Scam?

[Maddieschweets]

Hello, I am selling an item on Craigslist and the buyer has been messaging me via text and they had me send them a request and they payed it. I do not want to ship the item to them until it is approved on PayPal's end.  How can I tell if the person/email that sent the payment has a legitimate account or if I am able to tell if they are possibly a scam account?

[kernowlass · Accepted solution]

@Maddieschweets 

READ THIS TO CHECK ITS NOT A SCAM...........

SCAM.

They encourage you to accept a 'direct' Paypal payment and may ask you to send the item internationally.

They ask you for a money request so that they have your name and email address but do NOT have a paypal account.
No funds or activity of the transaction shows in your Paypal account and any emails 'may' go into your junk or spam folders.

You will get/got a "fake" email that looks as though it is from paypal.....it isn't because they don't actually have a Paypal account and have no intention of paying you.
It will say the buyer has paid ...you won't have been paid.
They will tell you that the payment is released when you provide paypal with a tracking/shipping number......this won't happen.

Paypal NEVER tell you to send an item before the payment is showing in your paypal account.
Paypal do not tell you to send trackable, they advise it for selling protection but it is not compulsory.
Delete any emails and ignore the scammers.