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

[13SR98]

same here, for a friend who works in American Refinery Industry.

Stone <removed>,

<removed>,
Ijeshatedo Aguda,
Surulere,
Lagos.
23401
Nigeria.
<removed>

[dils]

Same thing just happened to me. I said that I would not ship international and at first I was sending the shoes to New Zealand. I gave a postage quote and told them to let me know if I should invoice them. No response for a few days until I check my email and see that they've messaged me saying that they have paid me. I check the "Paypal" email which stated:

"As soon as shipment is carried out,Kindly get back to PayPal Team by responding to this message with the shipment tracking number so that we can confirm and then credit your account immediately."

I knew PayPal did not work that way and there was no chance I would be shipping my item with no guaranteed payment.

The item was listed for AU$254 and the buyer allegedly paid $454 in total for shipping to Nigeria "on behalf of a folk of [theirs] in West Africa who has been transferred to serve as a missionary in Nigeria"

Name: Mr Larry <removed>
<removed>
Aguda ijeshatedo
Lagos, 23401
Nigeria

mobile :+2347085457336

The "lady" I was directly emailing was Martina <removed>. Their eBay account (now deleted) was also based in Denton, TX.

[INSAGNIA]

ITS THE SAME THING I GOT!! He said it was shipping to a friend based in Nigeria, but he himself lived in Texas, yet he was messaging me from a Maryland landline number.

[INSAGNIA]

IT'S THE SAME THING I GOT!! He said it was shipping to a friend based in Nigeria, but he himself lived in Texas, yet he was messaging me from a Maryland landline number.

[INSAGNIA]

I got this exact same contact, but the number came from Maryland. He called himself Kunle <removed>, but the number was a landline: <removed>, so I don't know how the number was messaging me. He wanted to overpay, said the thing was for a kids birthday and like a fool, I believed him. I haven't sent anything, but before I investigated, I sent him my name and email. I was a fool. I searched the address he gave me, and I got this site. Everything everyone has said here matches with what I got from the guy.

[jolene78]

Omg! Thank god I had a feeling that address I was given was suspicious and something didn't add up. And for everyone here for contributing to the thread and sharing this fraudster's information! 

One to add to the list:

(But realised scrolling through the thread that the fraudster only uses one zip code for the recipient, which is '23401'.

The whole purchase + negotiations only took 1 day and it makes me really suspicious that this user didn't purchase through normal means (by accepting my price through eBay and confirming the purchase through the merchant, but through direct messaging me, asking for my PayPal account details to pay me directly).

It started off with him/her saying:

'Hey just wondering, is this posted still available for purchase?'

(when it clearly was)

Then after I replied yes, he/she said:

'Thanks for the swift response, i want the item package as a gift a friend in the western and i will be offering you £100 GBP including the shipping cost to his destination via Royal Mail International, so kindly get back to me with your PayPal email address so I can proceed with payment or you can send PayPal money request to my email: (Kylesplowlng AT Yahoo DOT com)

Thereafter he/she said (after I have sent the PayPal money request to the email address given):

'Yes I got the PayPal request and i will let you know when payment has been made

Blessings.'

Afterwards, he/she said:

'Please proceed to check your PayPal email address for my payment update from PayPal because monies has been deducted from my account. check your inbox or spam folder for payment confirmation.

Here is the shipping address below.

Name: Olabode <removed>

Address: <removed>

City: Itire/Surulere

State: Lagos

County: Nigeria

Zip Code: 23401...'

-> Here, red flags started popping up- check my inbox OR SPAM folder for the PayPal email? Usually, the emails I receive from PayPal doesn't go to the spam folder. and the address... Country instead of the given County? and what's up with the dots after the Zip Code... and the somewhat poorly written English throughout the messages sent. 

After this, he/she said:

'Please keep me posted once item has been shipped today

Thanks'

-> I have reported the fake PayPal email he/she sent asking for the tracking number before payment is through to 'spoof@paypal.co.uk' & 'spoof@paypal.com' for PayPal to resolve this issue ASAP to prevent more innocent sellers falling for these low-life scammers. 

And I wonder why the eBay account used had so many positive feedback. Did these people hack into real-life peoples accounts? And I am wondering what to do next... PayPal only confirmed that it was a phishing attempt and they're working to stop the fraud...

DON'T FALL FOR THIS PEOPLE! 😞

[kernowlass]

@jolene78

Yes they hijack ebay accounts BUT they don't bother with a paypal account as any paypal email is a spoof.

All you have to remember is  >>

Paypal NEVER tell you to send trackable, they advise it for seller protection etc bt it is not compulsory.

Paypal NEVER tell you to send an item before the payment is showing in your paypal account.

Paypal NEVER expect you to use a rival money transfer service.

[jolene78]

Thanks @kernowlass! 

By the way, is there (or should I) anyway for me to report the email address and eBay username of the person who attempted to scam me? I am also afraid that my email address and eBay username will be compromised... 

I am grateful for your advice on this matter! 

[kernowlass]

@jolene78

Yes i would let Ebay know that someones ebay account has been hacked by a Nigerian scammer  >>

If you're contacting from the UK, you can get in touch with eBay at <removed>. Alternatively, you can get in touch with them through social media, either via Twitter (https://twitter.com/AskeBay) or Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/eBay.co.uk).

Unless you have given them your ebay password you should be ok. Most hackers get the accounts by sending spoof emails to account holders pretending to be from ebay and asking to confirm there log in info for what ever reason via a link in an email.

[jolene78]

@kernowlass, thanks once again. I have emailed PayPal to inform them of this fraudulent use of this eBay account and the fake email used to request for the tracking number. 

I sincerely hope they'll do something to intercept this and stop these fraudsters from defrauding more people! 

Thanks again and have a lovely week!