I was selling an item on Craigslist. A buyer has sent me an email that looks to be sent by PayPal. He wanted me to click a link and pay for shipment BEFORE his funds are released. Looks suspicious to me. Here's one of e
'em:
PayPal
Transaction Details
Dear (Edited
You've got a payment of $1,600.00 USD from Mark XXX
Thanks for using PayPal®. Below is the transaction details, PLEASE READ THE INFORMATION CAREFULLY. It takes few moments for this transaction to appear in your account please follow the new PayPal® policy. Buyers Name: Mark XXX
Sellers Name: Transaction ID: 0TR19308DU070732T Merchandise: Craigslist Item
Amount: $1,000.00 USD Shipping Amount: $500.00 USD Money Gram Charges: $100.00 USD Total Amount: $1,600.00 USD This is to inform you that you are required to send a sum of $500.00 USD to the shipping agent's address below via Money Gram Money Transfer and use the form below to complete the transaction. As soon as we receive the Money Gram information from you as a proof that you have send the said amount to the agent, your PayPal® account will be credited with the full total sum of $1,600.00 USD immediately.
Below is the pick-up agent's address where you are advised to send the shipping funds to using Money Gram Money Transfer.
Agent's Confirmed Information: Agent Rep Name: Kolawole XXXXXXXX City: Clarkston, State: GA, Zip Code: 30021. Country: United State
This payment has already been confirmed and approved by PayPal®, while the whole above said amount has been fully deducted from the buyer's account which can "NEVER BE REVERSED" in any way, but the money will only be credited into your account as soon as you send the $500.00 USD(UPFRONT i.e from your pocket) to the shipping agent for the pick up of the merchandise and reply to this message with the Money Gram details.
We urge you to proceed and send a sum of $500.00 USD to the shipping agent address stated above and if you have sent the money to the shipping agent, to "COMPLETE THE TRANSACTION" for the payment to be credited into your account,simply reply to this message with the Money Gram details so that we can have your account credited with all the full funds in the amount of $1,600.00 USD
BELOW IS THE REASON WHY YOUR ARE SENDING THE SHIPPING AGENT'S MONEY ADDED TO YOUR PAYMENT FROM YOUR POCKET AND GET REIMBURSED
Please, understand that the buyer and seller's protection policy is implemented for security measure in other to help protect both Buyer and Seller. Because some sellers do receive money from the buyer and will not later complete the transaction as agreed and PayPal ® will be held responsible for any amount involved. We apologize for the inconvenience this might have caused you. YOUR ACCOUNT WILL BE FULLY CREDITED ONCE YOU SENT THE MONEY AND GET BACK TO US HERE WITH THE MONEY GRAM TRANSFER DETAILS.
Warning: As this transaction was done via our e-mail payments service, all inquiries should be directed to us by replying to this e-mail as it is the one being monitored for your transaction which is because the status of this transaction has not been passed on to our customer care phone service section.Contact us via this email and not by phone calls the mail is being monitored by the FBI team.We are making changes in our phone communication.Your calls make be picked by scammed artists here on the net that's why we need to make changes in our phone communications.
Please, understand that this is a security measure intended to help protect both the Buyer and the Seller. We apologize for the inconvenience that has caused you.
Because of the inconvenience this causes we are giving you the next two incoming transfers for free! You will pay no fees for your next two incoming transfers.
PayPal will be responsible for any loss incurred during the course of this transaction.
With more than 147 million accounts worldwide, we are a leading online payment method you can trust!
Thank you for using PayPal®.
PayPal Security.
Scott Thompson
President
PayPal, Inc
