Is this a scam? eBay/PayPal

Sahess74
Member
Member

Hello, I was selling some shoes on eBay for 320$. And I get an offer for 350$. He messages me and askes me if the item is in good condition or.. I answer and tell him it's brand new. He askes me for PayPal email and I send it. He askes me to also buy a 400$ Visa gift card. I go along with it acting like I purchased it and he gives me an address in Georgia. He pays 740$ and tells me to check inbox and spam folder for a PayPal conformation. He tells me "If you refuse to get the gift card for verification so they can release the money to your account legal action will be taken against you" I tell him that I will be refunding his purchase because I am skeptical. I go onto my PayPal, but I don't see anything transferred on Summary or Activity tab. I give him instructions to get a chargeback for the 740. He tells me PayPal can not refund him. He next says, "Did you get the confirmation email from PayPal about my payment already?" I tell him yes. Later in the conversation he askes, "How much can you purchase right now just for verification so there can release your funds immediately?" I respond saying 100$. He tells me he emailed them and they somehow changed it to 100$. I get an email right away, but it seemed fake after reading it a few times. He tells me to purchase a 100$ gift card and send a picture as verification, but this time he switched it up to an eBay gift card. He says I should do it immediately and I tell him I'll do it later. The ID was listed in the emails and when I clicked it, it said something like "Cannot find page", but now all it says is, "This site can’t be reached, Check if there is a typo in 88m084141x619134m."

 

Is this a confirmed PayPal service email?

<removed>

 

 

This was the email that sent all of the emails to me. 

 

Why would a gift card have to be needed for an eBay purchase, it makes no sense. 

What should I do? 

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1 REPLY 1

kernowlass
Esteemed Advisor
Esteemed Advisor

@Sahess74 

 

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.

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.
They will tell you that the payment is released when you provide paypal with a tracking/shipping number OR send them the code for a gift card first, they may not even want the item just scam you for that gift card code.

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, Western Union, Bank Transfer or any sort of gift token or voucher.
Delete any emails and ignore the scammers.


Advice is voluntary.
Kudos / Solution appreciated.
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