Faked PayPal emails

[Nels2]

I've just been scammed out of A$1,100. I advertised an Apple iPad Air 4 with a Magic Keyboard and was contacted by a Louise [removed]. She asked me to send her a PayPal request for funds. I received what appeared to be a PayPal email that the amount was pending and would be paid to me once I posted the item and sent them (PayPal) the tracking number. I did this but after the item was delivered according to the Australian Post tracking I still hadn't received payment. I texted her and got a response asking me to post the item to NSW. I immediately replied but then she left the group. I checked her FB profile and it's disappeared. I tried to raise a PayPal dispute but got an automated reply to say that I couldn't. On closer inspection of the PayPal emails I see that they were from Gmail accounts. How foolish of me. I feel violated. I don't think there is a chance in hell of getting anything done about this. If it helps anyone here are the scanner's details: [removed] Name Hansen [removed] Parcel Locker [removed]

[kernowlass · Accepted solution]

@Nels2 

Sadly this scam has been on here for at least 15 years and I post the information below about 6 times a day.

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......this won't happen.

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.
Delete any emails and ignore the scammers.

[Nels2]

Because I hadn't checked the emails properly I read them at face value and as this is the first (and last) time that I've done this I believed that funds had been received by PayPal and were sitting in escrow waiting for me to post the item. I've learnt my lesson the hard way now.