Examples of Suspected Fraud or Fake Emails

[PayPal_Andy]

Hey Everybody!

In an effort to make things easier to find and research, I'm going to consolidate as many threads as possible where we have examples of people trying to defraud hard working sellers (Craigslist emails, 'PayPal' emails asking you to send money outside of PayPal, etc).  This will also be used as a master thread for future posts regarding this same situation.

When you post your examples here, please remember to not include last names or contact information of whoever is sending these emails.  There's no way to confirm if that person has been defrauded as well and the name is being used fraudulently.

Thanks for your cooperation and remember, keep the conversation productive, on task, and above all, keep it clean. I know these things can be difficult and frustrating, but bleep filled posts or posts that look like government redacted files will never benefit anyone. 😄

Andy

[mariabd]

DO NOT OPEN POP UPS that appear under a gogle search!  I agreed to buy a "slow pc fix" and paid thru PayPal, thinking it was legit.  Well, after "reviewing" all my files and "applying a fix to issues", it told me to reboot.  I did, and guess what?  A virtual loop that wouldn't let me get out of the program, nor use ANY of my files.  I of course called the "help" number, but guess what?  No answer and always busy, even though (yes, I know, I am just stupid) over an hour.  Nope, no computing help. and yep, they got paid so they have a PayPal account.

Seems like sellers should have to be legit or at least get checked out by PayPal?

My computer is in the shop, it will take 5 days and almost $200.00 to repair/restore.  

DON'T GET FOOLED BY REIMAGEPLUS.

[sdm2k]

I too have been "phished" by someone claiming to send me money via Paypal.  I even received a "Notification of funds received" or something on stationery that looked SO MUCH LIKE PAYPAL it was scary.  It was the standard scam reported by other folks on this forum, where the writer wants to buy something you've listed on Craig's List but needs to do some fancy footwork to get payment to their "shipping agent."  It always requires you, the seller, to send them cash based on their "overpayment" to your "Paypal account."  In this case it was a propane stove.  The first tipoff was the name that came through on their first email, expressing interest in the stove, was different from the name on the next email, giving me the instructions for payment.  A third name then appeared in a subsequent email as that of the "shipping agent."  

The email address that the bogus "notification" came from had Paypal and _payme in it.

BEWARE!!!

[19723g]

I had this happen yesterday. Lady said she'd like to buy my furniture on craigslist, offered to pay with paypal and sent fake paypal emails. Found out they were fake when I clicked on the paypal logo and it didn't take me to paypal.

[SmittyUSN]

Un-Authorized Access - Your PayPal account have been limited temporarily.

Dear Valued Customer,

Our state-of-the-art security system have detected what could be an intrusion from an un-authorized
user. Our security team analyzes accounts individually after the security system have marked them
as insecure.

Please download the form attachment in this email and fill in your personal details in the form in
order to keep your account in a verified state.

Please do understand that this is a security measure intended to help protect you and
your account. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Thank you,

PayPal Support Department

---

Please do not reply to this email. This mailbox is not monitored and you will not receive a response. Furthermore,
should you require any assistance, you may log in to your PayPal account and click Help in the top right corner
of any PayPal page.

[Seymour-]

Hahahahahahhh.

The exact same email I've received, literally, hundreds of times!

Usually comes with different forms (Verify.html, Account.html, Security.html) from different emails though, there have been some repeats from the same senders periodically.  I don't know if they're just stupid or don't really care if they've already sent it to me. Maybe they think I'm stupid? I didn't fall for it the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd time but, maybe... just maybe... LOL.

Genuine PayPal emails:

Always address you as Dear 'your Full Name'.

Never ask you to click on links/downloads/attachments

Never ask you for personal/sensitive information.

So the email sent to you was a phishing/scam email!

Always log in via the official site.

If you're ever unsure send the email to spoof@paypal.com for confirmation.

If they confirm it's a scam, then delete it.

I have already seen the next improvement to try and make this scam appear more legimate.

I have received several copies of this fake PayPal letter that, instead of being bulk emailed, were individually addressed using my email. Additionally, the salutations were Dear 'my actual email address'.

It's not actually Dear 'my full name', but it's a step-up from Dear PayPal Member, Dear Valued Customer or Dear user (that one always makes me chuckle). We all know who are the real 'user's.

[Seymour-]

Scams don't only come in PayPal 'flavour'. If the Forum administrators don't want these other ones posted here, just say so.

I figure forewarned is forearmed, the more you know about the way these **bleeps** operate, the easier you'll be able to spot the scams.

I've got quite the collection to share.

---START SCAM---

Hello Good Day,       

I am Mr. J***s D****s, British citizen and a Bank director here in London, name withheld for security reasons. I am writing to solicit your partnership/assistance to stand and receive US$65.2 Million Dollars only, as the foreign associate/next of kin to late President Umaru Yar'Adua who died since 2010 without making claim of his above fixed deposit in my Bank and under my control.

The deposit has been dormant over 5 years now and has no other beneficiary to claim it. Hence I search through global business directory where I got your email contact and decided to make this deal with you. The deal is 45% to you, 55% for me as the originator. The transaction is highly legitimate and 100% risk free, so if interested, write me back immediately for more details and to proceed.

For more details about his death, please follow this links:

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/africa/05/05/nigeria.president.dead/

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6187249.stm       

I look forward to your earliest reply if interested.

Regards

Mr. J***s D****s

---END SCAM---

They tried to add legitimacy to the scam by including links to actual news stories.

[Seymour-]

Here's another scam from some not quite so greedy scammers. All these ones want is $99 (Minimum).

--- START SCAM ---

FROM RIA MONEY TRANSFER OFFICE

RIA Money Transfer (t*****@yahoo.c**.ph)

6:13 AM

From:  RIA Money Transfer (t*****@yahoo.c**.ph) Sent: October-04-14 6:13:06 AM To:  

Information reaching us from our corporate head quarters now, states
that you only have 48hours to effect payment for the activation of
your payment documents to enable you cash up your first $5,000.00 from
your total fund. Since you are finding it very difficult to make this
payment we have decided that you are to go ahead and pay what ever you
have, not less than $99.00 for the activation fee since you are not
able to come up with the required sum, time is of the essence here.
You are to pay what ever you have for the activation fee, we will
activate your payment documents and forward to you the attachment of
your first payment of $5,000.00 upon the receipt of this payment, be
informed that you will have to pay the balance sum of your activation
upon cashing up of your first $5,000.00, also I am using this medium
to inform you that failure to pay the balance sum will leave us with
no option but to deactivate your Ref# Number of which you will and can
never cash up the balance sum.



6. Amount.......... You can pay any amount you have not less than
$99.00.




Mr G***Luck Omeh

 --- END SCAM ---

[Anna3059]

I got one of these today and when i went to update my account info I noticed that they wanted my SSN and a lot more. I deleted that email fast. 

[Reneeallstar1]

The email stated that I received payment for an item that I was selling but also at the same time saying that I was also the buyer.     Dear...... You have an Instant Payment of $450.00 USD from [REMOVED] Please note that it may take a little while for this Transaction to appear in the Recent Activity list on your Account Overview.             Note from merchant: i have just sent you the payment for the 10k Yellow Gold Diamond Cluster Solitaire Ring including the postage to my cousin,please quickly post it out to my cousin VIA NEXT DAY  delivery and let me know the tracking number Payment Details Purchased From :..........     Transaction ID : 5SF79183E0181504R       Date Description Quantity Unit price Subtotal   10/3/2014                                             Goods 1 $350.00  USD   $350.00 USD Shipping & Handling via Next Day Delivery to 75126 (Includes any seller handling fees) $100.00 USD Shipping Insurance (not offered) $00.00 USD Total   $450.00 USD        Delivery Information   Address :   123 somewhere Forney, TX 75126 Address Status:       Confirmed      Important Note: This PayPal® payment has been deducted from the buyer's account and has been "APPROVED"but will not be credited to your account until the shipment reference/tracking number is sent to us for verification so as to secure both the buyer and the seller.Below are the necessary information requested before your account will be credited.Send tracking number to us or email us through this mail Click here and our customer care service will attend to you. As soon as you send us the shipment's tracking number to us for security purposes and the safety of the buyer and the seller,the money will be credited to your account.                                                            ** PLEASE NOTE** Once item has been shipped and the tracking number sent to us, You will receive a "CONFIRMATION EMAIL"  from PayPal® Team informing you that the Fund has been credited Thank you for using PayPal! The PayPal Team                                                    Copyright © 2014 PayPal, Inc. All rights reserved. PayPal is located at 2211 N. First St., San Jose, CA 95131. PayPal Email ID PP1525

[Seymour-]

It's a scam. All they really want is the $350 'shipping fee'.

Forward the email to spoof@paypal.com for confirmation.