Help with receiving payment

[Carol359]

I have had an email from paypal saying they have received a payment from a buyer. But before I can receive this payment I have been asked to pay a courier first for the items to be collected ?????????

[sharpiemarker]

@Carol359 

It’s a scam. Don’t pay. Ship with carrier (ie. Royal Mail, Hermès) of your choosing that provides you with valid tracking number. PayPal does not ask you to pay a third party in order to post your payment in your account. If someone really paid, it should be in your account fairly instantly, even if PayPal puts a hold on it. Check to make sure the message is really from PayPal. Always ensure you see payment in your account before shipping.

[Carol359]

Sorry. I forgot to add they have added the courier charge to the pending payment but in order fir the amount to be paid to my PayPal account I need to pay the courier charge. Still sounds wrong though doesn't it?????

[kernowlass]

@Carol359 

SCAM.

They encourage you to accept a direct Paypal payment and may ask you to send a money request so that they have your info to send fake paypal emails.
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 item that is collected by the buyer.

Delete any emails and ignore the scammers.

[Carol359]

Thank you so much for this help. I've blocked him now.