrect number... what??? Sounds like a scam to me. Anyone else having this problem?

[Seymour-]

This is a phishing scam!!!

All they want from you is your life's history and your particulars so they can steal your identity!

They have also hacked Sapling Learning's voicemail system (no doubt computerized) and, most likely, the website too. It's an entire 'package' deal.

And then they buy a list of emails from a pirate site and email everyone on the list. Was your email's To: field blank? They hid the list. they had to pay for it. they don't want someone stealing it. lol.

Some of them are not stupid when it come to setting these scams up.

[pichyjump]

Subject: ***ASSURANCE OF TRANSACTION AND PROMPT SHIPMENT***

              This is a confirmation email of the payment of $650.00USD  you received from . what is required of you in order for your account to be credited is the item's tracking/reference number, this number will be given to you at the courier office after you might have sent the item to the bearer, this is part of our new policy and a security measure in order to protect both the buyer and the seller, also to verify if the item was really bought from you we have sent you a confirmation email earlier to inform you that the payment is legal and has been confirmed, also to guide you against fraudulent acts.

We have included the buyer's full name and amount paid for you to know this message was really sent from PayPal. We advise that you make sure that you sent the item today and request for a tracking number at the post office after you might have sent out the item, then you can email us the number by replying directly to this message after it might have been given to you at the courier office so as to credit your account without delay.

After we receive the number from you for security verification, your account will be credited at once, Our system has witness new upgrades, Please don't be surprised if you see us forwarding you to new customer attendants, its due to the amount of fraud going on involving our name which we are trying all our best to limit and put a stop to. As soon as we receive the requested information from you, your account will be credited. 


PayPal Account Review Department.

Sincerely, 

 

                                                    PayPal

                  Copyright © 2000-2013 PayPal. All rights reserved. 
                                           

                                                  PayPal 

Copyright © 2000-2014 PayPal. All rights reserved. 

PayPal (Europe) Ltd. is authorized and regulated by the Financial Services Authority in the United Kingdom as an electronic money institution. 
PayPal FSA Register Number: 226057

PayPal Email ID PP276

[pichyjump]

 Order Summary:  Camera

This is a confirmation email of the payment of  $650.00 you received from , what is required of you in order for your account to be credited is the Item's Tracking/Reference number, this number will be given to you at the courier office after you might have sent the item to the bearer, this is part of our new policy and a security measure in order to protect both the buyer and the seller, also to verify if the item was really bought from you we have sent you a confirmation email earlier to inform you that the payment is legal and has been confirmed, also to guide you against fraudulent acts.

We have included the buyer's full name and amount paid for you to know this message was really sent from PayPal. We advise that you make sure the item is sent out as soon as possible and request for a tracking number at the post office after you might have sent out the item, then you can email us the number by replying directly to this message after it might have been given to you at the courier office so as to credit your account without delay.

After we receive the number from you for security verification, your account will be credited at once, Our system has witness new upgrades, Please don't be surprised if you see us forwarding you to new customer attendants, its due to the amount of fraud going on involving our name which we are trying all our best to limit and put a stop to. As soon as we receive the requested information from you, your account will be credited.


PayPal Account Review Department.

Sincerely,

Buyer's Comment:
 

Ship Method: 

USPS EXPRESS MAIL SERVICE

The buyer is a clasificadosonline.& PayPal 
Verified Buyer
 

Ship to:

Failure to comply may result in loss of shipping allowance, poor seller rating or suspension of seller privileges.