What kind of scam is this?

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Hello I'm New here! Joined: 22 Jan 2009 Posts: 8

Hi
Basically i am selling my iPhone on Gumtree, and i got quite a few emails. But 90% of those ask me if i will ship the item (mostly they say Africa).
They also include that they will pay through PayPal. So then they ask me for my name and my paypal email address. They also offer me to pay double of what i'm asking.

So could someone please clear me up? What kind of scam is this? What do they get out of this? And how will it affect me if i accept it?

Here's an example of an email

Quote:

Thanks for the immediate reply,i am very sorry for the late reply.......First of all if you dont have paypal account i will advice you to go now and set up your own account with paypal at www.paypal.co.uk and then get back to me with your name and the paypal email address for the immediate payment.......Also you can send me an invoice to this email address......Now i am willing to offer you 380 Pounds for the item...reply me now..If the amount i offer is not upto the amount you want to sell it,please let me know...

Thanks!

Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2009 7:51 pm

This is an items for sale "overpayment" scam. The scammer will send a ginned-up Paypal notification that the transaction has gone through, or they use a stolen CC. Victim sends the item, plus some or all of the overpayment it turns out wasn't needed for "shipping and fees" after all. ID theft is also a possibility with especially gullible victims.

Baiting Guru Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 3123

Just as Bohigal says, it's an ovepayment scam.

Scammers are career criminals, and have no difficulty in spoofing an e-mail address to look like official PayPal confirmation, e.t.c

If you accept it, you may be given money from a victim of fraud - stay well away! I doubt you would send the 'extra' fees to him due to your presence here, just ignore all communications from him now.

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 22 Jan 2009 Posts: 8

But if i accept the payment, will i get in trouble?
I mean, can paypal do something to my account, since it could be a stolen CC?
Or can i accept the payment and we both are happy in the end?

Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 4:30 pm

If you "accept the payment" you will be out the money. You will need to pay it back when paypal finds out it is invalid. And yes, if you knowingly accept fraud money, you could get into legal trouble.

Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 4:34 pm

Not only that, think about whoever that scammer is ripping off, they are going have a maxed out card. If the legal repercussions don't deter you, than the moral ones should.

Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 4:38 pm

Scammers never pay with their own money. They use fake checks, money from a scam victim's compromised bank account, or stolen credit cards.
Sooner or later, it will be noticed, and the money taken back from your Paypal account.
At best, you will have lost your phone. At worst, you will also end up trying to convince Paypal and the police that you weren't part of the scam.
Don't do it.

Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 6:33 pm

LoLaPoPeR wrote:

But if i accept the payment, will i get in trouble?
I mean, can paypal do something to my account, since it could be a stolen CC?
Or can i accept the payment and we both are happy in the end?

So are you saying you would be perfectly happy keeping money that you know full well was stolen from someone? If so, I'm not sure Eater is the place for you. We fight against crime here, not participate in it.

This would fall into the category of "cash baiting", which means knowingly accepting money from a scammer. If you kept the money, that's what you would be doing. Cash baiting is a big no-no on Eater. Not to mention the fact that it's totally illegal.

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 22 Jan 2009 Posts: 8

Thanks for the reply guyz!
I never intended to accept it, i just wanted to know what would happen IF i would accept it. It's good to know, tbh. Wink

Thanks a lot guyz! You saved me from a lot of such scammers emailing me something very similar! Surprised

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