Scam?

[Clueless2020]

Hi! I'm a new user in PayPal. Someone wanted to buy my wedding dress from abroad. I agreed to use PayPal for the money transaction. The dress was 280e. He was supposed to take care of the shopping costs etc. Suddenly without asking me, he said he has sent me 460e and l should pay the shipping using bitcoins?? This was never the deal. Like l said I'm new to this service so l wanted to ask if this is normal?? Here is a message he sent me: Hello Good morning, Have completed the transfer of the total amount Of €460, you would have received It from PayPal.. I made an additional payment of €180 for the shipping pick up fee and you`re requested to send the extra amount to the shipping company Bitcoin wallet through any Bitcoin outlet, or you can easily do it online at <removed> using your card and then send the Bitcoin Purchase information to PayPal for verification so that the Total amount can be credited to your account balance accordance with the PayPal policy. Here is the Shipping Company wallet xxxxx (changed) The Agent will contact you to arrange pickup date before coming once they received the payment because i already send them your number. It's nice doing business with you. I expect your reply soon.

[kernowlass · Accepted solution]

@Clueless2020 

SCAM.

They encourage you to accept a 'direct' Paypal payment and may ask you to send the item internationally.
No funds or activity of the transaction shows in your Paypal account and any emails 'may' go into your junk/spam folders.

They don't quibble on cost and may also say they can't view the item as they are disabled or working abroad etc etc but they will arrange a shipping agent to collect it.

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.

OR
The 'fake' paypal email will tell you that the buyer has paid for the item + shipping costs but you must send those shipping costs to the courier/ shipping agent via anther payment processor than Paypal OR via providing some vouchers or tokens / bitcoins etc before the funds are released to you.
They are often not interested in the item, they just want that couriers/shipping funds and you will never see money in your paypal balance.

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.
Paypal NEVER expect you to use a rival money transfer service eg Moneygram or Western Union, Bitcoins or vouchers etc.
Also their is no seller protection on paypal for any type of item that is collected by the buyer.

Delete any emails and ignore the scammers.