how to get scammers blocked?

joesurf433
Contributor
Contributor

I have been scammed by a Paypal user through the friends and family service. I have contacted Paypal and have not been able to

get them to block this scammer from continuing to scam people. It seems Paypal does not want to stop scammers. Is there anything I can do?

Login to Me Too
16 REPLIES 16

kernowlass
Esteemed Advisor
Esteemed Advisor

@joesurf433 

 

If you used the friends/family option then you weren't buying anything, you were sending a gift of money to someone so why would they be banned for accepting that gift of money?


Advice is voluntary.
Kudos / Solution appreciated.
Login to Me Too

joesurf433
Contributor
Contributor

scammers heavily demand payment using friends and family.  Paypal refuses to block these scammers when notified.  Beyond that, paypal blames their customers for getting scammed. This is  a serious act of bad faith by Paypal.  This a known scammer and Paypal does nothing to stop them.

Login to Me Too

kernowlass
Esteemed Advisor
Esteemed Advisor

@joesurf433 

 

Were they a family member?

Were they a close mate or friend?

 

If not then why would you use that option?

You sent a GIFT of money to someone.


Advice is voluntary.
Kudos / Solution appreciated.
Login to Me Too

joesurf433
Contributor
Contributor

Your statement is absolutely absurd. Paypal is hiding behind some fantasy world that friends and family don't defraud or scam each other.  

This fantasy reality results in scammers being allowed to continue to use Paypal to scam more people.  In fact, I'm sure that both you and  Paypal

realize this, but you are just using this fantasy definition to continue allowing this loophole within the system for scammers to run amok. It's

completely unconscionable and reprehensible.

 

There really is no justification for not banning scammers. And there is absolutely no justification for victim blaming those that have

been scammed.   It looks like I'm going to have to appeal outside of Paypal, because it's clearly being a bad actor allowing known scammers

to continue to use their services.

 

 

Login to Me Too

kernowlass
Esteemed Advisor
Esteemed Advisor

@joesurf433 

 

My statement is factual, the fact you don't agree with it is another matter and does not make it absurd.

 

Paypal gives you 'some' buyer protection and 'some' seller protection but the onus is on all of us to risk assess our own transactions.

If you choose to send a 'gift' of money to a mate or family member and they scam you then that is between you and them.

 

Even credit cards won't refund payments sent as 'gifts'.

Sometimes you have to put it down to a learning curve and take responsibility for your own mistakes, paypal is not a 100% coverall guarantee of everything.


Advice is voluntary.
Kudos / Solution appreciated.
Login to Me Too

drasmusan
Contributor
Contributor

I agree-I was recently scammed also with Friends and Family.  I did not know that it wasn't disputable.  there wasn't a warning or anything.  I know now because I am out my hard earned money.  but there should still be a way to dispute even a payment that way 

Login to Me Too

kernowlass
Esteemed Advisor
Esteemed Advisor

@drasmusan 

 

There is a warning, when you click to send money it gives you 2 options, one states ''buyer protection available'' the other one does not.

Also the clue is in the name, if they are not a close mate or family member then you don't use it.


Advice is voluntary.
Kudos / Solution appreciated.
Login to Me Too

joesurf433
Contributor
Contributor

Again victim blaming.  You keep dancing around the fact that Paypal won't do anything to remove known scammers from their service that use Friends and Family. You are defending this practice.

 

It doesn't take much effort for Paypal to take down scammers. So why so much resistance? Seems like Paypal likes to make revenue off scammers.  

 

Your statements are morally reprehensible and indefensible.

 

You are defending scammers ability to continue to scam people on Paypal.

Login to Me Too

kernowlass
Esteemed Advisor
Esteemed Advisor

@joesurf433 

 

A scammer is someone that has scammed you, if you sent a ''gift'' of money to someone then how have they scammed you?

And paypal will remove a scammer that has loads of disputes/claims against them, as you can't open a claim against a friends/family payment then its unlikely they will get removed.

They are not going to remove every single person that accepts a friends/family payment on the odd occasion in over 200 countries worldwide just to please you as you didn't manage to send a payment using the goods/services option when most folks manage to do so correctly. You can't victim shame a 'gift' payment sent to someone.


Advice is voluntary.
Kudos / Solution appreciated.
Login to Me Too

Haven't Found your Answer?

It happens. Hit the "Login to Ask the community" button to create a question for the PayPal community.