Examples of Suspected Fraud/Fake Emails

[PayPal_Adrian]

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

[PayPal_Adrian]

MoonDragon1 -

Your suspicions are correct   PayPal will always address you by your name (and not by a random Mr/Mrs) and we don't ask our members to download attachments.

Good catch!

Adrian

[lokdawg]

"Thanks for the response,it's my first time buying an item online and i'm gonna be glad if you can sell it to me.I'm presently in Afghanistan Where am serving the country being a military officer,i wanna get the item for my daughter whom school overseas as a Surprise gift. I will pay you the sum of $1100 via PayPal for the item and shipping cost via USPS Global Express Mail International (EMS). I'm gonna need your PayPal email for the instant payment,i look forward in hearing from you."

I think ohhh well that's nice...

Hi, i have made the payment and i want you to ship the Engagement Ring out asap to the PayPal confirmed address.Am sure the customer care might have reached you,check your PayPal email inbox or spam folder for the confirmation.Do get back to me after the shipment once again these is the shipping address,don't forget i want the item shipped via USPS Global Express Mail International 3-5 days delivery.

    Name: ****

    Address: ****

I didn't see any payments show up in paypal...soooo I google the address and BAM! found this conversation room! hah really? I'm going to ship something to that address with no payment in my account? Cammmmon' get smater...hows this guy use the same line everytime.  So I say "Okay - well the payment has not yet gone through.  And just so you are aware, when I Google the address you sent me below, it has "Fraud" written all over it --- sooooo I'll be waiting money in the account to go through before sending anything. Check it out for yourself!  /t5/Selling-on-eBay/Fraud/td-p/284652?profile.language=en-gb Soooo I'm going to say this probably isn't going to work out!  Thanks for trying though!"

[kimnleanne1]

Hi, i have had someone wanting the item i was selling on ebay, they said they would put the money into my paypal account, and sure enough the money was in my paypal account, but i had a feeling it was dodgy, so i have now cancelled the money request, any idea what i do now the person and address is,  ****

i wondered why he wanted to give me £90 for postage...glad i came into paypal forum and checked it out.

[kernowlass]

People in nigeria can't use paypal, they would have hijacked someone elses paypal account probable and used that and once reported by the owner of the account the funds would have been removed. 

[Starlit]

Is that a fact?

[yolyreylov]

I have no problem giving you my email and my name on paypal? After readingthis forum, I told him that had already sold the product, but because you hadgiven those data, I do?

[EveeHilt]

I just had this happen too. Its funny how when you email back, telling them they are scammers they stop responding. I had recieved an email from eBay when the bid was placed. it had an address attached. then received another email with a different address. 

I got an email from eBay telling me the user account was locked.

Apologies for the late response, I had log on my eBay account into another device that was why eBay thought my account was access by a third party and they relisted the item due to what happened. i have rectify the issue with eBay and they have restored the listing. Am interested in buying your item for a friend as a Gift who works in America Refineries there in West Africa. Due to my workload, I may not be able to be checking my e-mails often.  

I will be sending the payment now,  will keep you posted once the payment is made.

below is the shipping address:

Name: David <removed>
<removed>
Ijeshatedo: Aguda Ijesha, Lagos, 23401
Country: Nigeria


Many Thanks

[austindobler]

Wow the exact same thing is happening to me right now. It shows that he has paid but i searched the zip code of the buyer and it brought me to websites about nigerian fraud. Want to know why it is happening and how to fix it.

[StefanoL]

OOOOOOH MY GOD. I just encountered this person. Same story! I have ten email regarding an iPhone I wanted to sell!!! $780 for an iPhone 4S 64GB he said I'll send money via PayPal and the funds r there just frozen until I show proof of delivery, as per PayPal email. This is wild. Same goddam story! *HIS INNITIAL EMAIL AFTER GETTING MY ATTENTION* <removed> ; wrote: Thanks for the response,it's my first time buying an item online and i'm gonna be glad if you can sell it to me.i Could have instructed Junior Officer to&nbsp; pick-up &amp; cash. But I'm presently in Afghanistan Where am serving the country being a military officer, i wanna get the item for my daughter whom school overseas&nbsp; as a surprise Birthday gift. I will pay you the sum of $780 via PayPal for the item and shipping cost via USPS Global Express Mail International (EMS). I'm gonna need your PayPal email for the instant payment, i look forward in hearing from you. -------------- If anyone is interested in the rest of his BS I have many other emails

[thilak47]

Same here the guy was asking me the tracking no so he can release the payment and he had sended extra £ 100 for the post its all fake cant believe how come the paypal original email id and that fake email id r same