Sending PayPal email address for payment?

[Alexbaillie37]

Hi, I received the following message on eBay and wondered if it is safe to just send my PayPal email address for payment? " Okay consider it sold to me for £195 and end the auction. I will make payment directly from secure Paypal website because I have reached buying limit on eBay. I add extra £30 which I have confirmed will cover postage through International postage and I will pay total of £225. I want it deliver to my cousin at abroad because I'm currently military camp and there is no way I could handle postage from here.Get back to me with your P-a-y-P-a-l email to pay, Send it directly to my Gmail account benzarafe at Gmail dot com (pls correct it). And include your ebay username or item number so that I can identify from whom the message is coming from you" This person has no feedback on there eBay page at all. Thanks!

[kernowlass]

@Alexbaillie37

THIS IS A TYPICAL PAYPAL SCAM.

They encourage you to use paypal and often ask you to end the auction early and they will pay direct with paypal.

This is because they have an anonymous or hijacked Ebay account and have no intention of using Ebay checkout as they DO NOT HAVE A PAYPAL ACCOUNT (the scam is fake paypal emails).

They often say they can't view the item as they are disabled or in the military etc etc and want the item sent to a friend or relative (normally Nigeria or similar).

You will get/got a "fake" email that looks as though it is from paypal.....it isn't.
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.
                                                      OR
If the item requires shipping the 'fake' paypal email will tell you that the buyer has paid for the item + shipping costs but you must send those shipping costs to the courier via western union / moneygram BEFORE the funds are released to you.
They are not interested in the item, they just want the western union etc funds and you will never see money in your paypal balance.
They also threaten legal action...have a laugh at that one and ignore it as its rubbish.

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.
Paypal NEVER expect you to use a rival money transfer service eg Moneygram or Western Union.

Delete any emails and ignore the scammers.

[Alexbaillie37]

Thank you 🙂 Will they be able to access anything on my paypal if i just send them my paypal email? 

[kernowlass]

@Alexbaillie37

I have just told you that it is a scam and you still want to send them your paypal email?  

[Alexbaillie37]

No need to be like that, I thanked you for your advise (which is after all my, decison to take), I was only asking a follow up question......

I just want to know if sending someone your paypal email address opens you up to being hacked or something like that. 

[kernowlass]

@Alexbaillie37

Well i wasn't being anything, I was just surprised you may be still going ahead.

And as I chose to kindly give up my own time to respond to your post AND type out all the above AND save you possibly being scammed then a thank you is the least I would expect someone to do.

But don't worry I will make sure not to respond in the future.

[Alexbaillie37]

Oki doki, well thanks anyway!......

[kernowlass]

@Alexbaillie37

No problem, just added you to my list to not respond or help in the future....bye