This is so stupid. Anyone want to see how someone is using PAYPAL now to commit another type of scam? Not only that, but this would ultimately involve the Post Office, since that's how I ship things.. and across state lines. I imagine that would make this one a Federal offense, not just internet fraud or another Craigslist scam.
:headshake2:
(If anyone wants to know, btw... I did sell that wheelchair for cash to a local buyer.)
Now... I posted a ad on Craigslist a few days ago to sell a rose collectible figurine made a long time ago by Lenox Porcelain. Here's my delightful contact with someone trying to use Paypal and the US Postal Service to fool me into shipping it somewhere without actually getting any money for it. Here goes...
Thursday, Feb 5
From "Mashal Reed"
Subject: Red Rose for Valentine's - Vintage Lenox Fine Porcelain
Hello Seller,
Is your item available for sale...write me back
<< Note generic greeting and non-specific reference to "your item." Still a lot of legitimate buyers send inquiries like that too. >>
My reply
Yes, it's still available.
From "Mashal Reed"
Thanks for your swift response..i just want to tell you that am buying
this flower for my fiance as a valentine gift.i will be paying with my
pay pal account just get back to me with the final price and the
shipping from your place to Arkansans including your paypal payment
request..write me back asap..
<< Here's why Craigslist warns people to only deal locally. But wait, he said Paypal. That's not a fake money order scam thing. This is something different. >>
My reply
Sorry.. this item is for local sale only. I'm not willing to ship the item
because it could be damaged or lost in transit. I'd rather deal directly
with a local person.
From "Mashal Reed"
okay but am still very much interested if you are willing to sell...okay
<< I know, I know.. I should have left alone right there. But I was curious about what this guy is up to. In this case, he's using Paypal.. and we use that all the time. So I wanted to find out how someone I thought was suspicious might defraud a seller using Paypal. >>
My reply (some 8 hours later)
Hello again,
I checked into shipping the Lenox rose figurine using USPS Priority Mail
using a flat-rate box (and estimated the actual cost using an East Coast zip
code). To ship the item would be $18.30 total. (That breaks down to $13.95
for Priority Mail, $2.15 to insure the package (for $100), and $2.20 for a tracking
number with signature confirmation.) You'll have to actually sign for
receipt of the package.
Your Paypal payment would have to come directly from a verified account
linked to your bank (not a credit card payment). And I'll only ship this to the
confirmed address provided by Paypal.
Once I mail this out, the Postal Service is responsible for it getting
there... so no refund will be possible. But the package will be insured for
$100 if anything goes wrong with your delivery.
If you're still interested in this, here's the full price.
$45.00 Lenox porcelain rose figurine
$18.30 USPS Priority Mail - insured, with signature confirmation
----------
$63.30 Total
Send Paypal payment to me using this address: <<removed>>
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Thanks
<< There.. that ought to foil his dubious plan. He can't do a charge-back on his credit card... can't pretend it was never received if someone has to sign for the package. I clearly stated no refund.. so nothing guaranteed on my part. Thought that would be the end of it and he'd drop this one. But no, there's more... >>
Friday, Feb 6
Fake Paypal Email Notice
<< Well, that's looks okay if you just take a quick glance. But it's not. I noticed right away that his name changed. This so-called notice tells me to ship this to someone named "Keith Henley" at an Arkansas address. That's weird. And it appears to come from "service(at)paypal.com" ... but these payment notices use the buyer's email address... not a paypal address. I scrolled down to see if he was verified.. confirmed address.. if it was a credit card transfer.. etc. And look what this thing said at the bottom. >>
From "Mashal Reed"
I just wanna inform you that payment has been successfully transferred
from my account now will want you to package the item and ship to this
address..ship as per pay pal confirmation
Keith Henley
<< address removed >>
waiting to read from you...
Another Fake Paypal Email Notice
<< Good to see that my ISP flagged the spoof email as spam. Here's the full text if anyone wants to read the whole message. >>
And that's it. I guess now, I'm supposed to report this. Craigslist won't care, but Paypal should know about it. But I don't know. It's a lot of bother. Still annoys me though.
If nothing else, here's another example as a warning for us to be careful.. whether as buyer or seller. There are so many crooks out there looking to steal our money or other items of value.
Be careful, everyone.
:headshake2:
(If anyone wants to know, btw... I did sell that wheelchair for cash to a local buyer.)
Now... I posted a ad on Craigslist a few days ago to sell a rose collectible figurine made a long time ago by Lenox Porcelain. Here's my delightful contact with someone trying to use Paypal and the US Postal Service to fool me into shipping it somewhere without actually getting any money for it. Here goes...
Thursday, Feb 5
From "Mashal Reed"
Subject: Red Rose for Valentine's - Vintage Lenox Fine Porcelain
Hello Seller,
Is your item available for sale...write me back
<< Note generic greeting and non-specific reference to "your item." Still a lot of legitimate buyers send inquiries like that too. >>
My reply
Yes, it's still available.
From "Mashal Reed"
Thanks for your swift response..i just want to tell you that am buying
this flower for my fiance as a valentine gift.i will be paying with my
pay pal account just get back to me with the final price and the
shipping from your place to Arkansans including your paypal payment
request..write me back asap..
<< Here's why Craigslist warns people to only deal locally. But wait, he said Paypal. That's not a fake money order scam thing. This is something different. >>
My reply
Sorry.. this item is for local sale only. I'm not willing to ship the item
because it could be damaged or lost in transit. I'd rather deal directly
with a local person.
From "Mashal Reed"
okay but am still very much interested if you are willing to sell...okay
<< I know, I know.. I should have left alone right there. But I was curious about what this guy is up to. In this case, he's using Paypal.. and we use that all the time. So I wanted to find out how someone I thought was suspicious might defraud a seller using Paypal. >>
My reply (some 8 hours later)
Hello again,
I checked into shipping the Lenox rose figurine using USPS Priority Mail
using a flat-rate box (and estimated the actual cost using an East Coast zip
code). To ship the item would be $18.30 total. (That breaks down to $13.95
for Priority Mail, $2.15 to insure the package (for $100), and $2.20 for a tracking
number with signature confirmation.) You'll have to actually sign for
receipt of the package.
Your Paypal payment would have to come directly from a verified account
linked to your bank (not a credit card payment). And I'll only ship this to the
confirmed address provided by Paypal.
Once I mail this out, the Postal Service is responsible for it getting
there... so no refund will be possible. But the package will be insured for
$100 if anything goes wrong with your delivery.
If you're still interested in this, here's the full price.
$45.00 Lenox porcelain rose figurine
$18.30 USPS Priority Mail - insured, with signature confirmation
----------
$63.30 Total
Send Paypal payment to me using this address: <<removed>>
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Thanks
<< There.. that ought to foil his dubious plan. He can't do a charge-back on his credit card... can't pretend it was never received if someone has to sign for the package. I clearly stated no refund.. so nothing guaranteed on my part. Thought that would be the end of it and he'd drop this one. But no, there's more... >>
Friday, Feb 6
Fake Paypal Email Notice
<< Well, that's looks okay if you just take a quick glance. But it's not. I noticed right away that his name changed. This so-called notice tells me to ship this to someone named "Keith Henley" at an Arkansas address. That's weird. And it appears to come from "service(at)paypal.com" ... but these payment notices use the buyer's email address... not a paypal address. I scrolled down to see if he was verified.. confirmed address.. if it was a credit card transfer.. etc. And look what this thing said at the bottom. >>
<< Hahahah.. no way, buddy. Paypal doesn't work that way. They've got nothing to do with the actual buying/selling.. couldn't care less about following tracking numbers for packages. All they do is transfer the money... "instantly." >>
From "Mashal Reed"
I just wanna inform you that payment has been successfully transferred
from my account now will want you to package the item and ship to this
address..ship as per pay pal confirmation
Keith Henley
<< address removed >>
waiting to read from you...
Another Fake Paypal Email Notice
<< Good to see that my ISP flagged the spoof email as spam. Here's the full text if anyone wants to read the whole message. >>
And that's it. I guess now, I'm supposed to report this. Craigslist won't care, but Paypal should know about it. But I don't know. It's a lot of bother. Still annoys me though.
If nothing else, here's another example as a warning for us to be careful.. whether as buyer or seller. There are so many crooks out there looking to steal our money or other items of value.
Be careful, everyone.
