Examples of Suspected Fraud/Fake Emails

[PayPal_Adrian]

Hello everyone!

One of the greatest strengths consumers possess against fraud and phishing is education and collaboration.  To help support your safety online, I'm going to open this special thread up for you.  Here, you can post examples of what you believe to be attempts by individuals to defraud you or others of their hard earned valuables and money. 

Before we begin, a few housekeeping points:

• We will be using this as a "master thread," so if we find an example in other areas of the boards, we may merge the post into this one.

• For everyone's safety, please remove any last names or contact information (including email addresses) from your examples.  In many instances, the names provided by fraudsters are fake or may actually be the name of someone they already defrauded. 

• On that same note, please don't ever attempt to confront a fraudster or attempt to track them down.  Instead, turn the information you do have over to your local authorities. 

• Please also remove any links from your posts, as these could potentially go to spoofed or phishing websites.

Other than that, we only ask that you keep it productive and stay within the Forum Decorum and posting guidelines.  I'll be stopping in on a regular basis to clean house and comment on posts, so don't be surprised if you see my mug - or another moderator - stopping in to say hello! 

With that said, I'm going to start moving posts in, so you might see some older examples mixed in with the new posts.  I hope this thread becomes a great resource for everyone!

Stay safe,

Adrian

[RalphPotot]

I received a similar email today indicating problems with my account with a link to restore service. My paypal ccount appeared OK upon logging on. I was suspicious since the notification went thru junk mail. Also noted the odd heading??misspelling or maybe Russian script.

"Notification of Limited Account Access / Notification d'accиs au compte Limited‏"

[riverwatch]

Gee, the scammers must be fishing the bottom of the pond with me as my Craigslist item was only $1100.

Here is a copy of the email sent to me today. 

Thank you for your response.Well i am willing to pay your asking price,but not cash in person,because I am from England and presently on a missionary program attached to Norwich Cathedral which will end in couple of months.I can only pay you through PayPal as i cant access any other form of payment online from missioanry program here,also because PayPal has a way to protect both buyer and seller from losing there goods or money and Its easy to sign up,safe and secure for online trading without given out your bank account or credit card information.all i need to make the payment is the email address you use in your registration with PayPal.If you are ok with PayPal,go to www.paypal.com and set up your account for this business and it will be useful for your future business,PayPal charges for international transaction like this is is 3.9 %,i will be responsible for that.

My mover will come for the shipping and do the change of ownership on my behalf after you confirmed payment in your account.My phone # is: +<removed>

I will be waiting for your paypal email and your phone number so i can proceed with the payment and call you.

God Bless You

Red Flags all over this message if you are selling on Craigslist, etc!!!  Perhaps you feel you can trust PayPal so you immediately ignore the rest.  Out of area, wants to send you money then have someone pick up the item, offers to pay the fee, all things that violate the seller security agreement!

I removed the name from the email as they are false and are changed up from time to time.  I found out the main part of this scam by doing a number look up.  The "reel you in" part is when they need you to wire shipping costs. 

 Stay away, very far away. 

[jodi123]

Hello I really appreciate your response to my  earlier email. like i said i will like to buy this item so pls withdraw the advert from craigslist. and i want to use the medium to tell you i wont be able to  came and inspect the item or pay for it inm cash, thats why i brought up this idea through i am presently in US i am will to buy this item as soon as possible, however am buying this for a cousin of mine as a wedding gift. i would appreciate if you allow mw to pay through paypal and i will ADD $200 as shipping cost via FEDEX express mail service and i want you to know i want this item shipped to colorado.. where my cousin live.. however if you dont have a pay pal acct you can just log onto paypal.com and set up an acct it is free easy and secure to pay and receive money through paypal.. get back to me asap..

[Hueyboy]

Interestingly, I got a similar reply to my Craigslist ad.  I smelled something fishy and declined to send moeny as an intermediary.  I stated my term and haven't heard from the "buyer" again.  Trust your gut that something is wrong when a simple transaction becomes overly complicated.

[gkcullen]

I had exactly the same thing happen today!  I did send an invoice from paypal, before they said that they were going to add on an additional 175 for shipping, that I had to pay to the shipper through western union.  I refused this and cancelled my invoice to this person.  I now have someone requesting my dresses, doing the same thing.  the name this time is Eric <removed>, and last time it was Helen <removed>.

This must be a scam, as I am selling dresses and no one even asked about the size!!  I hope they can not access any of my info from the initial invoice I sent.  What can they do to me? Can they access my bank accounts or credit cards? Now I am worried This all came from craigslists too!!

[vanessa1234]

This is definitely a scam. "Eric" has just requested a dress I'm selling from me. He has found a way to send fake paypal information which is detectable on the email he sent with a 'tracking number' . 

[laurgood67]

Be very careful.  It happened to me.  I will now only use paypal certified and must be shipped to the certified address.  That will stop them.  

Don't sell on Craigslist 

[bilous]

Hi!i think that's a scam.

[laurgood67]

Yes big time.  I advertised on Craiglist.  They sent me a postal money order that was fake.  I stopped the delivery.  Then they started calling me at home.  Very Scary.  Tons of emails demanding products.  When I phoned the us money order they said it wasn't there fault because it was fraud.

I stopped selling on craigslist all together.  Good luck

[bilous]

Yes it's a scam