USPS unauthorized charge scam.

Crun
Contributor
Contributor

So I log on today to pay my credit card bill, and I find that on October 21st, someone found a way to use my Paypal account to apparently send $26.63 to the USPS, 19 times.

 

Has anyone encountered this?

 

Also, all the steps I took to cancel my Paypal credit card have been futile.  I'm becoming quite disillusioned.

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10 REPLIES 10

PayPal_Olivia
Moderator
Moderator

Hi Crun,

 

If there are unauthorized charges on your account, it's vital that you log into your PayPal account as soon as possible to dispute the transactions as unauthorized.

 

  1. Log in to your PayPal account.
  2. Click Resolution Center.
  3. Click Dispute a Transaction.
  4. Select Unauthorized transaction and click Continue.
  5. Follow the steps to report the transaction.

PayPal will review the transactions and cover you 100% for transactions that result from unauthorized access.

 

Olivia

If this post or any other was helpful, please enrich the Community by giving kudos to its author, accepting it as a solution, and/or coming back to assist others. Members make this Community great!
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Crun
Contributor
Contributor

I tried that.  I went to the transactions that were fraudulent.  I clicked on those, then Paypal said that because it was a charge to USPS I had to dispute it in a different fashion.  Try as I might, I could not find a way to do so on their website.  So I tried the phone number the website directed me to.  The automated phone service (I was unable to reach an actual person) led me back to the website.  A perfect loop that left me with no answers.

 

So I tried a different tactic, just to get my message to human eyes.  I reported a previous transaction that was good, in the text area, I stated I had no problem with the transaction I was reporting, but that I DID have a problem with the 19 fraudulent ones that I could not report through the website.

 

I have not heard from Paypal all week. 

 

I've been quite satisfied with Paypal for 8 years, I do not want to take this to my credit card company.  But this is no small charge.  I have a mortgage and kids, five hundred dollars is not something I can afford to lose.

 

 

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Crun
Contributor
Contributor

specifically, here's the message:

 

At least one of the transactions you've entered is related to a U.S. Postal Service Label purchase. Unauthorized transaction claims for these labels must be submitted using the "Contact Us" webform in the PayPal Help Center. Go to the Help Center and select the Topic as "Seller Tools" and the Sub-Topic as "PayPal Online Shipping." Explain in your email that an unauthorized shipping transaction has been created in your account. Our agents will promptly review this claim.

 

So I go to Help,

and there is no "Seller Tools" Topic...

and there is no Sub-Topic of "Paypal Online Shipping"

 

A search of the website also yields no Contact form for paypal online shipping, with which to dispute fraudalent charges.

 

I'm at a dead end.

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Ajcdagr81
New Community Member

Hey Crun,

 

You are not alone! I have had the exact same issue with the USPS charges, although I've been charged the $26.63 amount just 3 times; taking place on 11/2/10. I suffered the same frustration with my attempts to report the problem, and eventually just ended up calling in and reporting it to an actual person. I also directed the PayPal client to your post here, and she was surprised to see that this has happened to more than one person!

 

Hopefully everything works out,

 

Andrew

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Crun
Contributor
Contributor

Paypal compensated me for my losses.  They paid back my account for all 19 instances of fraud.

 

I can not express enough what a great relief this is, and how satisfied I am.

 

I read many forums across the internet, and it is quite common for people to gripe about Paypal.  I can honestly say that I don't understand the complaints.  I've been happy with Paypal since 2002, and I'll continue to support them whenever people complain. 

 

 

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jhenry
Contributor
Contributor

Reading your post helps calm my fears. I just had 36 unauthorized shipping label transactions in my account. All for $26.63 each, thus draining my account. Ship to address is in Czech Republic.

 

Good thing I got email notifications right away, I logged in, changed my password, and immediately sent an email to report it. Was very frustrated that their "error message" about going to Help Center and go to Seller's Tools to report it beecause it was unaccurate and left me spending quite some time trying to figure out where I'm supposed to report unauthorized activity when it's related to USPS shipping labels. I love Paypal, but they need to update that message because it doesn't help and is actually confusing, leaving us to our own to find the appropriate place to report this type of thing.

 

My question is, how long did it take them to compensate your account? The money I had in my account was christmas money for my kids that I raised selling personal belongings, and now I have nothing until they resolve it. I have to tell myself, it could be worse, and it will all work out thanks to Paypal's 100% guarantee. I just hope it's quick, or there's no gifts here for Christmas morning. *crossing fingers*

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nightcritter67
Contributor
Contributor

Still waiting...and not holding my breath. Hope you have had better luck, keep us posted!

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nightcritter67
Contributor
Contributor

Hi, I hope someone can convince PayPal to help me with the same issue! I had 15 unauthorized charges for "USPS international" shipping labels made in a 24 hour period one day after I had left town, and I was gone three weeks so nearly a month passed before I discovered the charges. The shipping labels are all to countries like Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakstan. The tracking shows they were dispatched from several different states (none from my state). The day the charges started an address in Houston, TX and a credit card  were added to my account. Two of the shipping labels show dispatch from Houston, TX. I have made repeated online claims and calls to PayPal and they have been extremely unhelpful. All I get is a computer generated reply that these charges were consistent with my normal account use. And now they won't reply at all. I have NEVER shipped or made charges like this, but I can't get any help so I'm out about $450.00. One other note, when I make my legitimate shipping labels (all having a corresponding eBay sale) I will get an email confirmation from PP about the shipping label. The 15 unauthorized charges did not send any emails to my address. I have reported the crime to the US postal Inspector and IC3.gov.

As for the timeline this occurred, I left for a mission trip in India on Sept 12th (noted in my eBay vacation settings) and the charges all occurred on Sept. 13th-14th. I didn't return to the USA until Sept. 30th and a couple more weeks elapsed before my bank statement arrived and I discovered the unusual activity that led me to check my PayPal history. I immediately reported this to PayPal but by then it was about Oct. 20th.

I just received an email today from another seller who saw my question on the eBay forum... she has also just had the same scam occur to her. I would be so grateful to anyone who could help me with this matter, I can't afford to lose that much money. (And as far as security goes, I have run anti malware-bytes and changed my passwords since this happened. I didn't receive any phishing emails, and I wouldn't click on them if I did receive any. ) Thanks for any advice. Sincerely, Christie

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pame
New Community Member

McAffee authorized a charge to my account for $89.99 (1) for anti-theft (ha). I did not order it! Paypal has refused to reimburse the amount.

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