Examples of Suspected Fraud/Fake Emails

[PayPal_Adrian]

Hello everyone!

One of the greatest strengths consumers possess against fraud and phishing is education and collaboration.  To help support your safety online, I'm going to open this special thread up for you.  Here, you can post examples of what you believe to be attempts by individuals to defraud you or others of their hard earned valuables and money. 

Before we begin, a few housekeeping points:

• We will be using this as a "master thread," so if we find an example in other areas of the boards, we may merge the post into this one.

• For everyone's safety, please remove any last names or contact information (including email addresses) from your examples.  In many instances, the names provided by fraudsters are fake or may actually be the name of someone they already defrauded. 

• On that same note, please don't ever attempt to confront a fraudster or attempt to track them down.  Instead, turn the information you do have over to your local authorities. 

• Please also remove any links from your posts, as these could potentially go to spoofed or phishing websites.

Other than that, we only ask that you keep it productive and stay within the Forum Decorum and posting guidelines.  I'll be stopping in on a regular basis to clean house and comment on posts, so don't be surprised if you see my mug - or another moderator - stopping in to say hello! 

With that said, I'm going to start moving posts in, so you might see some older examples mixed in with the new posts.  I hope this thread becomes a great resource for everyone!

Stay safe,

Adrian

[Natalia222]

It is so great there is a PayPal fraud community allert! I just received an email from a lady who bid the laptop on ebay, her ID on e-bay is lyndfornes_0 and it does for Linda <removed> who said she transfered the money to PayPal and added 80$ for shipment. She wanted me to send the laptop to this address: John <removed> <removed>, Abesan Ipaja, Lagos, 23401 Nigeria.

In reply, I received a faked e-mail from PayPal that goes for <removed>" offering instructions how to get the item shipped and that I would be credited only after I send a copy of the receipt and tracking number.  

[marksandsparks]

I also just had this happen to me.  Scumbag nearly duped me but I just thought to Google the Nigerian address before sending the item and luckily this thread came up - Thank you for that!

The scumbag was using the following details:

• eBay ID: ****
• Address: 
  **** ****
  ****
  ****
  ****
  ****

As others have already stated, the "Notification via PayPal" email looked very realistic.  However on closer inspection it's appears to come from the a dodgy email domain representative.com rather than from a PayPal domain.

Be very careful out there people!

[Matt_98]

I am currently dealing with what I think to be a scammer to, they bought an iPhone listed on my eBay for £660 and sent me a PayPal saying 'I have added an extra £50 because I want the order to be shipped to my cousin ASAP' they use the email with one name but use a dfferent name on PayPal and then have a different username on eBay! What are your thoughts on this?

[InvitesbyAna]

ALMOST happens to me. Thankfully I asked for the exact address and Google searches it before "accepting" any payment. He gave me this address: Name; ****Country: Nigeria Once I noticed it was in Nigeria, I questioned the buyer. His reply was "that is her address i am buying it for her birhday dont worry i am not one of them she is in nigreria on a project from school i prefer you send it to her once to save cost. thanks. This is not a scam calm down. you will receive payment as soon as you ship" That's when I straight up told him to stop the text messages; that I was definitely not doing business with him. Hope this can be helpful in any way.

[RossKar85]

I just received the same thing past few days. 

I was selling a Laptop on eBay Aus, within 2 hours of being listed it was purchased with a Buy it Now price and instantly received a message advising to obtain a quote for shipment (to what I could see the United States ebay Account). Total value about $600. 

After thinking it was legit, I provided him with a few postage options and he chose the most expensive option being express postage. He also asked if I could send him a direct email as he was having issues with his ebay account. I figured, it wouldn't hurt and being a business online it didn't raise any concerns... Until.....

I receive 3 emails from the scammer but posing as 'eBay' and 'PayPal' One from 'ebay' advising me that there was some issues with the buyers eBay account because he had logged in to his iPad and they thought it was being used by a Third Party, so they advised if I received any eBay messages in my account to disregard them and continue with the transaction... a 2nd one advising that payment was received but not released and once I reply to the email with a tracking number the payment will be released into my PayPal account.. and a 3rd one from PayPal which looks the same as the Payment Received Summary emails you usually get.. instead, they advised that the payment was on hold due to new scam policies and once I provide tracking information it will be released. 

I can imagine that they do actually succeed in some cases who are not as familiar with everything online and would fall for their nasty tricks. 

Instead, I figured I wanted to just have a laugh and see if I can get any information out from the phisher! 

I replied to him advising that 'yes' I have received the payment notification and am looking forward in sending him the laptop as I would like the payment released asap.... I advised him that due to some policies of sending equipment with lithium batteries, we require photo ID and a phone number to provide with the shipping if something goes wrong. He advised he will get back to me shortly...... I highly doubted he would give any information whatsover from the beggining,.. but was worth a try ey?!

I hope no-one gets scammed by these f****ers*

[annakhashchyna]

Nearly happened with me as well.

That's awfull! 

Everything like many of you already described:

birthday present for the friend who is abroad

person insisted to receive my paypal details in midnight (!)

he was in a hurry

ship to west Africa

asked to delete ad on Kijiji

proposed +200 C$ for shipment and handling

Here is my option of the adress:

****

Person: @***@ gmail.com

Here are phone numbers the person texted and called me from:

****

I postponed to give paypal information until morning. So this person woke me up and again hurried to pay me, better to "pay" me.

I sent an invoice from PayPal. The person replied that he sent the money and that I will be able to receive it after I will send the percel and provide a tracking number. Same story.

I also checked an address, and found this forum with warning about Fraud in Nigeria! Thanks God!

So I just canceled my invoice.

But! Interesting thing is, that the same day, at 00:59 and 6:00, I received 2 more messages! Can you imagine? They sent me the same offer of +200 C$ for shipment!

So, 2 more phone numbers:

***

God save you from such frauds!

Thank you all!

[Loop23]

OMG i was on my way to send my yeezy 350 boost when I googled the address and found all this fraud stuff... Lol you guys are life savers

[Loop23]

OMG i was on my way to send my yeezy 350 boost when I googled the address and found all this fraud stuff... Lol you guys are life savers. Thanks

[Ccpd]

Hi all

please be aware this has happened to me 10mins ago, offering a high bid on an item which was a little unusual. The buyer said they would like me to send it international for a birthday gift to a business partner. That was a red flag to me so I asked for the address and bloody **bleep** the same address came up as below! So BE AWARE OF THESE SCUMBAGS AND IF YOU GET THE GUT FEELING DONT ACCEPT ANYTHING. THIS IS THE ADDRESS TO SEND IT TO!!!!!!!!!!! 

<removed>
Lagos
Nigeria

[DaveChar]

Holy Molly, this thread just saved me from sending my laptop overseas. Same script, same story, same stuff, different day. THANK YOU 😄