Urgent advice needed-it's killing me

[littlemeow]

Hi everyone,

I have a situation which I am not sure how to handle.

This is my first time using paypal.

I am a Singaporean lady just trying to rent a room by posting an ad on our local website. Then I got an enquiry from a Vietnamese girl who claims to be a cruise doctor and intends to relocate to Singapore. She said she would like to send me 3 month rent plus deposit so She could show her employer and the immigration of Singapore. She suggested me to use paypal to send her an invoice. I figured nothing wrong with that. I did what she told me. Then she suddenly ask me for an urgent favor regarding her mover . She needed to transfer her mover money but she does not have time to do so.( ?)  So she said she would like me to do it for her . All I have to do is go to my local post office to send the money through western union.  she sent me an echeck include the rental money plus her mover fee.

Then I realized that echeck take time to clear , I can only be sure it would be in my own account after 3-5 days.

See below:

Hello (my full name),

You have just been sent a payment by eCheck. You will receive the money in about 3-5 business days (estimated: 12/25/2015-12/29/2015). We'll email you when this eCheck payment has been deposited into your PayPal account. You are to reply back to this payment notification for any further information regarding your transaction.

eCheck details

Amount: $4,036.00 SGD
Transaction ID: 03B15247598221109

Payment details

Sender: Thao Vu

Subject: You've got money!

She begged me to do it yesterday. I told her I can not help her because it would mean I would be using my own money. I dare not risk that.

Now today I got this email, asking me do it ,so paypal would release the fund to my account.

Your Fund is Now Available:

Hello my full name,

Your Funds has now been processed and it is now available and ready to be released into your PayPal account, but we were informed by Thao Vu that the amount paid including the additional payment is for her rent and the Mover Agent fee. Therefore, Our Security Department and our User Protection Policy suggested that you are to wire the additional payment ($726.00 SGD and $100.00 SGD for western union charges) to the Mover Agent and send us the proof (Scanned Copy of the transfer receipt) for Verification so that we can be sure that both you and Thao Vu are very safe. The total sum of $4,036.00 SGD will be released into your Account immediately after we verify that the fee has truly been transferred.

I find it strange the email says "you've got money" and " Funds is now available "both went to my junk mail.I want to help her but I really do not want to fork out my own money first to help her - a stranger before I see the money is transfered to my own account for sure. But now she made it such a way ,if I do not help her to pay the mover using my own money, paypal won't release my fund.

Can anyone advice me whether these emails are real.Are they scam? . Is there any simpler solution to this situation. If she is not scam, I still want to rent the room to her.But I need to protect myself first.

Many many thanks in advance.

[DPCreations]

I assume you are in Singapore.

Here's how this scam will work.  You provide thie informationa requested--you're hooked.  Next you will be requested to transfer funds so the movers can can do something with the promise that you will be paid back and then for the rent.  You still think its legit, so you trasnfer funds as friends/family.

The end.  You money is gone.

The scenario of a female doctor, 29, on a cruise ship and no time to use internet, but had enough time to find your advertisement and reply.  So unbelievable.

Furthermore, never accept any payment as friends/family and only for tangible tiems.  Even for rent you would likely be scammed.

 Best to review PayPal seller protection policies--ALL details.

[ALishaQQ]

I did give my full name and bank account number and my address too. Should I make a police report about it and inform my bank? I suddenly feel worried freak out. I just wanna check her company my typing 'sails doctors' through goggle but it came out 'Dr Thao Vu sails doctor' and I click on it, kinda shock it was scam!!

[lancelotme]

Paypal would never send out emails regarding who,how and when you are going to do with the money?

It could not care less if it is rent money or booze money or state lottery money.

Look at the email address of the sender,does it look funny?

it could be  something similar to paypal dot com ,but like paypal1

In doubt,forward fishy email to paypal and they will let you know if it comes from them,the email you should forward fishy email to is Spool  at paypal.com ,you wll get an acknowledgment from Paypal quickly.

[XXXXXX1]

Peli

I have received same email after posting an ad and than was asked to sent part of the money via Western Union

[NamnBi]

Haizz, she contacts me today in spore Lucky me, I just do some research about this sailsdoctor and know it is scam. I have her passport. Dont know if it her real identity.

[lancelotme]

You just answered your own question,both emails ended up in your junk folder !

study the email address carefully and compare with the legit paypal email you received from paypal.

Either you never have any echeck in your paypal account or it would never clear.

Back in old days,they will send you fake postal orders,money order .and ask you to ship the item ASAP ,or send you more than the invoice and ask you to refund the difference and keep a little for yourself.  

[JB73]

It's a scam better deal with people that exist in front of you to save headache. And there is no such thing that you need to fork out cash on your end. It's a clear SCAM. So be aware guys. 😉👍🏼

[JB73]

Please report it here: http://www.interpol.int/About-INTERPOL/The-INTERPOL-Global-Complex-for-Innovation Let the Interpol handle this scammers. 😉👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[babablack]

we are renting one of our bedspace and she also email me things exactly like yours..this is up to date this month Oct

[angrybirdsg]

I have also received the same story exactly yesterday.  Its a scam. Based on the sms I received it seems he/ she/syndicate originates from Nigeria. Thanks littlemeow for posting it up to alert the community.