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

[laurgood67]

Only shipped to a certified address!!

Wait 7 days before sending.

If you are worried call paypal ,  I've always found them very helpful

[jessewiebe]

Hello, I have just been talking to a fellow called Robert marton about an ad on craigslist. He insisted that he sent me some money via pay pal but first I have to send money to an agent in the UK. I've since contacted pay pal and they said it was a scam. Yet he is still trying to convince me that he's speaking the truth and I should still send his agent the money......when will they stop?

[laniehappysmile]

I found this topic searching for "Eric" who also just emailed me about my wedding dress which I posted on Craigslist. I was very skeptical that this was for real, because this was the extent of our exchange:

Eric:

still for sale?.

Cheers
Eric

Me:
 
Yes, still for sale!
 
Thanks, Lanie

Eric:

The price is affordable to me, so I would like you to send me your paypal email address account for me to make a payment.

Cheers, Eric

Yeah right! If it seems too good to be true, it probably is!

[laurgood67]

Tell him you will only ship to paypal confirmed address and please supply a driver license picture with address.

If his account isn't verified don't sell.

I have been scammed off craigslist  .

[disberg]

The best acid test I have found so far when I am not sure is to advise that shipment will be delayed for at least 3 weeks or until such time as the funds have been confirmed in hand with my bank/PayPal.  If they are legit they will wait if they are not...

Hope this helps.

disberg

[FeelingRippedOf]

I am getting emails from what is supposed to be paypal saying the funds have been received but will not be deposited into my account until after I ship the item...How do I KNOW if these emails are  not a scam.  I log on to my account and there is nothing to confirm this.

[sheenagirl]

Hi, yes it is a scam, first of all the emails are not from paypal and secondly paypal would never tell you to ship your item before the funds are secured.  If you check your paypal account you will see that those messages are not in there.

[bilous]

Hi!yes it's a big SCAM.

[CanadianJewels]

The price is affordable to me.

People, no one uses this type of language, not unless you're set up in Nigeria, or some other place that the scammers seem to live. I have no idea what their angle is on this one, other than showing fake 'proof of payment' or having Paypal refund their money because they say the item was never delivered. If I was more cynical, I'd say it was a ploy on paypal's part to get more people to sign up for paypal, but that's just silly.

[ldd55]

I am currently having the same problem. I advertised on Craiglist and received an e-mail from a person by the name of Kim. They would pay the asking price and pay through PayPal. I set up an account with paypal. I then received an e-mail from this Kim person that the money was sent to PayPal along with shipping charges and that I was to send a money order via Western Union. I also received an e-mail from a person by the name of Jaaron on behalf of Service at Paypal ] that the money has been received by Paypal and I need to send prove that I sent the money, then the funds received by PayPal would be released to me. I have replied to both that I will not send any money anywhere for any shipping chargesthat is not my responsibility as I had stated in an e-mail to Kim, they would be responsible for any and all  charges that would be incurred. Now I am being threatened with legal action from this guy jaaron. 

Do I need to worry about legal action from PayPal or is this a scam????