New paypal scam?

**Red_Label** · Feb-28-2013, 8:48am

I've done hundreds of transactions thru PayPal over the past dozen plus years. No issues with scams or fraud. Deals have been for everything from $.99 to $2500... both buying and selling.

**JCook** · Feb-28-2013, 9:00am

I do understand that a lot of these scams are coming from some foreign place and masquerading as being somewhere local and that improper English is a clue that maybe something is not legitimate but it's at best only a clue,it's not a "dead give away". Poor English language skills shouldn't exclude someone from buying or selling over the Internet.

That's certainly true if you are dealing with a private individual. But if an email purports to be an official email from a commercial company like PayPal I think you can expect that they would have the grammar and wording correct in English, or any other language they have to deal with in business. That's one big clue that it's not a real PayPal email.

Jack

**belbein** · Feb-28-2013, 4:25pm

Originally Posted by reeljack

Here's mine...

Hi there, Thank you for getting back to me.Can you assure me that is in goodstate and that i will not be disappointed with it?I'm ready to payyour asking price and to be honest, i want to buy this for my brotheras his gift. I am a marine engineer that works on the sea at themoment. phone calls making and visiting of website are restricted buti squeezed out time to check this advert and send you an emailregarding it so my only quickest payment option is PayPal as i cansend money via PayPal anytime.Since I'm requesting this transaction tobe done via PayPal, i will be responsible for all the pay palfee/charges on this transaction and if you don't have an account withpaypal, it is pretty easy, safe and secured to open one. Just log onto . I hope we can make the purchase as fast aspossible? I have a mover that will come for it once payment clears . iwill like to see more pics i look forward to hear back from you soon. Below are the details needed Your PayPal e-Mail Address :Full name:Firm Price: Thank You

As a fraud prosecutor, this just stinks to high heaven. I could go through the signs, but it's pretty obvious. It's always amazing that people fall for this stuff. But then it was amazing to me that people buy into the pyramid schemes I've put out of business, and certain soap companies.

By the way, those of us in the biz do call them "fraudsters." The alternative--"fraudfeasors"--sounds like some sort of toad: Bufo fraudfeasor.

**Tom Cherubini** · Feb-28-2013, 10:17pm

Belbein, you call the 'fraudsters'. I call them thieves and low-life knaves without a shred of self-respect or honesty.

**kmmando** · Mar-01-2013, 7:15am

Just thought I'd share (for interest's sake only) Paypals response after they received the fake email that I was sent - they asked me to send it on to them.

Hello Kevin Macleod,
Thanks for forwarding that suspicious-looking email. You're right - it
was a phishing attempt, and we're working on stopping the fraud. By
reporting the problem, you've made a difference!
Identity thieves try to trick you into revealing your password or other
personal information through phishing emails and fake websites. To learn
more about online safety, click "Security Center" on any PayPal webpage.
Every email counts. When you forward suspicious-looking emails to
spoof@paypal.com, you help keep yourself and others safe from identity
theft.
Your account security is very important to us, so we appreciate your
extra effort.
Thanks,
PayPal

**frecky** · Mar-01-2013, 2:25pm

Hi!

I am in the compuetr biz. And yes this is a scam. I was recently selling a mando online, and got the same paypal song and dance. Including emails that looked like they were from Paypal, claiming the money was in my account. The guy spoofed the paypal account and logo's to make it look legit, sending emails saying a deposit was made to my account.

But being a geek/mando player I checked my paypal account via paypal's web site and there was no money. He did the same scam, the old "I am in the armed forces dance". I asked for his phone number and when I called there was no answer.

I also sent him an email and a text messge explaining the I am doing contract work for the FBI and I have captured his IP Address of his phone and computer, and know his location. I explained that his information will be entered into a database targeting paypal, ebay and craiglists scams that is maintained by the bureau. I never got a reply back

Make sure you login to the real paypal site before you ship anything, and be sure the money is there. Also watch closely, this guy wanted to pick the mandolin up and me to give him $400 that he placed in my account (supposedly).

I trust our mando cafe folks, but make your craigslist transactions cash only. I also transfer my goods I sell of value in the lobby of my local police department.

He almost had me, and I have been in the business since 1998!

All the best!

**ollaimh** · Mar-02-2013, 8:46pm

yeah i ran into this just a few days sgo. they offered to pay my asking price , paypal only. they sent me a paypal invoice. i contacted paypal and it was counterfeit. they wanted me to send them $900 to release $4600. better the next day they asaid legal action might result from me not paying. good luck, then i would have their address to sue them(i was a lawyer before i went straight). so no harm if you refise to send them the release fee to western union.

of course they wanted me to fill out an information form that would sell my daughter into slavery and mortgage the house.

do poeple actually pay money on request? when they are the seller?

**Mike Bunting** · Mar-02-2013, 9:03pm

Originally Posted by ollaimh

do poeple actually pay money on request? when they are the seller?

Probably, since this scam is often attempted, there must be a good chance that someone bites. Sad commentary on the intelligence of the general population.

**belbein** · Mar-02-2013, 10:42pm

Originally Posted by Mike Bunting

Probably, since this scam is often attempted, there must be a good chance that someone bites. Sad commentary on the intelligence of the general population.

Postal Service and Justice call these "Nigerian Scams," since the first generation originated (or so they say) in Nigeria. They never made sense to me when I first started working on them. Why would anyone not only send money to someone based on this kind of ridiculous contact, and then--in many cases--continue sending money after money after money.

Well, I never got it until I started thinking of the economics of it. The scammer (pardon me, the "thieves and knaves without an ounce of self respect") pays absolutely nothing for his marketing. He can send 1,000,000 emails as easily as he can send 100. If he sends 100,000,000,000 e-mails and gets a miniscule return--say, 0.001%--and even then only bilks a pigeon out of $100, that's a pretty darn good rate of return.

Unfortunately, there are people "stupid enough" to fall for this. They're not really stupid though. They're old and infirm; they're desperate; they're ill-informed; they're just us on our worst days. And by the way, I just fell for a phishing scheme, and I'm in the law enforcement business. It only took me 1.5 seconds to twig to it. Unfortunately, it too my fingers 1.3 seconds to automatically type in my password. Oh well. I was overdue to change all my passwords anyway.

**greg_tsam** · Mar-03-2013, 12:03am

I recently sold a mando and used my Bank to transfer funds. Chase Quick Pay is what I ended up using. It was fast, easy and free. The other party signed up for the service and his account was verified and I did the same. He sent my the money using either my eamil address or telephone number and Chase sent me nitification the funds were being delivered and asked me to accept. Once, I did they were mine. Easy Peasy, free and I felt safe using it.

**Tom Cherubini** · Mar-03-2013, 12:20am

I have a classical guitar for sale on Craigslist and I've been getting the usual spam emails offering to send me checks, etc, so i amended the ad. The last sentence now says, "Cash transaction only at the local police station."
I live in a small town so I may be able to get permission to actually make the exchange there. I'm hoping it will discourage thieves.
Of course it diminishes my chances to sell the item but as my signature below says in Italian, "Better an egg today than a chicken tomorrow."

**Vannillamandolin** · Mar-03-2013, 6:56am

Not sure of that one , but do be careful It sounds a bit strange to me - we have many of those kind of e-mails in SA - and we report these to the police, or our bank managers, it is known in SA that these kinds of notes are often part of a scam to get information, ID Pin numbers, etc.

Best Vanillamandolin

**Vannillamandolin** · Mar-03-2013, 7:08am

The language usage and many typos do not bode well, I would avoid.
Also, too many time consuming explanations - if something is legal it is a trusted well-known company, a simple deal.

In another thread I explained how I was researching the purchase of mandolins in SA. A company who would handle all, claimedthat si could only contact them online. They would respond in two working days. Showed me the most exquisite Kentucky mandolin and I really wanted it. Something felt wrong.
When I phoned their number given the next day the number was nonexistent - fortunately did not part with R5,000. In SA, by the by, that is a lot of money, decent chunk of my bonus. I don't know whose scam this is, but perhaps a company name was used, a reputable one like pay pal perhaps to make all seem in good order. Do be careful

Best

VM

**Jim Garber** · Mar-03-2013, 2:21pm

Originally Posted by Strings8

I have a classical guitar for sale on Craigslist and I've been getting the usual spam emails offering to send me checks, etc, so i amended the ad. The last sentence now says, "Cash transaction only at the local police station."

I like that. Will prob use it in the future. For all my craigslist transactions I meet in my local Starbuck's parking lot in broad daylight. I don't want any people to come to my house and, besides, my ferocious little dogs will nip their buds off.