Buyer is asking for Target or Apple gift cards

[crank88]

I really hate to post this because I really never thought this was a scam at all. I recently sold a nice camera and the buyer contacted me on Facebook to get it (marketplace), even gave me phone call to check in on things. I was receiving emails from a legit looking PayPal and it was asking me to send tracking info in order to verify the sale. So at this point I don't everything it asked and had the camera shipped. Days later I received an email saying that I was a new seller and my account had to be upgrade. The "buyer" had to send me an additional 600 to my account in order for it to be upgrade. He seemed hesitant but I didn't know if he was acting or not. I received another email saying the he added the 600 and my account has been upgraded, but I now have to send the 600 back in gift cards at 100 buck increments. I still haven't receive my money and now have to pay back gift cards? So I stopped and now trying to contact someone from PayPal but it seems impossible. 

[kernowlass]

@crank88 

SCAM.

They encourage you to accept a direct Paypal payment and may ask you to send the item internationally.
No funds or activity of the transaction shows in your Paypal account and any emails may go into your junk/spam folders.

You will get/got a "fake" email that looks as though it is from paypal.....it isn't because they don't have a Paypal account and have no intention of paying you.
It will say the buyer has paid ...you won't have been paid.
They will tell you that the payment is released when you provide paypal with a tracking/shipping number......this won't happen.

Once you have become a victim they may try again with more fake Paypal emails with other reasons that you must send them a payment for custom fees / to verify, expand or upgrade an account.

Paypal NEVER tell you to send an item before the payment is showing in your paypal account.
Paypal do not tell you to send trackable, they advise it for selling protection but it is not compulsory.
Paypal NEVER expect you to use a rival money transfer service eg Moneygram, Western Union, Bank Transfer or any sort of gift token or voucher to do anything account related.