How to tell if an email is from PayPal

[postashish]

Hi I have got an email from Paypal with subject 

Notification Of An Instant Payment Received From............

This is the first time I am using paypal as mode of receiving payment. However Why cant I see the same transaction in my account after I log in?Is that because my account is not yet verified(Havent got the code in my Credit card statement yet).
 Also the email that I have got is from the email address customers_mails@email

Does this email id belong to paypal?

I have already forwarded the mail to spoof@paypal.com

Kindly let me know if all is fine or not.

Awaiting reply urgently.

Regards

[PayPal_Adrian]

postashish,

Welcome to the boards!

The moderators here don't actually review the emails you forward in - our team of fraud specialists do that.  They'll be the ones responding to you.  In the meantime, you might compare it against the information above, but I'd be willing to bet that since the payment isn't in your account, chances are, it's not a real email. 

Adrian

[Busa2005]

I  am trying to selling a ring on craigs list ,I received a e-mail from a David ******* telling me he would give me full ask'n price, plus $100 for the shipping.after i sat up my Pay Pal account i sent him my info (He said he made a payment to my account ) but I haven't see it in my account yet. When he demanded that I shipped it out Immediately ,a red flag when up  IM new at this so I started asking question everyone told me not to ship anything until I see the money on my pay pal account .My question is ,am i wrong in doing this ....

[sexton123]

I got the same kind of email for my website  I went to my PayPal account and there was the money. How can this happen. The next morning I would have shipped the package. It had 10,000 rings plus a patent. This was for $7000 + shipping. I have the peoples address in Hawaii. I feel like flying there and delivering the package. I also called the Honolulu Police and the FBI. Good luck on your venture.

[PayPal_Adrian]

sexton123 -

If the payment was in your account, then you have received funds. 

However, one of the most common tricks we see spoofers try to use, is they will have you send a "Money Request" to their email address, either by sending you instructions on how to do so or providing a link to do this. 

A "Money Request" is like an invoice or a bill.  A record of it is kept in your History, so that you can reference when it was sent and when the person you sent the invoice/bill to has paid it. 

However, when you are paid, you will still always see your balance go up.  There will also be a separate line for the payment.  If your balance hasn't gone up, you haven't received a payment, and the bill hasn't been paid.

We always recommend fully reviewing your account, it's status, and History by opening a new browser window and going directly to https://www.paypal.com before shipping anything out.

For all of our members -

Your post brings up another excellent point, though, and that is regarding the information each of us has been given by fraudsters and how we use that information.

Very often, the names, phone numbers, and addresses given to anyone by a fraudster is a real name, phone number, or address.  But whose information is it?

Well, most often, it's another victim.  It's not the fraudster.

I can't stress enough that by repeating that information in the Forums or elsewhere, you may be unknowingly victimizing or re-victimizing another person.  Individuals who's information is used in these scams repeatedly receive harassing phone calls, letters, emails, and in some cases, wind up in physical confrontations with people who think they're the scammer.

To all of our members, please don't track down, contact, or confront spoofers or fraudsters on your own.  In most instances, the person you track down has nothing to do with the fraud and not only are you harassing them, but if this is the real spoofer, you could be placing yourself at personal risk.  Do the right thing - if you have information that you feel can lead to the arrest of a real fraudster, don't confront them yourself.  Give the information over to the local authorities and let them take care of it. 

Your life, liberty, and well-being aren't worth losing over an email.

Thanks,

Adrian

[PayPal_Adrian]

Busa2005 -

Welcome to the boards!

If your email address is confirmed, and he has sent the payment, it should show up in your account.  If you don't see it there, they either sent it to the wrong email address or never sent it at all.

In either event, you're on the right track - never ship an item until you have the funds in your account.  If someone sends you an eCheck, make sure it clears first. 

Adrian

[rkelly6208]

You are being set up. Nobody pays full price plus another $100 for shipping for a ring.

[MrfrasinOregon]

My situation was for me to send $900.00 to an agent in england.

So I didn't beleive it was legite. 

[lilgranby]

Hello, I was meant to be recieving a payment of £1600 from a person buying my tv. I recieved an email from paypal saying that the person has sent the money but due to using gumtree, and protecting both the seller and the buyer, I need to dispatch the item and then send paypal the shipment reference number, after which I will recieve my payment. Is this a scam?

[rhondo]

Yes it is. I got a couple of those guys who wanted me to ship it to Nigeria. I told them to eff off. Don't ship unless you get money first.