How to recognize common scams when selling

[PayPal_Michelle]

Hi everyone!

I want to write this post specifically to help new and experienced sellers spot when a buyer may not be legitimate. This includes recognizing fake emails and tricks fraudsters use to obtain items without actually paying.

Common Email Scams:

• Emails made to look like they are from PayPal using our information for the email account “name”. Hovering over the name or replying will show that the actual email address isn’t registered to paypal.com
• Emails may say that “You have money” or “You’ve been paid,” but there is absolutely no record of the payment in the PayPal account. These will also generally say something along the lines that the payment will not post to the PayPal account until replying to the email with tracking information.
• PayPal will never ask that you reply to an email with tracking in order to complete a purchase. Tracking should always be added to the transaction in the PayPal account.
• There are some situations where we place a hold on a payment until tracking shows an item has been delivered, but there will always be a record of the sale in the PayPal account, and it will show a “pending” account balance. If there is no record in the PayPal account, do not ship the item!
• Emails will say that you’ve received a payment considerably more than the sale amount. These will advise you to use a competitor payment processor to send the difference to a “shipping agent” that will come pick up the item or back to the buyer directly.
• Processing payments is kind of PayPal’s thing, and we will never ask you to send money using another company.

Common Fraudulent Orders:

• The buyer may request a seller send an invoice instead of paying through the seller’s website or on eBay.
• This is a means to obtain the seller’s email address to commit the above scams.
• The buyer asks that you ship to a different address after sending a payment.
• There are situations where this may be an innocent mistake by the buyer, but it is also a means for fraudsters to circumvent our security measures.
• In both cases, always refund the payment and ask that they resend it with the correct shipping address. This will protect you in the event a dispute happens, and a legitimate buyer won’t have an issue correcting their error.
• Buyer sends an invoice to confuse new sellers into believing it is a “pending” payment.

The key is to stay informed and don’t be afraid to ask for help if you are unsure if it is safe to ship an item. We’re always happy to help here or you can contact our customer support directly by following the Help & Contact link at the bottom of the page. You can also reach us on Facebook or at @AskPayPal on Twitter.

Sell safely and thank you!

Michelle

If this post or any other was helpful, please enrich the community by giving kudos or accepting it as a solution.

[Lonnie55]

Exact same thing with me... sent me a military ID and all. Martin <removed>. I am new to this PayPal thing and was really close to doing this. Thankful for google and this message board. Thanks for posting this! I sent this link to him via text and told him where to go...

[Steven19851]

A buyer bought a package from everything when smooth untill the money was suppose to go into my PayPal account they send me a email and said that there is a technical problem and deducted twice from the buyer and nw they say I must pay that money into spar for him a amount of 7500 ZAR before I can get mine he got the package and I don't have my money

[Jwrieden]

I received an offer for something I am selling but instead of it happening like it usually does, the buyer wants me to send my email address and additional payment to put a gift card in the package.

[ellisbarnes]

I sold an item for £330 and the reason for this is that I had to upgrade to a business account. I requested a money transfer for the £330 and still haven’t received it. I had to issue a refund receipt for £500 for the business account off the buyer and still have no conformation email. Have I been scammer for extra money?

[Mrlen]

Hey I have made a sell through PayPal and this guy said he sent me 610$ but not showing In my apps but I’m keep getting email talking bout my account at 1000 but I need to send him 390 back sound like bs and I’m out of the bed Xbox x Series I need help like now

[Banpokies1]

PayPal has been really fantastic getting a full refund for me from "Derfea" who is connected with Shenzhen Lijuan Trading Co., Ltd in China.

I bought 15 large-sized lattice garden screens with grape leaves on them, that were meant to each measure 20 inches x 100 inches when expanded.
I received the order but the goods were not described in detail eg no screen size etc.
When the parcel arrived the goods "were not as described". The goods cost just over $330AUD or $226USD.
The screens measured 15 inches x 30 inches at best. They were way too small, clearly were NOT what I had paid for and they were useless to me.
I complained to <Removed> and <Removed> of the Derfea [Shenzhen Lijuan] company and received silly offers of a partial refund. [$20 to 50]
Posting the goods back to China was going to cost $118AUD so that was another issue.

Luckily I had saved the pictures of similar screens from the website I purchased from, which gave the measurements of the screens I ordered.

I also saved the postal label details and showed that the codes for goods sent matched my original order but the goods received were different.
When I submitted my PayPal dispute I did have all the required information for PayPal to work from. 
BUT I also sent THIS information below to the Chinese sellers. I think it might have helped.

"I wish to draw your attention to the following document from China’s peak consumer protection agency  -  State Administration for Market Regulation.

http://www.samr.gov.cn/zw/
Please find this document on the Chinese website?

http://gkml.samr.gov.cn/nsjg/zfjcj/202006/t20200601_316136.html

If you read through that document carefully you may see that your company could be charged and fined for unfair trading practices? All chapters are relevant especially chapters IV and VI.

From the Chinese legal document cited above.

“Chapter VI Legal Liability"

Article 74 Where an e-commerce operator sells goods or provides services, fails to perform contractual obligations or performs contractual obligations that do not conform to the agreement, or causes damage to others, he shall bear civil liability in accordance with law."

I hope that you will agree to pay me the $226.59USD I paid to you.

If you do not help me to resolve this fairly now I will make a complaint about your company to the Chinese government authorities and to Australia’s ACCC, and I will ask PayPal to do that on my behalf."

I have learned a lot about trading with Chinese suppliers who lately have been scamming very much, it seems?

Rule Number ONE: When buying online, screenshot a picture of the item you bought AND the transaction itself.
Rule Number TWO: Make sure you get sent an Order from the company and check it against your PayPal Activity List.
Rule Number THREE: If/When items arrive...KEEP THE POSTAGE LABEL and check that the tracking code matches the code on your PayPal Activity List.

[IF BUYING FROM CHINA IT IS WORTH CHECKING THE LINKS OUT. SOME CONSUMER PROTECTION IS AT LEAST OFFERED BY THE CHINESE GOVT.]

[hmdd14]

During the end of 2019, while I was engaging on affiliate products after spending over $200, someone introduced an affiliation training & I have paid him for this training

However, he didn't stick on his promise and me and others who joined ask him to payback.

I have asked him several times & I didn't get the training nor the money I have paid and at the same time I have stopped the previous training.

Due to this I have lost at least $800.

Is it possible to get the money which I have paid for the second training?

Thanks

[Jgould0876]

Hi, I recently sold an item online to a gentleman who was purchasing my item for his son in America. From the recipe can’t I received an email from pay pal saying that I have to send the item to receive my money within 24-48 hours. I then sent my item and provided my tracking number to then realise I could be getting scammed so I went back to the post office and reversed the parcel so I have now got my items back. I then have received an email saying that PayPal has told the recipient tho take legal action. This is probably a dumb question although is this actually a scam and is legal action on behalf of PayPal actually happening? Thanks

[Marmar88]

I was selling coins the lady said she wanted a gift card for her daughter. 300 bucksmy total I would of got was.550 They then said if you.dont have that much then pay what u can and I spent 100 on ebay gift card because I was told 550 would instantly go on my account and then I got a email saying I needed 100 more. How do I get a refund

[kernowlass]

@Marmar88 

Yep scam if you read the rest of the thread it will tell you that.