How much do you trust Paypal?

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Should I even respond to these people? One guy contacted me both on facebook and on craigslist.

I'm thinking my item may not sale so maybe I'll pass it on to one of my younger sisters... Which one the 20 year old getting married next Spring or the 14 year old going on 15 but thinks she's 30 like me? LOLZ!

Don't respond.

[Imua 0]

That's a lot of scams. Hey do I get negative feedback if I just don't respond to any of them?

No, only buyers who have completed transactions with you through eBay can leave negative feedback. just ignore them.

[kaydee457 13]

Be very cautious about paypal. They are NOT regulated by anyone but themselves. They are not a bank. If you're involved in any dispute with them they will not close your account, EVER! They share your personal info.

Just read the paypal horror stories online; most are very true. They have been known to lock down users checking accounts and reserve the total balance even if the amount in dispute is much less than the balance, and banks cooperate without having any mediation or adjudication at all.

If you use them my advice is to open an account just for paypal transactions and never have more than a couple of hundred dollars in it, and if necessary add some funds electronically from an external account based on whatever you want to buy.

I find myself more often just using my Visa CC.....

Edited November 19, 2008 by kaydee457

[Danno 1,228]

I have had a number of these people contact me as well, often times if you notice they never even know what the item is they pretend to be so interested in, they just speak in general terms like

"It is perfect!

They play on your natural tendency to get an easy buck and then you let down your guard give them the info they want from you.

In some of these cases they actually do deposit a check in your account, you send the item (or money depending on the scam) and then the check is no good.

I have not had any problems with Paypal and I don't think these scams like you got in email are related to paypal, the scammers cruise Ebay and Craigslists type sites.

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

So really they just want the item. It's so weird. They are like internet piranha's.

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

You guys need to see the msg I got today on facebook about my item.

Dear Seller,respond to this email address tunstayo3@yahoo.com

How much for the asking price of the item. and I'll be using this opportunity to let you understand that you'll be receiving the payment in mode of check from my client and the amount you'll be receiving will be more than the item fees. Payment will be sent to you immediately Like i told you i'm purchasing on behalf of my client and the excess payment is my own commission with the money i'll need to pay for our shipping company. So i want you to promise me that you are so honest to deduct just the amount for the item and send the excess money through westernunion as soon as you receive the payment from my client. The payment will be sent immediately you agree with me to deduct just the amount for the item and send the balance through any westernunion Office well known to you and you'll be receiving it the next day.

There won't be any problem about the shippment. I'll be handling that with my (my shipping company) so i want you to get back to me asap now with your full mailing information. Email me your full name, address and phone# now if you agree and assure me that you'll deduct just the amount for the item and send the balance through westernunion so that the payment can be sent immediately.

NOTICE

I want you to take the item off advertisement at facebook.com because i don't want anyother buyer to bid on it again cos i'm serious

in buying this item very fast ok. I will be adding extra $20 to your payment for removing it on listing and make sure you inform me

immediately you remove it on listing so that i'll know that you done that for me ok.And I will also be reponsible for any expenses that the

transaction might cost you at the end.respond to this email address tunstayo3@yahoo.com

Below are the questions i have for you.

1)Is the item in good condition?

2)Is any westernunion location where you can send the balance money arround you?

3)Can you make sure you get the payment cashed at your bank the sameday you receive it?

4)Can you allow me to send DHL for the pick up and complete the transaction the day you receive the

check?

5)Can you promise me that you'll only deduct your item fees from the payment and westernunion the balance money the day you receive the payment?

If yes to all my questions, kindly email me back your full name, address and mobile# asap today

Thanks,

Note: You won't be responsible for westernunion charges. You have to deduct the westernunion charges from the payment.

Send me a mail to this box and give me the details concerning the item

I will be waiting for your mail at tunstayo3@yahoo.com

[Ban Hammer 13,334]

You guys need to see the msg I got today on facebook about my item.

Dear Seller,respond to this email address tunstayo3@yahoo.com

How much for the asking price of the item. and I'll be using this opportunity to let you understand that you'll be receiving the payment in mode of check from my client and the amount you'll be receiving will be more than the item fees. Payment will be sent to you immediately Like i told you i'm purchasing on behalf of my client and the excess payment is my own commission with the money i'll need to pay for our shipping company. So i want you to promise me that you are so honest to deduct just the amount for the item and send the excess money through westernunion as soon as you receive the payment from my client. The payment will be sent immediately you agree with me to deduct just the amount for the item and send the balance through any westernunion Office well known to you and you'll be receiving it the next day.

There won't be any problem about the shippment. I'll be handling that with my (my shipping company) so i want you to get back to me asap now with your full mailing information. Email me your full name, address and phone# now if you agree and assure me that you'll deduct just the amount for the item and send the balance through westernunion so that the payment can be sent immediately.

NOTICE

I want you to take the item off advertisement at facebook.com because i don't want anyother buyer to bid on it again cos i'm serious

in buying this item very fast ok. I will be adding extra $20 to your payment for removing it on listing and make sure you inform me

immediately you remove it on listing so that i'll know that you done that for me ok.And I will also be reponsible for any expenses that the

transaction might cost you at the end.respond to this email address tunstayo3@yahoo.com

Below are the questions i have for you.

1)Is the item in good condition?

2)Is any westernunion location where you can send the balance money arround you?

3)Can you make sure you get the payment cashed at your bank the sameday you receive it?

4)Can you allow me to send DHL for the pick up and complete the transaction the day you receive the

check?

5)Can you promise me that you'll only deduct your item fees from the payment and westernunion the balance money the day you receive the payment?

If yes to all my questions, kindly email me back your full name, address and mobile# asap today

Thanks,

Note: You won't be responsible for westernunion charges. You have to deduct the westernunion charges from the payment.

Send me a mail to this box and give me the details concerning the item

I will be waiting for your mail at tunstayo3@yahoo.com

scam

[Chica Yeyé 41]

Scam indeed.

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

For sure. Here are some others I've gotten:

Hello

I'm karin grace, I hail from Canada in Ottawa city, I came across your advert and am highly interested in Purchasing your (Brookstone Home Theater System) which you offer for sale,Due to the fact that its been a long time have been searching for it.

Please Kindly get back to me as soon as possible with the necessary answers

to the question in mind.

Are you the first owner?

The present condition?

Your final asking price?

And I will also like you to send me Pictures to enable me view what I intend

to purchase and i will like you to know that my form of payment is through

Check.

I await your urgent response so that we can proceed further.

RESPONSE TO THESE MESSAGE SHOULD BE REPLY TO MY MAILBOX

karing12@yahoo.com FOR QUICK RESPONSE

Regards .

karin

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

And this one:

Hi ,

I saw your item on facebook Classifieds and have read the condition carefully,i will like to make purchase of it immediately for my best friend who was recently transfered to UK for work,actually he is celebrating his 30 years birthday so i just decide to get him this(i just hope he likes it),get back to me if the item is still available for sale.I am willing to offer you $600.00 for the item,including shipping cost via USPS Express Mail to UK,will be paying you through PayPal because it's the safest way to pay online.Hope to hear from you asap.

Best Regards

Notice any trends like in grammar? The word cos. I spell it coz..but I noticed two of them used cos...not to mention to write me at this separate email thing and two of them did the birthday thing and and and...

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

This one I actually talked to and thought about saying "I'm really impressed with the level of sophisticated criminal activity!"

Dear Olivia,

My son birthday is at hand and he surf through Facebook market and come across your item as his favorite, which he want me to present to him as a birthday gift. His currently studying in Africa and I would have like to buy it directly and send it to him but my job won't permit me to do such cos I'm a busy person due to the nature of my job.

I will make an immediate offer of $900.00 USD for the item including shipping and handling charges to Africa so if you are still interested in selling this item to me kindly forward to me your PayPal e-mail address so that i can send out the payment through my PayPal account immediately.

Regards,

Mike Kusiak

mike.kusiak@yahoo.com.

Dear Mike,

I am sorry. I accept cash only. Beside wouldn't it be more sensible for you to purchase your son a new system for less in Africa for the price you are willing to pay, no?

Best wishes,

Olivia

I understand you but the amount includes shipping and do note that he choose your item himself and he wants me to buy it for him as his birthday gift, so kindly get back to me and let me know if you can help me post it to him ok.

I am waiting your response.

Mike Kusiak

mike.kusiak@yahoo.com

Mike,

I accept cash only. My apologies for being unable to accept your offer. I am unwilling to it at this time.

Olivia

Olivia,

well !!! no problem if you say so.

Mike

[JeanneVictoria 55]

Yes they are scammers Olivia. I noticed how all had a yahoo address and how they used

the word "kindly". These scammers are everywhere!!

I personally have had no probs with paypal.

[Ban Hammer 13,334]

you'll also note that english isn't their primary language with all of the mistakes in their writings.

it has scam written all over it.

[Ban Hammer 13,334]

oops i almaty'ed

Edited November 19, 2008 by charles!

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

These aren't even all the scam requests I've gotten. There are ones in my email from Craigslist too. Some of them are the same ppl. What gets me is I wonder if some of the profiles are the same ppl too? Coz of the similarities.