Possible "Money Request" Scam?

[edgeso]

Earlier today I listed a game console for a couple hundred dollars on Ebay, and an account that had been made the same day with no reviews, and a generic name offered a hundred dollars more for the console than as it was listed. I accepted the offer, and he's been messaging me from (apparently) Canada in broken English (not too bad just grammatically incorrect at times). He wants me to send a money request message to an extremely generic email (i.e <removed>) with a different yet equally generic account name (mike <removed>, instead of John <removed>), and he says he will accept the offer as soon as he sees the notification.

Is this probably a scam or am I being paranoid? I haven't sent the request yet by the way I just wanted to hear from some people.

Edit: Also, his reasoning for buying the console is that it is a gift for his uncle's son (which would be his cousin?).

[edgeso]

Update: The dude just sent me this email despite me never sending a money request: "Hello seller, am pleased to inform you that I have carried out the payment via PayPal, I just got a notification from them, am sure you must have been notified also cause the fund as been deducted from my account if not, kindly check your PayPal email inbox for confirmation.. am currently in (Pennsylvania Military Base) serving the country as a real Military Man. I also added $100 to the shipping fee because I'm buying the item for my UNCLE, he went for Humanitarian program in united state. Please don't use any other postage service except FedEx Priority Express Mail international and also write gift on the paper. Am sorry for the inconvenience. thanks for your understanding..

SHIPPING ADDRESS:

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX"

Huh.

[kernowlass · Accepted solution]

@edgeso

This is a typical scam ..................

They may buy on Ebay but they use an anonymous or hijacked Ebay account and DO NOT have a Paypal account so they can't use Ebay checkout. 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 or 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 etc etc but they will arrange a shipping agent 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 actually 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......this won't happen.

OR
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 western union, moneygram or walmart etc BEFORE the funds are released to you.
They are not interested in the item, they just want the western union etc funds and you will never see money in your paypal balance.

They also 'sometimes' threaten legal action...have a laugh at that one and ignore it as its rubbish.

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 or Western Union etc.
Also their 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.

[ScottBarratt15]

So I’ve had an email from PayPal that my friend has requested money from me... it’s got his name but not his email... this is clearly a scam? What do I do?

[Iggy2008]

I sold a laptop on eBay. The buyer used a fake PayPal platform to email me proof of money transfer. By the time PayPal told me it was a scam , the item was already shipped. Neither eBay nor PayPal has any liability regarding my case.

[kernowlass]

@Iggy2008 

Then the payment would not show as paid on Ebay as the buyer would not have used Ebay checkout.

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.

Sorry but as the transaction was not done using Paypals or Ebays site as the scammer never used them then why would they be responsible?

You were sadly scammed by someone sending you fake Paypal emails using a hijacked or throwaway email address from an internet cafe somewhere in Africa normally (although it can of course be any country).

No funds in your Paypal balance means you have not been paid.

[ResseKitty]

I was a offer more than I asked for an item and then the guys contacted me through messages on my phone asking me to request the money, which I did and thenI just got this email:

"Hello seller, am pleased to inform you that I have carried out the payment via PayPal and added $100 for the shipping fee, I just got a notification from them, am sure you must have been notified also because the fund as already been deducted from my account if not, kindly check your PayPal email inbox, spam/junk for confirmation.. I should have ask you to post it to my address on eBay, but am currently in (Pennysalvania Military Base) serving the country as a real Military Man. I paid $100 for the shipping fee because I'm buying the item for my NEPHEW as a birthday gift, he works with the WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION they went for CANCER CURE PROGRAMME in WEST AFRICA. Please don't use any other postage service except UNITED STATE POSTAL SERVICE (USPS) PRIORITY EXPRESS MAIL INTERNATIONAL 4-8 DAYS DELIVERY and also Mark the item as gift. Am sorry for any inconvenience this may have cause. thanks for your understanding.."

It seems like a SCAM right away so I copy and pasted the email on google and this thread came out. Be careful guys.