Send PayPal a picture of amazon gift card

[smorrid]

Why did PayPal say I needed to go buy a 200$ amazon gift card and then send them a picture of it? Just to receive the funds for an item that I've already shipped and it's sent? Anyone else get emails like this? It's ridiculous, I just want the money that I'm owed, I'm feeling pretty cheated right about now. @PayPal_EJ @PayPal_BJ @PayPal_Jae @PayPal_Roy @PayPal_Jo 

[sharpiemarker]

@smorrid 

The person you're doing this transaction with is a scammer. PayPal NEVER asks you to buy a gift card to receive or see your money in your PayPal account. Do not ship out any goods. If you have, contact post office/courier to intercept package asap!

It is ridiculous. That's the scammer's form of a tell or a bluff, like in a card game to let you know, they are full of it. And if you're keen, to know you should move on.

[smorrid]

This is what the email looked like

[sharpiemarker]

@smorrid 

Can't see your image as it needs to be approved by the forum system. But I don't need to see it.

Emails can be spoofed/faked. Always check your account for the money. No money, no talk. Even if money is on hold by PayPal you will still see a record of payment, IF the person REALLY paid.

This person is trying to scam gift card out of you, that's it. PayPal never asks you to buy a gift card to show it to them in order to receive payment into your account; What would PayPal want with your purchased gift card? PayPal themselves sells gift cards, got scores and scores of gift cards up the yingyang, PayPal don't want to see your purchased gift card lol. It's ridiculous. The scammer is pulling a common scam.

[smorrid]

Is there anything I can do to get my money that I am owed? I really needed it and I feel heartbroken that I got scammed right now....

[sharpiemarker]

@smorrid 

Sadly, no. This person's intention was never to pay you. They never sent payment. They just want to scam a gift card out of you with a fake PayPal payment confirmation email. They're a fake buyer. Relist your item.

Never give your name out, just email address for payment when transacting though PayPal. The sender will see your name soon enough if they really made payment, in the transaction details in their PayPal account activity, post-payment. If you give them the name on the PayPal account (before or pre-payment), they can use it to make up a spoof PayPal email to trick you.

[smorrid]

It wasn't just a gift card though, it was the product. I had already sent it too...

[sharpiemarker]

@smorrid 

Okay, then intercept the package as soon as possible with the shipping company.

https://www.usps.com/manage/package-intercept.htm

If its UPS or FedEx, or whoever you shipped with, contact them to intercept and recall the parcel back.

[smorrid]

It's already been marked as delivered....

[sharpiemarker]

@smorrid 

Oh lord. Then I'm afraid, the only thing you can do is file a police report with your local PD and have it forwarded to the buyer's local PD to try to recover the item. PayPal can't do anything since no financial transaction occurred. It's a law enforcement issue and get in touch with the shipping company. If you shipped USPS, file a mail fraud report with the US Postal Inspector with the tracking number.

https://www.paypal.com/us/smarthelp/article/what-are-common-scams-and-how-do-i-spot-them-faq3176

https://www.paypal.com/us/smarthelp/article/how-to-spot-fake%2C-fraudulent%2C-spoof%2C-or-phishing-e...

https://www.paypal.com/us/smarthelp/article/all-about-fake-emails-or-websites-faq695

Gift card scams are one of the fairly newer scams so its not in the help docs at the time these were written.