Examples of Suspected Fraud/Fake Emails

PayPal_Adrian
PayPal Employee
PayPal Employee

Hello everyone!

 

One of the greatest strengths consumers possess against fraud and phishing is education and collaboration.  To help support your safety online, I'm going to open this special thread up for you.  Here, you can post examples of what you believe to be attempts by individuals to defraud you or others of their hard earned valuables and money. 

 

Before we begin, a few housekeeping points:

 

  • We will be using this as a "master thread," so if we find an example in other areas of the boards, we may merge the post into this one.

 

  • For everyone's safety, please remove any last names or contact information (including email addresses) from your examples.  In many instances, the names provided by fraudsters are fake or may actually be the name of someone they already defrauded. 

 

  • On that same note, please don't ever attempt to confront a fraudster or attempt to track them down.  Instead, turn the information you do have over to your local authorities. 

 

  • Please also remove any links from your posts, as these could potentially go to spoofed or phishing websites.

 

Other than that, we only ask that you keep it productive and stay within the Forum Decorum and posting guidelines.  I'll be stopping in on a regular basis to clean house and comment on posts, so don't be surprised if you see my mug - or another moderator - stopping in to say hello! 

  

 

With that said, I'm going to start moving posts in, so you might see some older examples mixed in with the new posts.  I hope this thread becomes a great resource for everyone!

 

Stay safe,

 

Adrian

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1,010 REPLIES 1,010

bowler21
New Community Member
I believe I just experienced this!! I am trying to sell my prom dress on Craigslist. It's brand new with tags still on it & someone by the name of Robin text me the other day using that as their tag line. The phone # is 16177298789. They told me they would give me an additional $150 for shipping & handling fees... I asked them where I was going to send it & West Africa was the response. I asked for the zip code & they wrote +23401. I cancelled the invoice I sent. DO I NEED TO DO ANYTHING ELSE? I want to make sure they can't access my personal information in any way.
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LaurenSF
Contributor
Contributor

I had the same problem! I was selling my prom dress and the buyer said that they would give me an extra $100 dollars for shipping. Once I sent the dress from the post office I got text messages from the man saying that there was a problem with my PayPal account and that he had to put an extra $450 dollars in my account. He then procceeded to say that I needed to then take out $450 and send it to his sick cousin who has cancer in Nigeria. I was however able to intercept my package and get my dress back to me, even though it cost me a little bit more money. 

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DAlston92
Contributor
Contributor

how did you intercept the package internationally? im going through fraud I sent a package to Nigeria

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kernowlass
Esteemed Advisor
Esteemed Advisor

@DAlston92

 

Try the courier you used to send it and if its left the country then contact Nigeria post.

 

And remember   >>>

 

Paypal NEVER tell you to send trackable, they advise it for seller protection etc but it is not compulsory.

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.




Advice is voluntary.
Kudos / Solution appreciated.
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kernowlass
Esteemed Advisor
Esteemed Advisor

@DAlston92

 

Your welcome !


Advice is voluntary.
Kudos / Solution appreciated.
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sa17
New Community Member

 

FRAUD: 

 

****

 

****

 

****

 

Lagos State

 

23401

 

Nigeria

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Megderoyale
Member
Member

I am  just receiving the same zipcode. I received a spam email from ebay and paypal saying the buyer has paid the money. He added an extra 150 dollars saying i should send it to some Nigerian address. i forwarded the email to ebay and paypal as soon as possible. eBay replied that they have verified the buyer because of feedback people have left for him. PayPal is yet to confirm the originality of the transaction. The buyer keep sending me emails asking if i have sent the item...smh...I have not seen any pending payment in my PayPal account either.

Then i came to read comments here...im not sending the item anymore. I have relisted my item. I guess my eBay account has been hacked following that verification email from fake eBay saying his account is legit....scam alert!!!!

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marketmaster24
Contributor
Contributor
You have to make a claim to bothe the FBI website and also the shipping facility you took the package to. It happened to me and i filed a claim to both the United States Postal Service as well as the FBI. They should contact you and explain what happened.
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hickeyc99
New Community Member

Please let me know if/when you found your solution. I'm having the same problem.

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