Email Notifying of Payment

[jenxmull]

Hi,

I had an encounter with a suspicious buyer, and due to receiving two different addresses, I canceled the order (citing the addresses as the problem). People have told me it was a scam, and I was a bit relieved to be done with the whole ordeal.

But now I've received an email from eBay - at least that's what it looks like. Telling me that I've been paid and I can ship the item. And it leaves me with a couple questions...

1. how do I tell 100% if this email is fake? What should I look for?

2. how could I possibly have been paid if I canceled the order? (Another tip-off that this is fake because it makes zero sense how you can pay someone for a canceled order)

I looked at the email address it was sent from and it is: "ntl.paypal@gmail.com".. I find it a bit odd PayPal would use Gmail LMAO

but regardless, I'd feel much more comfortable getting verification that this email is fake, and this is all part of their scam.

[jonathankirkland]

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@jenxmull wrote:

Hi,

I had an encounter with a suspicious buyer, and due to receiving two different addresses, I canceled the order (citing the addresses as the problem). People have told me it was a scam, and I was a bit relieved to be done with the whole ordeal.

But now I've received an email from eBay - at least that's what it looks like. Telling me that I've been paid and I can ship the item. And it leaves me with a couple questions...

1. how do I tell 100% if this email is fake? What should I look for?

2. how could I possibly have been paid if I canceled the order? (Another tip-off that this is fake because it makes zero sense how you can pay someone for a canceled order)

I looked at the email address it was sent from and it is: "ntl.paypal@gmail.com".. I find it a bit odd PayPal would use Gmail LMAO

but regardless, I'd feel much more comfortable getting verification that this email is fake, and this is all part of their scam.

---

Yes it's a scam.

1.) To be 100% sure, go to www.paypal.com (never click on any link from an email) and login to see if you've been paid.

2.) There have been occasions where glitches have caused buyers to still be able to pay for cancelled/ended listings, but from my understanding it is rare.

And you did the right thing not falling for the address scam. Make sure you block these unscrupulous buyers also.

[dhbookds]

Go to your paypal account, NOT using a link in any email.........  and look to see if paypal shows payment and has an "OK to ship" message.  If so, you need to call ebay and call attention to the 2 ship to addresses and ask what to do........

[myboardid]

It is another scam! 

You are right, Paypal emails do not go through gmail.

NEVER believe any email that says you've received payment without going to your Paypal account and finding the payment there. 

And eBay will let the buyer pay even after the transaction is cancelled.  They will never block money coming!  For all they know, you might have worked out something with the buyer.

But you don't have a buyer, you have a scamming thief.  Do NOT reply to him, do NOT believe anything you get through email, and most of all do NOT send anything to him. 

[jonathankirkland]

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@dhbookds wrote:

Go to your paypal account, NOT using a link in any email.........  and look to see if paypal shows payment and has an "OK to ship" message.  If so, you need to call ebay and call attention to the 2 ship to addresses and ask what to do........

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I think what has happened is the scammer was unable to trick the OP with the first scam, so now that they have the OPs email address they are trying their secondary scam technique, which is also failing because OP is not an idiot like scammers seem to think everyone is.

[jenxmull]

I haven't been paid at all. In this email, it tells me that I can receive the money in up to seven days, but to receive it sooner, I can ship the item as soon as I can and upload a tracking number.

Is this the final step in their scam?

I'm tired of dealing with this UGH

[orangehound]

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@jenxmull wrote:

Is this the final step in their scam?

I'm tired of dealing with this UGH

---

Probably.  As a new seller of an item that is a high target for theft and scams, you would do well to list it with some restrictions that would help to minimize the scams:

1. Determine a fair price for the Macbook (look at sold listings and use comparible sales).
2. List it as fixed price with immediate payment required.
3. List as US Only (no international selling) ... and go into your PayPal account and set it up so as to not accept foreign payments.

In doing these three things, you will disarm a lot of the thieves, and you will be much more likely to get a legitimate buyer.

That said, though you can minimize the threat of theft, you can never fully eliminate the possiblity.  It happens, and eBay will not typically protect you.  Using the three things above will force just about every thief to skip your listing and target someone else.  If you are still nervous, you could add a #4 to the list above by selling locally for cash only ... but this will reduce your market considerably.

[feefoo72]

This is just a a continuum of your other topic "Suspicious Buyer"

The email is fake. 

"An email from PayPal will come from paypal.com."

https://www.paypal.com/us/webapps/mpp/security/common-scams

It is very simple to verify any payment; Always  log into your paypal account from your own computer or device, not from an email link. 

Forward the email to spoof@paypal.com 

https://www.paypal.com/us/selfhelp/article/how-do-i-report-a-fake-paypal-email-or-website-faq438

https://www.ebay.com/help/account/protecting-account/recognising-spoof-emails?id=4195&rmvSB=true

You don't do anything but ignore this.

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

As a new seller of a high scam item I'd sell it elsewhere. In fact even if you were a high feedback seller of the same item I'd give the same suggestion.

There is too much danger of a buyer filing a SNAD complaint and returning something else. Never sell anything you can not afford to lose here. Sellers have almost NO protection against scammers.

[jonathankirkland]

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@the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth wrote:

As a new seller of a high scam item I'd sell it elsewhere. In fact even if you were a high feedback seller of the same item I'd give the same suggestion.

There is too much danger of a buyer filing a SNAD complaint and returning something else. Never sell anything you can not afford to lose here. Sellers have almost NO protection against scammers.

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I must say, I have to agree.

With only 12 feedback selling a $500 laptop you are a prime target for scammers.

[luckythewinner]

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@jenxmull wrote:
I'm tired of dealing with this UGH

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IMHO if you establish a good routine, there is nothing to deal with. Every day, do the following:

1) Go directly to eBay, login in, and check for any sold items (or for any disputes)

2) Go directly to PayPal, log in, and check for any payments received (or for any disputes)

Take those two steps every day, and fake emails will not cause you any stress, worry, or concern.

[pburn]

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@jenxmull wrote:

But now I've received an email from eBay - at least that's what it looks like. Telling me that I've been paid and I can ship the item. And it leaves me with a couple questions...

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With all due respect, did you read the responses to your original thread about this transaction? At least seven members warned you about this situation. You were given the following advice:

"You're good to go you'll get a fake paypal email claiming they paid for their purchase,but just delete it because your paypal account won't have any funds in it and don't click on any links to paypal within that message..."

"All true, but another reason for not giving the buyer your PayPal address, and the key reason in this situation, is that it enables the scam buyer (which you have here) to send a completely fake PayPal payment notification, telling you to ship and upload a tracking number in order to have the funds deposited in your account. That's not how a real payment process works. "

"Another point for the OP~Never go by just an email saying you have been paid, ALWAYS check your Paypal account balance and history to actually see that the funds are there.  Don't ship until they give you the ok.  And always ship to the address PP provides."

"They won't pay you, it's a scam. They wanted your Paypal email to send you a fake email. If you get an email from "Paypal", log into your account (not a link in the email) to verify if you have funds. Since the order is cancelled (I hope you used "problem with buyer's address" when you cancelled), you can refund the money through Paypal directly (which I have done when in this situation, if I was paid after the cancellation)."

"This happened to me with an expensive watch. The person did it to me a few times. They send you a fake PayPal payment made to your email. And the addy they want you to send it. But u look at PayPal and no money. Don’t send it. It’s a scam. I’m sure they get a3ay with it enough to make it worth it."

"Many times, someone comes to the Board AFTER they have sent their expensive item to a "buyer" because they fell for a fake PP paid notice, and after they can recall a package (which is not guaranteed anyway) and they are just out the item.  No money to show for it."

"Always check your Paypal account (not eBay - not an email) to see if you have been paid."

[a_c_green]

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@jenxmull wrote:

I haven't been paid at all. In this email, it tells me that I can receive the money in up to seven days, but to receive it sooner, I can ship the item as soon as I can and upload a tracking number.

Is this the final step in their scam?

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Yes. That is not how real payments work. You are not going to get paid by this "buyer;" he is just a scammer.

You really need to start out small when selling here, listing only items that you can afford to lose if the whole transaction goes sideways. High-scam items such as cameras, laptops or smartphones from new sellers attract scammers like moths to a flame.

[orangehound]

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@the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth wrote:

As a new seller of a high scam item I'd sell it elsewhere. In fact even if you were a high feedback seller of the same item I'd give the same suggestion.

There is too much danger of a buyer filing a SNAD complaint and returning something else. Never sell anything you can not afford to lose here. Sellers have almost NO protection against scammers.

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This is true ... the seller seems intent on selling it on here, so the best advice I can give are ways to minimize the risk.  But, the risk is still here and very real.  The unfortunate reality is that eBay's policies have a loophole that allows thieves basically to steal anything they want - like a shop owner leaving the door unlocked - and there's not a thing a seller can do about it.

Until eBay changes their policies, I will sell my more expensive items elsewhere.  I won't sell anything for over $200 on here until the policies change.

[jenxmull]

Will all due respect, did you even read what I wrote? at the end, I said I would feel better getting verifications that this is fake rather than assuming since this was my first-time selling.

Funny how you guys advise for people to be careful, then when someone takes extra precaution, they’re met with rude words. $500 is a lot. I’m not stupid enough to fall for their scam, but I’d still rather be safe than sorry.

Some of you guys are the rudest people I‘ve ever dealt with. I understand what I did wrong, I don’t need people continuing to come after me, telling me everything I did wrong. All I wanted was for my questions to be answered, not criticized for everything.

I’m not talking about you specifically, 99.8% of the people on both threads have been rude and tried to justify it as “tough love”.  And enough is enough, I’ve heard it once. I don’t need a million others telling me it over and over. All I wanted was for my questions to be answered.