Being paid via PayPal - can this be a scam?

[MickM]

I'm selling a previous generation brand new 32GB iPod for $250 on the Boston Craigs List. A new current generation one from Apple costs $300. So I get an email from a guy in Africa claiming he'd pay me $250 plus an extra $100 shipping and that he'd pay me via PayPal (provided I forward him the PayPal email address).

This has scam written all over it (and I'm certainly not proceeding with the transaction), but if he's paying in advance via PayPal then I'm scratching my head as to how this guy can scam me. Any ideas?

[Matilda]

I GOT SCAMMED BY THIS METHOD TODAY!!!!   They also offered to pay me an extra $100 for shipping. What these people do is say that they will buy your product then you get an email from a fraudulent Paypal company to say that the buyer has put the money into your Paypal account. So you think the money is in your Paypal account.   It also says that Paypal is protecting their buyers and sellers so as soon as you have shipped the item and given them the tracking number the money will be put directly into your account within 24 hours.  

This is so smart!  So, you think that the money is sitting in your Paypal account (letter really looks like it is from Paypal).  You ship off the product email them with the tracking number and then get onto the link they send you from Paypal and find out that the site is fraudulent.  They want you to ship USPS because the package cannot be stopped before it gets to the receiver.  You loose your product and don't get paid!

[rewerbe]

I recently posted a laptop for sale on the Boston Craigslist and also got two responses offering to pay me via paypal the money plus $100 shipping.  First one was from someone in Ontario wanting it shipped to Nigeria!

SCAM - what is someone from Ontario doing shopping on Boston Craigslist?

[animeguy23]

I think that happened to me!! I lost my Nikon D90!! Shpping out to Nigeria!!

[Rogue312]

**bleep** I just lost my dell Laptop shipping to nigeria! theres no way to stop the shipment?

[windycitykittie]

Call the shipping company NOW and see if you can get it returned. Don't wait another minute. Once it is out of the country it is a done deal.

[azlizzy]

I am so glad that I read this post as I have two buyers emailing me wanting to pay by paypal & sending to Africa or Malaysia.  I asked for confirmed addresses in paypal but I am sure they are scammers.  Is there somewhere that we can report their email addresses??

[Halaluani]

This type of scam is easily avoided.  First, NEVER ship anything until you come to PayPal and check your account for the payment.  To not do so is plain naive.  

 Second, make sure you are eligible to make a claim if you get scammed.  Don't ever sell to an unverified buyer.

 Third, educate yourself on being a seller.  If you don't want to take the time to do this (PayPal has all the resources for this that you need) you deserve whatever you get.

Fourth, don't ever sell internationally.  PayPal cannot protect you in these transactions.

Finally, if it seems too good to be true, 99% of the time it IS.

    BTW, it's not "smart" how you were scammed. A 10 year old could figure this out and do it.  Anyone can fake an email from PayPal.  All it requires is copying a legit one, pasting it into a new email,  and then changing the names and amount of money on it.  I was being polite when I referred to you as being naive, lol.  If I were you I wouldn't risk doing any more business on PayPal until I educated myself.

[cswiney]

This is definitely a scam! I have had two similar attempts with jewelry I was selling on Craig's List. One ship to address was in Nigeria, the other in China. Paypal does not place temporary holds on transactions between private parties. Do not ship anything until your money is IN your PayPal account! Besides, the fake email from the fake paypal website is filled with typos and includes terms unique to Ebay.  

[agmccall]

Whenever I have a customer that is from a foriegn country that wants to purchase from me.  I tell them that I only do direct bank transfers and they will have to give me thier bank information and my bank will contact them.  I usually never hear from them again.

[ABIDOR]

it all **bleep**....don't send your items to **bleep**ing NIGERIA !!!    this is 100%  bull**bleep** and rip off !!!

they are always offer more than you are asking plus extra 100-200 bucks for shipping ....