Paypal/Craigslist Scam Beware

Beware Craigslist/Paypal Scam

Was just totally caught up in a Paypal scam.

My sisters Boyfriend was selling his phone on Craigslist and he thought he had a buyer. Through text messages he was asked if he used PayPal and if he could ship it overseas to his brother in law. I told my sisters BF he could use my PayPal to make it easier.



So I sent the "buyer" an invoice this morning for $270. I then got an email from "PayPal" (service@paypal service_paydeck@in.com) in my spam folder that looked like a normal PayPal statement except the **** in the subject line. I looked at the Address and it was to be sent to Nigeria (when I hear overseas I think Iraq/Afghanistan) and that the payment wouldn't be sent until they received the tracking number of the package, AND it was for $30 more on top of the extra $70 they were going to "give" him to ship it.

I was not a happy camper when I realized this was a scam, so I called my sisters BF to warn him and PayPal to be safe. Hopefully my info isn't compromised from sending the invoice, PayPal assured me it wasn't, but I'll always wonder.

Moral of the story is: be weary of selling stuff on Craigslist and never click a link in a PayPal email, log into PayPal manually from a new browser. You can never be too safe.

 Here is an email PayPal (service service@paypal.com) sent to me:

Dear Lindsey Adams,

We understand receiving a fake email can be a cause for concern, and we urge you to always contact us if you have any questions about your PayPal account.

Fake emails, also known as phishing emails, attempt to collect your personal and financial information. These fake emails often link to fake websites that encourage you to enter personal information such as credit card numbers, passport or driver’s license numbers, and account passwords).

You’ll know that an email is not from PayPal when:

• The email uses a generic greeting like ‘Dear user’ or "Hello, PayPal member." We always address you by your first name and last name or the business name on your PayPal account.
• The email requests financial and other personal information. For example, an email from PayPal never asks for the numbers of your bank account, debit or credit card, or driver’s license. We also don’t request your email addresses, your full name, your account password, or the answers to your PayPal security questions.
• The email includes an attachment, a software update to install on your computer, or a hyperlink.
• We will never ask you for money in an email, and we will never ask you to send money through Western Union.

If you think you’ve received a fake email, forward it to spoof@paypal.com. Then delete the fake email from your inbox.

Click "Security and Protection" at the top of any PayPal page to learn more about fake emails and websites and online safety.

Additionally, the company, Iconix, has developed an application called, Truemark® Email ID, that confirms whether or not an email you receive truly comes from PayPal.

Here’s how to learn more about, and download, Truemark ® Email ID:

1. Log in to your PayPal account.
2. Click “Security and Protection” at the top of the page.
3. Click “Hardware and Software Security” under “All Security and Protection Topics.”
4. Click “Email Identification.”
5. Click “Truemark® Email ID.”
6. Click “Download for free,” and then choose the product that best matches your email account.

After you download and install Truemark® Email ID, emails from PayPal are identified by an icon to confirm they are secure. Fake emails will not have this icon.

For additional information about fake emails and websites, you can visit www.antiphishing.org, a website put together by the Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG).

Don't forget, we're always around if you need us. Just click "Help" in the top right corner of any PayPal page to visit our improved Help Center.

Add your mobile number to your PayPal account so we can reach you right away if we ever need to verify account activity with you. Simply log in to your PayPal account, click "Profile" near the top of the page and then click "Update" beside "Phone."

You can also make and receive payments with your mobile phone when you add it to your PayPal account. After you confirm your number and create a PIN, you'll be able to get money, send money, check your balance, or manage your account from your phone using simple text messages.