Victim of Fraud/Scam/Sexstortion

[Horratio]

I have been a victim of Fraud, sending considerable sums to fraudsters using Friends and Family option on Paypal. Apart from Calling, is there another method to contact Paypal and for them to investigate eg email address. My bank won't refund me. The last opportunity lies with Paypal. Someone please help me, i have lost considerable sums, and now I am , link etc in dire straits financially. And the PP site does not contain a direct link to raise matters with PP. This is nothing to do with chargebacks/disputes etc and was referred to Police.

Any help would be real welcome at this time.

[kernowlass · Accepted solution]

@Horratio 

Basically you sent ''gifts'' of money to a stranger.

A friends / family (or gift payment) is intended as a transfer of funds from family or friends to one another. For this reason, there is no processing fee when payment is made with bank or PayPal balance.
However as it is a gift payment, there is also no buyer protection as no goods or services should have been exchanged.

If he was not a close mate or family member you should never use that option as it enables the seller to evade paying his Paypal fees and negates your buyer protection at the same time.

You would also not be able to open a dispute (apart from one citing an unauthorised transaction), which would be automatically closed as you did authorise the initial payment.

Be careful as using that option for purchasing goods is against Paypal rules and can lead to account limitation.

If you funded your Paypal payment via a credit card then contact your card issuer and see if they will help you but unfortunately they may decline as well as it was a gift payment.

[Horratio]

Hi in your last sentence you mention credit card - i used debit card. Could my debit card issuer help me? And yes I sent ''gifts'' of money to a stranger as I was blackmailed. Threatening to report me to the Police etc

[kernowlass]

@Horratio 

Unlikely you will be covered by a debit card but speak to your bank to see if they will help you?

[Horratio]

Hi, yes I did that - they said call paypal. And paypal do not want to know as I used Friends and family as I was instructed to do so.

I have to accept I've lost £2000 to this utter utter utter scum.

[kernowlass]

@Horratio 

Why did you send it? Blackmailers once they have your funds and know you will pay often come back for more.

I would have said go report me then and ignored them, unlikely they would ever bother as often they are not even in the same country as yourself.