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

[snakedike14]

The following was sent to an alternate email address i.e. not my paypal email address which has not been touched:

Your PayPal email address was successfuly changed !

Dear client,
You have changed your PayPal email to (*******@*********), Has been changed during the past 24 hours.
If you do not change your PayPal email, you can cancel this change By confirming your account information

Confirm My account information

Here's another way to confirm your account information:
Log in to your PayPal account.
Enter all the information related to your account.
Click on "Confirm My Account"

Sincerely,
PayPal

Help Center | Security Center
This email was sent by an automated system, so if you reply, nobody will see it. To get in touch with us, log in to your account and click "Contact Us" at the bottom of any page.
Copyright © 2011 PayPal, Inc. All rights reserved. PayPal is located at 2211 N. First St., San Jose, CA 95131.
 
PayPal Email ID [deleted]

[bajanna]

Name is Winfred chelsea as a buyer on Etsy.  Just signed up with Etsy today and asks this:

Hello, I'm quite interested in purchasing this your item and am ready for immediate purchase. Payment will be made to you via Paypal, do you accept Paypal as mode of payment? I will like to ask you the following questions.

Are you the real owner?
What is the present condition?
How much is the final asking price?
I will be glad to hear back from you. I have a shipper that will come over for the pick up, so you don't needs to bother of the shipment,I will want you to get back to me with your payment account which payment can be made to,get back with any respond to my private email direct: <email address removed> , cause i check this email often, or send me your email to contact you direct or you can equally call me on my cell phone number, I have a Restricted sea phone number <phone number removed>. I will be looking forward to read from you.

Read SEA phone and it went DING, DING!!! Time waster.  Reported this to Etsy security.

[Dawnjewel]

Hello everyone!  Here is a scam to avoid!

I received notices from Kester ** at email address: *******@*********** who said he wanted to buy my garden tractor on Craig'slist but could not drive to see it.  He wanted me to recieve an amount over my original price and send the extra to Poland.  It sounded fishy, so instead of clicking on HIS fake PayPal notices, I checked my account online, and found no deposit.  He is annoying me with text messages all morning about the FAKE deposit he says he sent.  I have not entered the internet through any of his emails but sent them to PayPal's spoof email address.  He sent me a FAKE Transaction ID:4X6537315E1267514M with an address in Poland that has an impossibly fake zip code:
Name: Nwite ******* ***
Address: <removed>
city/state: warsaw
Zip code: 00001
Country: Poland
I hope this will help other PayPal members avoid the same scamming person.  Steps I would reccomend about potential scammers:

1.  Don't be lazy.  I never enter PayPal's website through e-mail.  Some are obvious, some are pretty close to the original.  If someone tells you you have received money, check it out through PayPal's website.  Scammers will send you a FAKE "Link" to PayPal and get your password when you try to log in through their website.  It is really not PayPal at all, but can look very similar.  Once they have your password, you can say goodbye to your money, and identity because they will become the new "you" online.

2.  If you think you may have had a close shave with a scammer, go ahead and change your password and secret questions.  (You may want to make a note of this in a secure place as new passwords can be a headache to remember).

3.  Send all suspicious emails to PayPal's spoof email address: spoof@paypal.com

4.  "But how do I know?"  Many fake emailers use big fancy words and bad grammer, as if they speak bad English, or use a translation device.  Also, they do not do things the way you direct them to.  Instead of calling for details, they will text you (mine had a phone number that was disconnected, but his texting worked all too well).  Instead of sending you your requested amount, they will SAY they sent extra with a note to send the amount above what you requested to an obscure place such as Warsaw, or Nigeria.  BEWARE!  Instead of following your directions, they will tell you what to do with your time and money, or with (fake) their money because they "don't have time" to handle it themselves.  If they have time and opportunity to email you, they have time to set up proper payment and shipping.  If your business transaction sounds like you are getting an extra bonus, it is probably a scammer trying to hack your account.

5.  Spammers want your secret password and answers to secret questions.  They will tell you the transaction can only go forward when you email it to them.  DON'T BELIVE IT.

6.  False customers will ask you to use Western Union.  It is FAKE!

7.  Fake customers will tell you how honest, reliable, safe, and HONORABLE they are.  Two key words I have noticed in high use with scammers are "kindly" when they want you do do something, and "honorable" when they want you to believe them.

8. The fake buyer will request you to send your money somewhere.  The object of selling is to receive money, not send it away, so do not follow through with his directions.  Do not take his word for anything.  Check with your online PayPal account.  You will be so glad you did.  Do not be so desperate for his PROMISED money that you send your good money away forever.

9.  Below is a series of emails from a potential scammer.  Can you spot the problems?  I have underlined some of them.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

 I have sent your money and you must have been notified by paypal now. Check your paypal email address thoroughly including your spam folder for the payment confirmation. The said funds have been deducted from my account. So,I added extra 50 busks for the western union service charges,Kindly proceed to the nearest Western Union Money Transfer office asap and get the excess funds sent from your pocket to the shipper head office in Warsaw via Western Union Money Transfer and send the Western Union Money Transfer details to paypal in order for your funds to be fully processed into your account by paypal after all transaction data is confirmed. So get back to paypal via mail "with the details on the receipt that will be given to you at the Western Union Money Transfer office after you have had the money sent" in order for paypal to complete the full processing of your funds and your money made available for cash out in your account. Here is the shippers information that the Western Union Money Transfer should be sent to below:
Below is the Shippers Information:
Name: Nwite ******* ***
Address: <removed>
city/state: warsaw
Zip code: 00001
Country: Poland
I will like to bring to your attention that I am an honorable man and will love to notify you that Western Union Money Transfer is an independent money transfer agents and there is absolutely no way for me or my shipper or anybody to receive the money sent via Western Union Money Transfer if we do not have the necessary details for the transfer (MTCN #). And this are the details that Western Union Money Transfer will give to you, as soon as you send the money via them. Also, as soon as you send the details given to you at the Western Union Money Transfer to paypal via email, paypal will verify it and credit your account. So head or tail, you absolutely have nothing to worry about because, your money is secured with Western Union and no one can take it out without this details (MTCN #) which you are required to send to paypal via email. And after confirming the Western Union Money Transfer details to paypal via email and paypal completes the processing of your funds into your account and you receive your money cash in hand, keep me informed, so that I can notify my shipper after you must have received your money cash in hand to come for the pick-up.
regards
Kester **,

 Due to my present location, my choices are limited and I do not have much access to my phone facilities as  i would have called to iron out issue reason been that i am of the busy type. I am an honorable man and you will receive your money cash in hand before this is picked up.I will be concluding with the pickup firm and will be getting back to you as soon as the payment had been made, kindly have this advert deleted on craigslist since i have agreed to proceed with this deal...Thanks...
CDT.  Kester **,
US Army Reserves
<removed>
<removed>

 Having concluded all arrangement with the shipper, this is to notify you that I will be sending your money shortly. I will also be adding the shippers money to the total amount I am sending and this is due to the fact that, I am presently busy here at the Marine base and have no permission to move out of the base to complete this transaction and have no other means of sending the shippers money directly. So, I implore you to proceed to any Western Union Money Transfer outlet and have the excess funds sent from your pocket to the shippers information asap via Western Union Money Transfer and get back to paypal via email with the transfer details so that paypal can complete the full processing of your money into your account after all transaction data (Western Union Money Transfer details) is confirmed by paypal. As an added security measures, paypal will also confirm my shippers identity to you on the payment confirmation page that you will receive in your paypal email address as soon as I have your money sent.
Regards
 We wish to inform you that Kester Ed has made his intentions known to PayPal that he will like $750.00 USD to be sent to the above address via Western Union Money Transfer. This payment has been deducted from the buyer's account and has been " APPROVED" but will not be credited into your account until the MTCN # is sent to us for verification, in order to secure both the buyer and the seller. Below are the relevant information required before your account will be credited: All you have to do is to reply directly to this mail with the MTCN #, secret questions and answers, sender's name and address used when sending the money. Once all this details have been verified, you will receive a "CONFIRMATION E-mail" from Pay Pal® Service informing you that your account has been credited with the sum of $1.800.00 USD

 This is why the payment status is showing " PENDING " at present. Below is the accountant contact that you will need to send the western union money transfer details to, before your account is credited and transaction is completed. 

                        A temporary hold has been placed on this transaction!
As mentioned in the receipt of Payment and as per New PayPal Payment policy, we have fully debited the total amount (above) from the buyer's account which includes the buyer's shipper's pick up fees.In order to complete this transaction and get the funds approved in your account, you are to send  $750 USDto the shipping company through a Western Union Outlet, and notify our customer care service with a scanned copy of the western union receipt.
NOTE: This is important as a security measure to ensure safety of this transaction.
Please, find below the name and address of the shipping company's agent whom you are to send the funds via Western Union.

    Be informed that the payment received from Kester ** will only be credited into your PayPal account as soon as you transfer the funds requested and email us the transfer details or receipt to show proof that money has been transferred via Western Union.
Note that this transaction is only available and can only be tracked and traced via email, so do reply back to us if you have any question about the transaction and not via phone call.
 ____________________________________________________________________________________________

I hope this helps you avoid deceptive scammers in the future.

Sincerely,

 Dawnjewel

[donotbefooled14]

Was sent the same type of e-mail..

I'm selling a vintage bike on CL, and I receive an e-mail Exactly like yours, but after the buyer refused to follow directions, and wanted to pay under her directions, added money for shipping, but, as the pay pal e-mail said, I had to put out the shipping money from MY POCKET, and then PAY PAL would credit the rest of the money to my account.

So, I did as the writer of this post did, I went to my pay pal account, making sure there's a S at the end of the HTPPS://, no S most likely a fake site. This buyer... SCAMMED, went a step further, and e-mailed yesterday that I was going to be arrested for fraud. If I do not wire the 450.00 via WU in 6 six hours... Yeah right, come arrest me. The site had the FBI icons and people being arrested, being put into cars. 

On another note: on a serious note folks, be very careful when dealing with these people, if they can be building fake sites and e-mail addresses, it possible that they will know or can find your home address. That's why it's important to not reply to their e-mails when you have accessed that you are being scammed, because in anger we may say things that we can be sorry for.

We do not know where these people are working from, or who else they have in the states or around the world to send some one to hurt you or your family. So refrain from using attacking words against these people, unless you have been asked by law enforcement, like the FBI, Police, or any other branch of law enforcement to corner and arrest these people.

As far a Pay Pal is concerned. In my opinion and sorry to say it Pay Pal, but, I have never been happy with Pay Pal, I've sent many scams and fakes site to them and they never got back to me to thank me, they use to, but not any more, or give details as to what came about the fake e-mails and site, and they must not doing anything, that why they have this site...How do know what sites are safe if pay pal doesn't reply to your e-mails and tell you.

So, if you receive an e-mail from a buyer, and it looks fishy, bad grammar, will not leave a phone or address for verification, especially when they have constant excuses to why they don't want to send you their informatiom, don't deal with them, again as far as reporting these e-mails to pay pal... Good luck, because I honestly think they are saying and falling back on thje issue, that, we should have know better. Protect yourself, and do not be fooled...

[ihatescam]

Good thing I came to this post. I almost sent $500 to one guy. Oh dear lord, thank you so much. Cancelling papal account asap.

[cali2tokyo]

I received the same one from Mary *******  with two different email addresses **************. It is very important to do searches on the content of the email and not just their emails and names. Thank god for all these posts. Thank You all.

[kuiopy]

I just received an email from service(at)paypall.com telling me my account has a problem. There is a case number and they used my name. I didn't click on any links and opened paypal in another window and checked my account, I didn't see anything unusual. I would just like to know if this is a fake. I forwarded the email to spoof(at)paypal.com, but I don't know if this will tell me whether the email is fake. Also, I called customer service.  The phone operator was very hard to understand and gave me a phone number with  an area code of 402 that isn't in service. 

[drlk1974]

This JUST happened to me! I posted something on craigslist, and a lady from WA contacted me and said she wanted to purchase the item for her son. I was already VERY leery of this transaction. Now she is saying that she sent me payment, in the amount of $1,050 - $550 for my item and $650 for shipping (the shipper is supposed to originate from NC). I asked her to give me a number so that we could discuss this, and she gives me this story about how she's not allowed to have her phone on at work, because they claim it's a distraction! I just emailed her back and told her that I was reporting her to paypal. And yet, she kept telling me that she was a God-fearing woman!

[Gamingnerd12348]

Ya I have someone that wants to buy a ring from me for $1500 and they paid $1700 they said. I got an email that looked like it was from Paypal but im not 100% sure. They wired me the money it looked like and on the email Paypal said that they are holding it and its one of their new policies. It sugested me to mail the item out and once mailed, I should email it to an email address and to send the tracking number with receipt to prove I shipped it and then 6 hours later they will credit my account. And the extra money is for shipping it over night. Does this seem fishy to anybody?

[minty1]

Hi Gamingnerd12348

Most definitely a scam, paying over the odds, holding payment until its shipped, you will receive spoof emails supposedly from Paypal DO NOT SHIP IT