Can I get in trouble with the law?

[BeckySant]

So this guy sent me 55 dollars to my paypal account because I asked him if he could. I have never met this guy we have exchanged a few emails, & I asked him if he could do me the favor of sending me the money. I also told him in an email that I still have that it is completely up to him if he would help me or if he wouldn't. So he agreed to help, he was never forced. He sent me the money, then the next day filed a claim saying I scammed him. The same day he filed the claim he sent me another email asking if he could help me by getting me a phone charger. I have posted all the emails with the claim. But now hes saying he wants to get the law in on the claim. Can I get in trouble for him, chosing to send money to me? I only asked & told him it was up to him, he was the one who chose to help a stranger. Once I told him that he made the choice to help me & that he was never forced that when he stated he would get the law involved. He is doing all this over 50 dollars & I dont think I can get in trouble for him helping. Does anyone know what might happen?

[PayPal_Adrian]

BeckySant,

While I certainly can't provide you legal advice - and would recommend you check in with law enforcement and/or an attorney in your locality - my best advice to you would be to refund the other party.  If this other person is having second thoughts about helping out, the right thing to do would be to return the funds and work with them.

Thanks,

Adrian

[Citizen_Z]

If we are talking about a small amount of money, send it back. If we are talking about a large amount of money, one really begins to wonder about this story and whether any advice given would simply be used to attempt to evade justice.

Yes, one can get into legal trouble for doing that. It is also possible for authorities to open an official investigation and request documentation logs from PayPal to see exactly what went on. People are not as anonymous on the internet as they think they  are. Just because one deletes email off of his or her hard drive does not mean it is not still out in cyberspace where computer forensic specialists of law enforcement can access servers and databases to find out exactly what communication took place.

There are people who set up PayPal accounts and beg for money for sick children in the hospital, injured pets, or really any story that generates sympathy. Of course, this is usually just a scam to bilk people out of money. No one should ever send donations to a PayPal account that is not affiliated with a professional charity as there is no transparency. For all the donor knows he or she could be supporting a con-artist's drug habit.