I have been scamed!!! non-paying buyer phishing email fake paypal consultant

[thuha764]

I sold an item for someone. not on Ebay but on gumtree ads, She told me to pay via Paypal as its secure and fast, I agree. After a while I got an notification email looking like from Paypal: Cristy Roben Has Sent You Via PayPal Order Confirmed From: "" View Contact To: You've got new funds!

This PayPal® payment has been deducted from the buyer's account and has been "APPROVED"but will not be credited into your account until the shipment reference/tracking number is sent to us for shipment verification so as to secure both the buyer and the seller. Below are the necessary information requested before your account will be credited. Send tracking number to us or email us through this mail onlineverifyfundconsultant dot com and our customer service care will attend to you. As soon as you send us the shipment's tracking number to us for security purposes and the safety of the buyer and the seller,the money will be credited to your account. once shipment has been verified and the tracking number sent to us,

You will receive a "CONFIRMATION Email" from PayPal® informing you that the Money has been credited Thank you for using PayPal! The PayPal Team. But after a few hours there's another notification of that "My name is Richard Wilson. I'm a PayPal representative in charge of your transaction with Cristy Bassani" and Im pretty sure Ive been conned after I read this email Refunding Issue "We are sorry for the lately reply.We are here to inform you that an over payment was made to your account £250 was deducted from our client's account instead of $150.We need you to go to the Western Union store and have £100 transfer via western union and get back to us with the money transfer info.We will then send you an email to confirm your Bank or Credit Card info and the £100:00 shall be credited into it."

It looks like from official Paypal staff so I trust in that and today I ship her order via Roymail special delivery, I have the proof of postage here still.So BASICALLY I SENT THE ITEM FOR HER ALREADY BY Special delivery and now she and that fake consultant of Paypal tells me to go to Western Union to send CASH FOR HER to Another address because of Overpayment error? What the heck does that mean? How do I get my payment now? :((

[classy-diva]

You have lost your item. There is no money. The email was a fake and nothing to do with PayPal.

You only ever send items if you have the money showing in your PayPal account. Even if it was on a PayPal hold the money would still show as pending in your PayPal account.

There is nothing you can do bar contacting the police, albeit I doubt they can do anything to help you as the case is classed as civil.

[sara_jayne93]

The exact same thing happened to me.

I was selling a phone on ebay for $400. I've never sold on ebay before. Someone messaged me interested in the phone, and asked for my paypal email address so he could send money. He said he would pay an extra $50 to have me over-night the phone. I got an email from "PayPal" saying that a payment has been made, but it was pending until I sent a confirmation tracking number for proof that the item was shipped. I went to the post office paid $40.00 to have the item over-nighted. Then emailed the tracking number. & never got the money. I called paypal, nothing they could do because the email was fake. Called ebay and the item wasn't actually purchased through ebay... because my paypal account wasn't linked to ebay... HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW.. I've never sold anything online.. 

Fortunately I realized this yesterday, called the post office the phone was shipped to. Had to pay $70.00 to cancel the item from being shipped.. and get it returned to me. 

 I called the cops to file a report, they said nothing could be done. Even if the guy had recieved the item.. I could file a report but a detective isn't going to spend time looking into a $500 phone.. it would be different if it was a $30,000 car. It blows my mind that people can do this and get away with it. I am just so thankful I realized it when I did. 

[yyli]

you are lucky. Same thing happening to me right now, i just realized it was a scam. mine is an $1000 item and it was internationl. when i realized it was too late. Already shipped outside the US. what a lesson

[carinnad]

Oh no!  In South Afric that is the amount of R15000-00 and believe you me...it's a lot of money in our currency!  You have my simpathy.  You must write the name of the scammer here for people to see, cause they usually use the same name to scam others...  This is how I cought on to my scammer.

[Harsh211]

What if I have the buyer's phone number, email, shipping address, and the email address of someone sending emails on behalf of a verification email sending phishing address (confirmationshipment)I spoke to eBay support and they recommended filing a report/claim at ic3.gov with all details possible. Does anyone have experience going down this route?

[willies1964]

I was almost scammed by this person. Is this cristy bassani a real person

[classy-diva]

Many people fall for this, the name given would not be their real name.

[thuha764]

YES ITS A SHE!!!I Cristy bassini or something!!! after i find out and so annoyed with her send many email to ask her pay me back my money. She add me on Yahoo and chat and even ORDER ME to send money for her son over Nigeria!!!! What a scammer!!!! she is so annoying and lying everything Today I got another email from PHISING paypal again postman _ shipping at consultant dot com also katemorrision aswell. they are all scammers BEware!!!! Maggie Morrison a People plzzz mind those fake email and consultant.!!! they are all scammers and trying to get your cash by Western union under cover of Paypal staff.!!!! Awwww im so annoyed Paypal should have some warning announcement so less people fall for this.. They are increasing now !!!!

[PayPal_barry]

Hey guys, unfortunately there is lot of scammers and fraudsters out there.  If someone says they are going to pay you, then do not release anything until you can see that payment in your PayPal account. Yes, there will be times when PayPal/eBay will hold the payment for review or 21 day hold. But you will still be able to view the details in your PayPal account. Basic rule for sellers should be no money: no item.

Here are the details of our Seller Protection policy below. Stick to these and you will be covered for your payment.

Our Seller Protection protects you from claims, chargebacks or reversals that are a result of unauthorised purchases or items your buyer didn’t receive. With PayPal’s Seller Protection, you are protected for the full amount of all eligible transactions.

If a transaction is eligible for seller protection, it will be marked as eligible on the transaction 'Details’ page.

Here are some additional requirements you need to meet for seller protection:

• Make sure you're item is 'Eligible' for Seller Protection by checking the transaction 'Details'
• Retain online trackable proof of delivery, like Royal Mail's recorded delivery (We require online tracking to confirm delivery)
• Send the item to the address on the transaction 'Details' page
• Provide a copy of the proof of shipping of the parcel (This helps us ensure that the parcel has been sent to the right address)
• Where the payment is £150.00 or more we need the recipient's signature, if the buyer claims the item wasn't received
• Send the item within seven days after you receive payment
• Only accept payments in full from a single PayPal account
• Respond to our requests for documentation and other information within the given timeframe

To learn more about PayPal’s Seller Protection Policy, click ‘Legal Agreements’ at the bottom of any PayPal page, and then click ‘User Agreement’.