Scammers?

[Moving2023]

I am moving and I am new to the world of selling things via Facebook marketplace. My friends tell me not to accept venmo or ever give out my phone number or email address. I have someone wanting to buy something and pay via PayPal and they want my email address. Please teach me!

[kernowlass · Accepted solution]

@Moving2023 

1. The email address you use with Paypal identifies your Paypal account and is all someone needs to pay you.

2. Your phone number identifies your Paypal account if using the app.

3. If you have set up a paypal.me link you can send that but make sure the buyer ticks the goods/services option to pay (if the f/f option is available in your country).

4. You can send a money request/invoice from your Paypal account to their Paypal email address for them to pay.

The latter is better as you can then fully describe the item that your buyer is paying for and that may help you if they open a received but not as described dispute.

You may be subject to the new seller hold (info on that in link below) but once cleared you can click on withdraw/transfer funds and send it to any linked funding source approved for withdrawals for the country you are in.
https://www.paypal.com/us/brc/article/funds-availability (that's the U.S link but the information is the same).

However be very careful as lots of scams about.

1. A lot of scammers encourage you to accept a Paypal payment and if you don't have an account ask you to open one.
2. Do not get scammed via spoof emails that look as if they are from Paypal.
3. Never send anything unless the funds are showing in your Paypal account balance, even if you are a new seller and subject to the new seller hold the funds would still show in your balance but have pending or on hold by them.
4. Do NOT send anything to an address that is not the buyers Paypal registered address.
5. Do not be fooled by your so called buyer and "Paypal" telling you that you either have to >>>

a. Send the item and provide a tracking number BEFORE the funds show in your balance.
b. You have to pay the buyers shipping agent via western union or moneygram OR any other payment transfer option before payment is credited to you.

6. Do not accept payment for sales using the family / friends option.
7. Remember sellers send invoices and not buyers so if you get an invoice or money request pending then you have NOT been paid if its not actually in your Paypal balance.
8. Any buyer asking you to send a gift card as well as their item is suspect as you will get a fake Paypal email saying they have paid but need to give them the gift card code first, thats all they want and you will never get paid.
9. If you are a seller you never have to send money or any sort of voucher to a buyer for anything account related.

If in doubt come here and ask and also read up on Paypals seller protection first so you can risk assess your transactions.

[Clokell]

This has happened to me yesterday, can someone please advise what I should do next?

[PayPal_Meghan]

Hello @Clokell, 

Thanks for stopping by the PayPal Community; welcome! 

I understand you'd like to learn more about receiving payments through PayPal. I recommend reviewing the post above yours from, @kernowlass. She has provided some amazing tips regarding how to receive payments and avoid scammers. I also recommend reviewing information on PayPal's Seller Protection Policy here: What is PayPal Seller Protection?

I hope this helps! 

- Meghan