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

[kernowlass]

@Andy1100 

If its a spoof then NEVER USE ANY LINK.

Firstly if the email/text addressed you as ''Dear Member'' / ''Customer'' / ''Client'' OR your ''email address'' then that confirms its a spoof as paypal would address you by your full name eg Dear John Smith.

Secondly if there was a link OR attachment in that email/text to ''cancel'' any transaction or ''confirm'' any details then again it would be a spoof.

If there was a problem with your account Paypal would not ask you to click on an unsafe link in an email or by downloading an attachment, they would direct you to log in normally and go to the resolution or the message centre for more information.

More info here >>
https://www.paypal.com/us/selfhelp/article/how-to-spot-fake-emails-faq2340/2
https://www.paypal.com/us/webapps/mpp/security/suspicious-activity

[LMAW]

Hello Lindsay <removed>.  Lilian <removed>. has paid you through PayPal. Note from Lilian <removed>: Furniture plus Pick-up agent fee Details of Transaction Amount:$4,400.00 AUD Pick up agent fee:$450.00 AUD Total:$4,850.00 AUD Transaction ID: U-6SV701612V2043430 Note: This is the confirmation email for the PayPal payment made by Lilian <removed> and how to get it completed. This PayPal payment has been APPROVED but temporarily on hold We detected that this payment includes a ''THIRD PARTY PAYMENT '' so we had to place this transaction on an ''ESCROW ACCOUNT AGREEMENT '' which states that the RECEIVER should complete the '' THIRD PARTY PAYMENT '' first and get back to us with the necessary details before the full payment can be finally made You will not have access to the payment at this time and it will not appear in your account until the pick-up agent payment has been received from you due to PayPal management terms and conditions in order to ensure both buyers and sellers protection from online fraudulent activities. We have contacted the pick-up agent and he has requested his payment by a Voucher (STEAM gift card) Therefore, you are required to make an upfront payment to the pick-up agent by purchasing ($450.00 AUD) STEAM gift card and get back to us with the details below as it was instructed by the pick-up agent to arrange for the pick-up and delivery. Details needed: Scratch and send the picture of the STEAM gift card plus the Receipt, your name, pick-up date and time, Pick up address, Item description and Contact number You have to email us the full details to our customer support line which so that we can complete the transaction and get your account credited with the total amount of ($4,850.00 AUD) You can also get back to us through the email above if you have any question You’re highly SECURED as PayPal will be responsible for any losses incurred during the course of this transaction The PayPal service is provided by PayPal Australia Pty Limited <removed> which holds Australian Financial Services Licence numbe[Removed. Phone #s not permitted]2021 PayPal. All rights reserved.

[Khongthuom]

PayPal Address

[FrickinBeach]

I am trying to sell a trailer/boat on Kijiji in Ontario Canada. A buyer contacted me from Ohio USA. They said they could only use PayPal so I revived my old never used PayPal account. A little while later she said her shipping agent doesn’t accept PayPal and asked me if they sent an extra $600 could I forward it to the shipper (etransfer/Bitcoin etc) I said ok assuming I would get payment first. I started to get nervous… ok so first I get an email that payment has been made then another saying payment is on hold saying it will be released once I send the shipping agent payment with a couple click here spots at the bottom (I didn’t click). Now nowhere in my PayPal account does it show any payment or hold notifications and the buyer has spent 4 hours texting me getting a little nasty… even tried to call… I tried to call the call center but it was closed so I keep telling the buyer I won’t send funds till someone from PayPal confirms what the emails say. The buyer keeps saying PayPal won’t confirm a payment or hold if I call and the only thing for me to do is send the money. Even accused me of being the one scamming them even though I have recieved no money and nothing but the emails say money is there and on hold there is absolutely nothing in my PayPal account that references any transaction ever! Is someone trying to scam me or does PayPal really ask sellers to forward money to private unconfirmed shipping agents?

[Empress_Natalie]

My guess is yeah, you're being scammed. Don't send them anything. Just tell them you're not selling them your boat unless they're willing to drive up here to buy it.

[kernowlass]

@FrickinBeach 

SCAM.

They encourage you to accept a direct Paypal payment.
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 or sending as a gift to a family member but they will arrange a shipping agent or courier 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 have a Paypal account and have no intention of paying you.
It will say the buyer has paid ...you won't have been paid.

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 another payment processor than Paypal or by providing some vouchers or tokens before the funds are released to you.
They are 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 NEVER expect you to use a rival money transfer service eg Moneygram, Western Union, Bank Transfer or any sort of gift token or voucher.
There is no seller protection on paypal for any type of motor vehicle or item that is collected by the buyer.

Delete any emails and ignore the scammers.

[PlusMinusZero]

Hi,
I was tried to be fraud yesterday to pay forefront for the truck company. "PayPal" would have send the whole sum to me after I let them know the expected hundreds of euros to be paid for freight. 

The message looked a lot like real PayPal originated messages. Even the sender name is close, <removed> which has only one character difference. The real address is <removed> which was actually the part raised my suspicion.

The account is done with google mail. Hopefully they can discard the address.

[peri0d]

@PayPal_Adrien what about fraud snail mail?

https://www.paypal-community.com/t5/Security-and-Fraud/Denied-credit-card-application-that-was-never...

[swansfan4]

Could anyone please help me with this potential issue I may have? 

Is the email address in this screenshot legitimate?

The user with this email sent money through PayPal for a purchase from me but the transaction is pending until I scan a receipt and reply to the same service email.

Any help I can get will be appreciated.

[kernowlass]

@swansfan4 

Screenshot not showing up.

Always best to give us a gist of the content of the email rather than a screenshot.

However this sounds like a 100% scam to me as that is not how paypal works.