I have been asked to go to Walmart and purchase iTunes cards to the tune of 600.00

[ladypatty]

I have been asked to go to Walmart and purchase iTunes cards to the tune of 600.00 in order to release an alleged 1187.00 which by the way does not show on hold in my account.  I was first asked to prepay a shipper for them as I was selling furniture and I did that then also paid insurance for them so I got zapped for 544.00 which I see no way to recover............. my husband said it was a scam but this person gave me everything I asked for, ID, proof of who he was, etc.  his pay-pal receipts and so on.  he was johnny on the spot so to speak until this last ask of purchasing iTunes cards and then I was finally able to get to some of the headers in the emails............ I feel so stupid................ and my husband is gonna have a fit !!!!!!!!!!  I have tried to call Paypal and I get a recording that they are closed due to this virus deal........... I need someone here to verify all of this for me..  I need to speak to someone at Paypal.  Allegedly my money that Haynes6118 sent me is still on hold.  now all communication from him has stopped as well as emails from allegedly pay pal have stopped

[kernowlass · Accepted solution]

@ladypatty 

SCAM.

They encourage you to accept a 'direct' Paypal payment.
No funds or activity of the transaction shows in your Paypal account and any emails 'may' go into your junk/spam folders.

They don't quibble on cost and may also say they can't view the item as they are disabled or working abroad etc etc but they will arrange a shipping agent to collect it.

You will get/got a "fake" email that looks as though it is from paypal.....it isn't because they don't actually have a Paypal account and have no intention of paying you.
It will say the buyer has paid ...you won't have been paid.

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/ shipping agent via anther payment processor than Paypal OR via providing some vouchers or tokens before the funds are released to you.
They are not interested in the item, they just want that couriers/shipping funds and you will never see money in your paypal balance.

Once you have become a victim they may try again with more fake Paypal emails with other 'reasons' that you must send them a payment for VIA SENDING TOKENS OR VOUCHERS ETC.

Paypal NEVER tell you to send an item before the payment is showing in your paypal account.
Paypal NEVER expect you to use a rival money transfer service eg Moneygram or Western Union, vouchers or tokens of any sort etc.
Also their is no seller protection on paypal for any type of item that is collected by the buyer.

[ladypatty]

thank you very much