Is this a scam? Someone wants to pay me for an item I am selling on Craigslist with Paypal

larany
New Community Member

I'm worried about scams/fraud- especially dealing with people on Craigslist.

 

Is this a scam?

 

Here is the are the emails regarding a $2000 item I am selling on Craigslist:

 

Buyer from Craigslist:

I will make the payment as soon as you provide me with your paypal account email i only need your paypal account email to proceed with payment as for pick up i will get a mover that will be coming to pick up as soon as you have the full payment please email me as soon as you have the paypal info

 

Me (seller on Craigslist):
While I understand that this is a large amount of money, I have been a victim of fraud on craigslist. I received a fake money order which my bank cashed. The person received the item before the bank realized it was a fake. Is there any way cash is possible?

Buyer on Craigslist:
Hello My name Is Kenny, i will love to make an instant purchase have seen the picture and am okey with it the price   , please do  withdraw the advert from the site.I don't mind adding an extra 50 dollars for you to take  the advert down from the site  so that i can be rest assured that am in hand of the item , I really appreciate it, i am an oceanographer and, i am on sea at the moment, i am buying the it for my dad  , i want to make it a surprise for him,he wont know anything about it until its delivered to him, i can only pay through paypal or i can ask my friend to send you a cashier check as i dont have access to my bank account online as i dont have internet banking,but i have my bank account attached to my paypal account and this is why i insisted on paying you through paypal or cashier check also paypal is the best way to do business online if you dont have one you can check online paypal  to set up account. Kindly get back to me  with your  paypal details and your last asking price so, we can  proceed  with  the payment and after the payment has been credited to your account.i will get a mover to come down and pick... I will be looking forward hearing back from you.. Greetings
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7 REPLIES 7

JayKnowsBest
New Community Member

To me it sounds a lot like the Nigeria scams that are going on right now. If I were you I would not go through with that transaction, especially when you take into consideration it is an item worth $2000. Its better to just have no doubt, because when something feels sketchy, it probably is.

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rachelk
New Community Member

I have the same thing going on. I'm selling a huge item for 2250.00 on CraigsList and the buyer says the price is no problem, needs more pics and access to my paypal email address, and she will pay. She is in the UK and will have a purchasing agent come for the item and arrange for delivery. NO-One I have dealt with before has asked for my e-mail associated with my PayPal acct. Also, I didn't post a pic, and she asked for additional pics. This all just sounds a little fishy to me, so I am not doing it.

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gypseyking
New Community Member

This is definitely a scam! I have received the same email and they have went as far as to replicate a paypal transaction email stating the funds had been deposited with an additional $230 in which they would like me to send via western union to a specified person. If you look at the senders email address you'll notice that it is not an authentic paypal address. Below is my last email I received threating to take legal action. If I look at my papypal account I have no signs of funds being deposited into my account or any messages. Thanks!

 

Dear Valuable Customer,

It is important we know the status of the transaction between you and "Paula David" otherwise"Legal Action"may be taken against you since you have not replied to the confirmation of payment made to your PayPal account by Paula David.

We believed you entered into bidding agreement by requesting money through PayPal and by non response to the payment confirmation made to your account you have violate the Craigslist and PayPal agreement. However the buyer has already contacted us in other to make report about your non response. We are ensuring to make PayPal a safer place, therefore we need to set confidence on our users.We request for the Scanned Receipt and the MTCN details of the money transferred via Western union in less than 12 hours and we will fund the money into your account or face the consequences of "Legal Action".This is done in other to protect both the seller and buyer.

We use proprietary technologyand constantly innovate to help ensure your transactions are safe. In addition,PayPal has over 20,000staffs worldwide dedicated to keeping PayPal accounts safe, and stopping online criminals. And we work with Internet Service Providers (ISPs) worldwide to shut off fraudulent websites as soon as possible.
PayPal'sFraud Investigation Team is highly experienced in fraud prevention. Several members of the teamwere former law enforcement officials with extensive experience in fighting online fraud. Pay Pal's fraud investigation team focuses on: Identifying and preventing fraud before it occurs,Detecting fraud in process Mitigating loss, if fraud does occur, Delivering information to law enforcement around the world to help stop those committing online fraud.


Pay Pal Email ID:PP309
Copyright 1999-2011 PayPal. All rights reserved.
PayPal (UnitedStates) Ltd. is
authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority in the UnitedStatesas an electronic money institution.
PayPal FSA Register Number: 226056 

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llsugg
New Community Member

I have a buyer that bought a $200 ring from me in ebay.. This is the email he sent me after he won the bid...

i will like you to help me ship the item directly to my fiance as a gift via USPS Express Mail Service (EMS) to the address confirmed by PayPal. I have contacted PayPal for your money with the extra shipping cost of $70. Please ship the item as soon as you receive Payment confirmation from PayPal and get back to me. Here is the address to ship to below:
NAME: AKINTOBI SMITH
ADDRESS: 24,FALOMO STREET
CITY: AKURE
STATE: ONDO STATE
COUNTRY: NIGERIA
POSTAL CODE: 23434
pls note i want you to ship it via USPS Express Mail Service (EMS) to my fiance
Thanks and I  am very sorry for any inconvenience.

 

 

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philc14
New Community Member

this must be a scam I have an item on bay for $9500 and i got four emails all saying the same thing basically  give me your pay pal email address so i can pay. what are they after here can they get to your money this way? or are they just fishing for valid email addresses ???

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iansplanet
Contributor
Contributor

the hoops you would have to squeeze thru to get your money from paypal--which actually puts it in an account of a credit card you have supplied them and pays it only into that account with the proviso that you must withdraw it in a short period of time or paypal takes it back—thus, suppllying a credit card to establish a paypal account, getting your money after paypal has put it into your account, but risking losing it if you do not act in their timely manner—these hoops will make it possible for you to make a mistake and lose all the money to paypal/ebay without recourse to get it back. that’s why i am asking whoever reads this and is a clas action lawyer to reply cause i should be notified. i am a retired lawyer but know a bit about class actions and paypal daily violates federal consumer protection laws. reply to this and i should get a copy and get back to you. AND THE OFFER TO PAY THRU PAYPAL IS A SCAM BY THE BUYER AND BY PAYPAL ITSELF, ONE THAT WILL ROB YOU OF YOUR MONEY. INSIST ON A CASHIERS CHECK BEFORE DOING ANYTHING ABOUT DELIVER, CASH IT, THEN LET THE BUYER WORRY ABOUT DELIVERY. PROTECT YOURSELF. AND SOMEONE WRITE ME ABOUT PAYBACK FOR PAYPAL.

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samantha13
New Community Member

similar story...

 

I am currently selling my motorbike on Ebay (as well as advertising on other websites), and have received a couple of strange emails from 'potential buyers'.
Both 'buyers' state that they want the bike now and ask that i give them my paypal email address, and go on to tell me how to sign up to paypal and that it's very easy, even giving the web link to paypal...
The first buyers name was Clark Kent so i was obviously suspicious, but the second has a more normal name. I have told both to visit ebay and pay me via paypal from ebay. both have aweful grammer and the second even said that they couldnt talk over the phone because they are 95% deaf and are at sea somewhere so only able to pay via paypal...
i just checked the paypal website to find that you can pay friends and family and for products just using paypal and not through ebay (i didnt know this before!)  
my guess is that the 'buyer' is hoping to catch someone who doesnt already have a paypal account, who will then click the lnk in their email and sign up to paypal, inadvertantly giving all their bank details to a fraudster???
copy of email from clark kent:
Thanks for the mail....Just asking about it to make sure its in good condition. so i want you to assure me i will not be disappointed? i also want you to please understand that i wont be able to see it for myself but i have a mover who will be coming for the inspection and the document procedure.Im satisfied with your firm/advert price, As im requesting this transaction should be done via paypal so the paypal charges is on me.Payment will be made via paypal only(if you dont have an account, its very easy, safe and secured go to www.paypal.com) im presently out of town for the new year manifest.But i  also want you to get back to me with some pics for me to see and also please get back to me with the paypal address for me to make the payment asap.
Clark
Stay Blessed!!!
copy or email from kelvin anderson:
Thanks for mailing back,i am an Oceania and i am buying this for Dad, i am at sea right now, I can only pay through paypal at the moment as i dont have access to my bank account online,but i have it attached to my paypal account, and this is why i insisted on using paypal to pay,all i will need is your paypal email address to make the payments,and if you dont have a paypal account yet,its pretty easy to set one up at www.paypal.co.uk,i wil be expecting your email.I have a pick up agent that will come for the pick up after payments.I will like to have communicate and discuss this via Phone but i am 95% Deaf and i do use hearing piece so that was why i have prefer to communicate more through Mail ...So kindly get back to asap...i need to see more photos also and i will like to know the last asking price.
Stay Blessed.
i have checked and both appear to have seen the bike on www.trade-it.co.uk. i am contacting this website to ask that the remove the add.
ruddy scamsters.
x+x-x

 

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