Paypal

[jjeling]

Anyone familiar with paypal? I had my new alpha up for sale with a couple lenses and someone offered to buy it on craigslist. I have never used paypal and some of the details of the transaction seemed kind of fishy. I just wanted to get a second opinion on it before I continue. I was supposed to ship it out today, but am holding off on it until I get a second opinion. There is a lady who says she is buying it for a friend and offered an extra hundred dollars above my asking price to ship it to the destination. The destination is located in NIGERIA and shipping is $50 and she offered $100. It doesn't make sense to me that someone asked if I would sell for less, then say they don't care, then offer $50 MORE than what it would cost to ship the item. At this point I started second guessing everything. It seemed fishy at that point, but I figured I would proceed. I received an 'email' from paypal saying the funds were pending until I would send the tracking number to another email address, which was not a paypal extension. Once the email and tracking number was received, the funds would then be transferred into my account. Since that point I have hesitated as I believe in money talks, BS walks. The idea of sending a brand new camera less then two months old and two lenses to NIGERIA without having any money before shipping the item. Without the money I will not ship it but understand paypals policy for protecting both parties. If someone here can verify or explain the process through which paypal uses, it would be greatly appreciated.

I have also received another 'email' from pay pal saying this......(copy and paste)

Dear creativeapproachphotography@yahoo.com,

We received a complaint over the Money sent to your PayPal account by Patricia Rose.We have Rigorously cross checked the Money sent to you by and its confirmed and intact but Pending. But we need to verify and be sure that you have shipped the Merchandise to the buyer before the Money can be funded to your PayPal account. This Measure is taken for online security check for both the Buyer and the Seller, and we will like you to abide by all PayPal rules as regards this Payment.

We will like you to ship out the item as soon as you see this email from PayPal and get back to us with the shipment tracking number of the item, so that we can verify it and credit your account with immediate effect.

Our Record shows that you are a PayPal user with less than 4years of transactions using PayPal, so we need to prove beyond all reasonable doubts that you are legitimate and thats why we need you to send us a proof of shipment for this transaction, so as to secure the buyer from Fraud

Heres the email address that the tracking number should be sent to: (transactionupdates@ accountant.com)

We shall be looking forward to hear from you soon.

Thank you for using PayPal!!
The PayPal Customer Protection Service.

[JAS_Photo]

I use paypal all the time but there are a lot of scammers out there that look and sound like paypal and are not. None of this sounds like real paypal. My paypal purchases are never shipped before the account is verified to the shipper. I have bought lenses, cell phones etc. from eBay and buy my bird supplies on line through paypal and nothing is ever shipped before the seller receives the fund transfer from paypal.

If I were you I would call the paypal resolution center and not use any links you received from emails.

https://www.paypal.com/ca/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=xpt/Marketing_CommandDriven/securitycenter/sell/TipsForSellers-outside#payments

Also Nigeria is a known country where scamming is centered from.

[Greg_Nuspel]

I have been using paypal for many years this appears real fishy. I would look at a new buyer since this just doesn't look good. If they wanted to use an Escrow service that would be acceptable. This way the money has to be in the hands of the Escrow service before you ship. When delivery is confirmed the money is released to you. If they refuse the shipment the money goes back to them only after you have received the product back. Looks way to complicated for this small of a sale.

I also don't like this buying for a friend, sounds like a good way to say it was never received.

[kat]

I use paypal all the time but there are a lot of scammers out there that look and sound like paypal and are not. None of this sounds like real paypal. My paypal purchases are never shipped before the account is verified to the shipper. I have bought lenses, cell phones etc. from eBay and buy my bird supplies on line through paypal and nothing is ever shipped before the seller receives the fund transfer from paypal.

If I were you I would call the paypal resolution center and not use any links you received from emails.

https://www.paypal.com/ca/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=xpt/Marketing_CommandDriven/securitycenter/sell/TipsForSellers-outside#payments

Also Nigeria is a known country where scamming is centered from.

Raiven is on the right track. Call.

[Marko]

Seems like a scam to me and Nigeria, unfortunately, is notorious for Internet scammers and spammers.

Paypal is awesome. This isn't paypal as far as my experience goes.

[kiley9806]

1000% sure that email with all the spelling errors etc is from a scammer! i have seen these things just in the past week on Oprah. all the tips they give for spotting them are in that note. dont deal with them at all & contact PayPal or the internet police...

[Ben H]

> There is a lady who says she is buying it for a friend and offered an extra hundred
> dollars above my asking price to ship it to the destination.

Yep, because people do that. People like to randomly give away money.

SCAM

> The destination is located in NIGERIA

SCAM

> and shipping is $50 and she offered $100.

SCAM

> It doesn't make sense to me that someone asked if I would sell for less,
> then say they don't care, then offer $50 MORE than what it would
> cost to ship the item.

SCAM

> It seemed fishy at that point, but I figured I would proceed.

If it seems fishy, it is 99.9% likely to be SCAM

> I received an 'email' from paypal saying the funds were pending until
> I would send the tracking number to another email address, which was not a paypal extension.

SCAM

It would take me 20 seconds to send an email to you from president@whitehouse.gov, saying whatever I wanted. Doesn't mean it's from the President. Or even the White House...

> Once the email and tracking number was received, the funds would then be transferred into my account.

Sure they will. Are you getting the message?

Paypal is a fine transaction provider. However there are a lot of people out there using social engineering and lack of internet savvy to game the system (actually, to game *you*).

Any one of those indicators above scream SCAM, but add them all together and there is no doubt.

[jjeling]

HA!! Thats what I thought as well which is why I have not shipped the camera. I have a pretty sound gut and usually listen to it when it speaks loudly. Thanks for 4 and 5 opinions. Ill be calling paypal in a few minutes and Ill let you all know what they say.

[mindforge]

SCAM!

I have been getting an increasing number of these over the last month. They seem to scour forums find someone with a specific hobby and target them with paypal.

I was solicited to buy a new D3X for $1000 from somewhere in Africa. They wanted the money a very specific way, yadda yadda - scam.

Whenever in doubt, just contact paypal or whoever directly.

[Lovin]

I was trying to sell my wife's iPhone on Craigslist and look what message I've got to guys willing to buy the phone, and both sent me the same message :

"Thanks for your mail,i am buying the item for my son who school in oversea.i will add $120 for shipping,i will have do it local transaction but i am out of town presently...so you can get me back with your paypal email account so i can pay now.hope to hear from you soon"

Both of them out of town, with son in a oversea school, both willing to pay more, and through paypal.
They found a way to trick the paypal too, so be aware.

[jjeling]

I had tried to call paypal all day yesterday to talk to a real person and all I can get is a stupid recording. Sometimes technology has made human beings regress instead of moving forward. I just sent paypal the four emails this person has sent me and would like to speak to an actual person about it, anyone else have a clue how to speak to them?

[kat]

I had tried to call paypal all day yesterday to talk to a real person and all I can get is a stupid recording. Sometimes technology has made human beings regress instead of moving forward. I just sent paypal the four emails this person has sent me and would like to speak to an actual person about it, anyone else have a clue how to speak to them?

I hate that more than anything..good luck jj..hope you get someone!

[JAS_Photo]

This is a little long but it is funny and the guy got back at a scammer. I do not suggest anyone try such a thing it but it is a fun read.

http://www.zug.com/pranks/powerbook/index.html

[Iguanasan]

I'm pretty sure it's a scam. A friend of mine got caught in one just like it. He sold his guitar on the web. They sent him a money order for $1200. He deposited into his bank and then shipped the guitar (they paid extra for shipping - sound familiar) to Nigeria (sound familiar). His guitar and most of the $1200 was gone when the money order bounced. He then had to pay back the bank :(

[jjeling]

Hello ,

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


This email is sent to you by the contracting entity to your User
Agreement, either PayPal Ince, PayPal Pte. Ltd or PayPal (Europe) S.à
r.l. & Cie, S.C.A. Société en Commandite par Actions, Registered Office:
5th Floor 22-24 Boulevard Royal L-2449, Luxembourg RCS Luxembourg B 118
349.










Always listen to your guy instinct. It is just like a test from school, always go with your guy feeling. If you go back on your previous decision, 9 times out of ten you will be incorrect when you should have just stuck with your original thought. Thanks to all of you again.

[Iguanasan]

...Heres the email address that the tracking number should be sent to: (transactionupdates@ accountant.com)

We shall be looking forward to hear from you soon.

Thank you for using PayPal!!
The PayPal Customer Protection Service.

Did a Google search for "paypal accountant.com" (the accountant.com didn't seem right to me if it was a Paypal thing. Paypal should use a Paypal.com email address. Anyway, my search turned up this link:

http://www.joewein.de/sw/fraud-western-union-bidpay-ebay.htm

[jjeling]

Ig, that is the same thing that tipped me off and told me it was a 100% fraud case. With the economy as poor as it is, people are even getting information through people looking for jobs. One of the websites that will get you everytime is accountant.com. I cannot tell you how many times I myself, or have had friends fill out applications only to be redirected to an accountant.com link to fill out orders for credit cards or if you do this then we will give you a job type thing.



This sounds like it is another good thread that we can keep updates on how to avoid scams from personal experience.

[jjeling]

Well I would just like to say that I'm seriously considering the prank that Raiven posted on the thread. The first post turned up two scams, and I reposted it and have received another 4 attempts. Really, this is a complete joke. Even after I post that I will only respond to local people, 4 others from out of the country felt the need to try. Maybe its just me but that is irritating to find emails in your mailbox from people trying to scam you. There has to be a way to fight this.

[Marko]

My cynicism will show here - but you will be wasting your time trying to fight this. Even while I am typing this, 10,000 more baby spammers have just hatched from their eggs, licked off their own mucous and are ready for a brand new day screwing with people.

Just crack open a beer and be proud that you are not the scum suckers spammers that they are.:)

[Iguanasan]

Well I would just like to say that I'm seriously considering the prank that Raiven posted on the thread. The first post turned up two scams, and I reposted it and have received another 4 attempts. Really, this is a complete joke. Even after I post that I will only respond to local people, 4 others from out of the country felt the need to try. Maybe its just me but that is irritating to find emails in your mailbox from people trying to scam you. There has to be a way to fight this.

I wish there was a way to fight it but I'm also sure there were people pulling scams 2000 years ago and there will be people pulling scams 2000 years from now. It would be nice if you could make them go away but I doubt it. Just be glad you are not one of P.T. Barnum's clients ;)

The fellow in the other story was out $100 of other people's money so he still lost and quite likely made an enemy in the process.

[jjeling]

Thanks guys, Ive never dealth with the internet in this fashion before, ebay, craigslist, etc. It is frustrating to see this the first time you try and use it.