greyhound_flyer
Member
Hello RFF and Yashica enthusiasts,
I would like to relay my tale of being scammed by a pretty good con artist.
I posted a Lynx 14 for sale on my local craigslist on a Saturday morning and received an email expressing interest on Sunday from a buyer in the UK.
The "buyer" sent me "his" name and address and requested a quote for FedEx shipping to Sleaford, Lincolnshire. I got the quote on Monday from my mom-and-pop shipping store and informed the buyer that the expedited shipping was only $10 more, to which the buyer eagerly agreed. Hmmm--no red flags at this point.
I told the buyer that the total amount incl. shipping was $220 and emailed my paypal info. I soon received an email from "services@paypal.co.uk ." <sendshippingdetails@accountant.com> saying "You've got new funds" and I checked my paypal to see that, indeed, $220 had been put into my account. I then received a second email a short time later from "services@paypal.co.uk ." <sendshippingdetails@accountant.com> stating:
"
This message is originated from paypal company.We have received an order from our client "Buyer's 'real' namel" ('buyer's email') regarding the payment made to your paypal account. The payment has been successfully made but due to security reason we have to receive the shipping/reference number before the next 48 hours for the processing of your order.
This a new measure we are taking to protect both our sellers and buyers against fraudulent customers.Once you have shipped the item send us the shipping/reference number for verification.After the number has been verified, your account will be credited instantly.
This PayPal® payment has been deducted from the buyer's account and has been " APPROVED " but will not be credited to your account untill the shipping/reference number is sent to us for shipment verification so as to secure both the buyer and the seller. Send reference number to us or email us through this mail sendshippingdetails@accountant .com
* *PLEASE NOTE**
Once shipment has been verified and the tracking number sent to us, You will receive a "CONFIRMATION Email" from PayPal® informing you that the Money has been credited.Note: Paypal will be responsilbe for the item loss or damage once we recieve the tracking number
"
Since I had never been a seller using PayPal, I was not suspicious, but in retrospect, I should have been.
I boxed up the camera, paid the $120 to ship it expedited FedEx to Sleaford and then relayed the tracking # as requested by "PayPal" services. Can you guess what happened next? Magically, THE $220 IN MY PAYPAL WAS WITHDRAWN!!!
I realized I had been scammed when I received no responses to my requests for crediting my PayPal now that the buyer had the tracking number.
I immediately called PayPal and FedEx to see what I could do. I also called the police department in Sleaford to let them know what had happened. PayPal, of course, offered no help and wanted the spoofed emails. FedEx said, "ah, it's no problem as long as it hasn't left the country." One problem: the package had already left Memphis and was en route to the UK! My heart really sank at this point. The money wasn't such a big deal, but the feeling of being taken was just crushing.
About half an hour later, a different FedEx rep. called from Memphis to say that she was working on my case and would try to stop it before it went through customs. She called me again a few minutes later to say that her counterpart in the UK was still in the office and had put a hold on the shipment. Thankfully, they were able to catch it in time and turn it around back to me.
The police in Sleaford investigated and determined that the scammer had used this real person's name and address for many scams. They also determined that this person was innocent and had been receiving (almost daily) unrequested shipments from the US for a few weeks!
Looking back, it was pretty obvious that the initial email from the scammer was sent by a script, since there's no mention of the camera specifically. There were many clues along the way that I, the patsy, should have caught. At least it was only $120 to learn my lesson...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=eKgPY1adc0A
I would like to relay my tale of being scammed by a pretty good con artist.
I posted a Lynx 14 for sale on my local craigslist on a Saturday morning and received an email expressing interest on Sunday from a buyer in the UK.
The "buyer" sent me "his" name and address and requested a quote for FedEx shipping to Sleaford, Lincolnshire. I got the quote on Monday from my mom-and-pop shipping store and informed the buyer that the expedited shipping was only $10 more, to which the buyer eagerly agreed. Hmmm--no red flags at this point.
I told the buyer that the total amount incl. shipping was $220 and emailed my paypal info. I soon received an email from "services@paypal.co.uk ." <sendshippingdetails@accountant.com> saying "You've got new funds" and I checked my paypal to see that, indeed, $220 had been put into my account. I then received a second email a short time later from "services@paypal.co.uk ." <sendshippingdetails@accountant.com> stating:
"
This message is originated from paypal company.We have received an order from our client "Buyer's 'real' namel" ('buyer's email') regarding the payment made to your paypal account. The payment has been successfully made but due to security reason we have to receive the shipping/reference number before the next 48 hours for the processing of your order.
This a new measure we are taking to protect both our sellers and buyers against fraudulent customers.Once you have shipped the item send us the shipping/reference number for verification.After the number has been verified, your account will be credited instantly.
This PayPal® payment has been deducted from the buyer's account and has been " APPROVED " but will not be credited to your account untill the shipping/reference number is sent to us for shipment verification so as to secure both the buyer and the seller. Send reference number to us or email us through this mail sendshippingdetails@accountant .com
* *PLEASE NOTE**
Once shipment has been verified and the tracking number sent to us, You will receive a "CONFIRMATION Email" from PayPal® informing you that the Money has been credited.Note: Paypal will be responsilbe for the item loss or damage once we recieve the tracking number
"
Since I had never been a seller using PayPal, I was not suspicious, but in retrospect, I should have been.
I boxed up the camera, paid the $120 to ship it expedited FedEx to Sleaford and then relayed the tracking # as requested by "PayPal" services. Can you guess what happened next? Magically, THE $220 IN MY PAYPAL WAS WITHDRAWN!!!
I realized I had been scammed when I received no responses to my requests for crediting my PayPal now that the buyer had the tracking number.
I immediately called PayPal and FedEx to see what I could do. I also called the police department in Sleaford to let them know what had happened. PayPal, of course, offered no help and wanted the spoofed emails. FedEx said, "ah, it's no problem as long as it hasn't left the country." One problem: the package had already left Memphis and was en route to the UK! My heart really sank at this point. The money wasn't such a big deal, but the feeling of being taken was just crushing.
About half an hour later, a different FedEx rep. called from Memphis to say that she was working on my case and would try to stop it before it went through customs. She called me again a few minutes later to say that her counterpart in the UK was still in the office and had put a hold on the shipment. Thankfully, they were able to catch it in time and turn it around back to me.
The police in Sleaford investigated and determined that the scammer had used this real person's name and address for many scams. They also determined that this person was innocent and had been receiving (almost daily) unrequested shipments from the US for a few weeks!
Looking back, it was pretty obvious that the initial email from the scammer was sent by a script, since there's no mention of the camera specifically. There were many clues along the way that I, the patsy, should have caught. At least it was only $120 to learn my lesson...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=eKgPY1adc0A
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Ducky
Well-known
A hard lesson but thanks for the post. I'll keep that in mind.
bmattock
Veteran
There are parts of this I do not understand.
First, the 'notes' from 'Paypal' are using bad English. Did you not notice that?
Second, the 'return address' was not Paypal, but 'accountant.com'. No alarm bells?
Third, I do not understand the nature of the scam. You had money put into your Paypal account and then taken back out, I understand that. But the person who would have received your camera is an innocent party? In what way has the scammer benefited, unless it was to make trouble for someone?
I am sorry you are out $120 for shipping, and I'm glad you'll get the camera back. I confess I do not understand how the scammer was to either make money or get your camera from this.
Was there a link in the 'emails' from 'Paypal UK' and you clicked on them? Have you given out your account details in some manner?
Of course one must always be cautious - but I don't quite follow how this scam was supposed to work. Perhaps I am missing something obvious.
First, the 'notes' from 'Paypal' are using bad English. Did you not notice that?
Second, the 'return address' was not Paypal, but 'accountant.com'. No alarm bells?
Third, I do not understand the nature of the scam. You had money put into your Paypal account and then taken back out, I understand that. But the person who would have received your camera is an innocent party? In what way has the scammer benefited, unless it was to make trouble for someone?
I am sorry you are out $120 for shipping, and I'm glad you'll get the camera back. I confess I do not understand how the scammer was to either make money or get your camera from this.
Was there a link in the 'emails' from 'Paypal UK' and you clicked on them? Have you given out your account details in some manner?
Of course one must always be cautious - but I don't quite follow how this scam was supposed to work. Perhaps I am missing something obvious.
greyhound_flyer
Member
I don't think you're missing anything at all and I also don't understand how the scammer was supposed to make money.
It turns out that the person whose address was used did not perpetrate the fraud. Like the police in the UK said, it may have been a hoax or a practical joke.
My purpose in posting was to try to alert others in the methods and maybe even email addresses in case the scammer gets to someone on RFF.
I certainly admit I used poor judgment evaluating the risk of the transaction.
It turns out that the person whose address was used did not perpetrate the fraud. Like the police in the UK said, it may have been a hoax or a practical joke.
My purpose in posting was to try to alert others in the methods and maybe even email addresses in case the scammer gets to someone on RFF.
I certainly admit I used poor judgment evaluating the risk of the transaction.
pesphoto
Veteran
Phew, glad you caught the camera and are getting it back. Maybe youre just not meant to sell that one.
bmattock
Veteran
I don't think you're missing anything at all and I also don't understand how the scammer was supposed to make money.
It turns out that the person whose address was used did not perpetrate the fraud. Like the police in the UK said, it may have been a hoax or a practical joke.
My purpose in posting was to try to alert others in the methods and maybe even email addresses in case the scammer gets to someone on RFF.
I certainly admit I used poor judgment evaluating the risk of the transaction.
I have trouble believing the scammer went to that trouble to simply make trouble for an innocent party, although I admit it could well happen.
I mention this not to take issue with you, but to gently suggest that you may have given up information about your Paypal account without meaning to, which will be used at a later date against you. If you clicked on any links contained within any emails you received and were taken to what APPEARS to be Paypal and you entered your login information, you may have some serious trouble ahead.
I would suggest following up on that. Sophisticated stings are not made to create trouble but to make money. You're clearly the mark, so I'd take steps to protect myself if I were you.
greyhound_flyer
Member
bmattock, I appreciate your advice and thankfully didn't click on any links and only gave my paypal id (not my password) so that he could add funds to it. I am definitely aware of how rampant ID theft is these days!
M. Valdemar
Well-known
1) The fact that you went to a "mom and pop" store, instead of directly dealing with FedEx shows your lack of common sense. Why use this type of place that often jacks up shipping more than 50% or worse?
2) You are a perfect mark. All these bizarre things happened, such as money appearing in your PayPal account (who sent it there, does PayPal have a record?) means that you might not have even been on the "PayPal" site at all. This whole thing for a crummy Yashica Lynx?? YOU ARE NOW IN DENIAL THAT YOU "DIDN'T CLICK ON ANY LINKS", and that you are "safe". You don't think you gave your PayPal password but you might have done all this on a fake clone of the PayPal site.
3) There's a very good chance that you're going to get overwhelmed with assaults on your bank account and god knows what else. This is not done "as a prank".
4) Your whole story doesn't make much sense. I think you don't comprehend what's happening or missing a lot. Don't be offended that I imply you're not too bright because of my point number #1 above. You might not be, in this area. I know many people who are intelligent in their fields, but on other subjects might be idiots.
I think you have been set up to be skinned alive.
2) You are a perfect mark. All these bizarre things happened, such as money appearing in your PayPal account (who sent it there, does PayPal have a record?) means that you might not have even been on the "PayPal" site at all. This whole thing for a crummy Yashica Lynx?? YOU ARE NOW IN DENIAL THAT YOU "DIDN'T CLICK ON ANY LINKS", and that you are "safe". You don't think you gave your PayPal password but you might have done all this on a fake clone of the PayPal site.
3) There's a very good chance that you're going to get overwhelmed with assaults on your bank account and god knows what else. This is not done "as a prank".
4) Your whole story doesn't make much sense. I think you don't comprehend what's happening or missing a lot. Don't be offended that I imply you're not too bright because of my point number #1 above. You might not be, in this area. I know many people who are intelligent in their fields, but on other subjects might be idiots.
I think you have been set up to be skinned alive.
M. Valdemar
Well-known
Google the text of your letter and the shipping address if you want some eye-opening narratives:
http://www.google.com/search?client...+of+the+item+to+the+Buyer.&btnG=Google+Search
http://www.google.com/search?client...,+Lincolnshire+paypal+scam&btnG=Google+Search
I hope you still own your pants in a few weeks.
http://www.google.com/search?client...+of+the+item+to+the+Buyer.&btnG=Google+Search
http://www.google.com/search?client...,+Lincolnshire+paypal+scam&btnG=Google+Search
I hope you still own your pants in a few weeks.
bmattock
Veteran
I am sorry to say it appears as if M. Valdemar has found the truth of the matter. Please do look to your accounts - this is a serious scam and you appear to have been taken in. It would appear not to be a simple 'hoax' but rather a sophisticated attempt to gain access to your Paypal account. If you do not take steps to address this, your victimization has only begun.
Al Patterson
Ferroequinologist
If you haven't already, I'd suggest you change your Paypal password. Better safe than sorry.
There are days I want to close my Paypal and eBay accounts as I think their "security" is a joke.
There are days I want to close my Paypal and eBay accounts as I think their "security" is a joke.
stuken
Established
Isn't the whole point of craigslist to stay local, and buy face to face? Infact, right at the top of craigslist theres a little bit of text that says "Avoid scams and fraud by dealing locally! Beware any deal involving Western Union, Moneygram, wire transfer, cashier check, money order, shipping, escrow, or any promise of transaction protection/certification/guarantee. More info" It totally sucks you got taken, and I'm sorry to hear it, but it seems like you need to pay a little closer attention when completing internet transactions such as this. If you want to sell something online, use ebay, or the classifieds here. Craigslist is locals only, and should stay that way.
irq506
just curious
Thank you for posting this, I will be aware of similar.
About seven years ago I got hit by a Paypal kind of organization who set me up with an account, I dropped in my €385 and I never saw it again, the company disappeared etc gone..
ouch.
About seven years ago I got hit by a Paypal kind of organization who set me up with an account, I dropped in my €385 and I never saw it again, the company disappeared etc gone..
ouch.
greyhound_flyer
Member
Thanks to all who responded and alerted me to the fact that this is a scam that is widely known. Sadly, I guess that's what I get for being trusting in this day and age and not knowing the internets and tubes well enough.
Yes I should have been suspicious of a buyer in the UK, but frankly, a UK RFFer had expressed interest in this camera in the past, so I thought that maybe these cameras are more desirable in the UK.
And tell me how this crime syndicate can clean me out and leave me pantless if all PayPal has is one credit card number?
Finally, a special thanks to M. Valdemar . You certainly hold nothing back. "crummy Yashica Lynx" indeed!
p.s. In case in one is wondering how much the "mom and pop" jacked up the FedEx shipping: I paid $118 for what FedEx would have charged me $111.48 to drop off at a "FedEx staffed location". Maybe it wouldn't be $6.50 in gas, but what is convenience worth?
Yes I should have been suspicious of a buyer in the UK, but frankly, a UK RFFer had expressed interest in this camera in the past, so I thought that maybe these cameras are more desirable in the UK.
And tell me how this crime syndicate can clean me out and leave me pantless if all PayPal has is one credit card number?
Finally, a special thanks to M. Valdemar . You certainly hold nothing back. "crummy Yashica Lynx" indeed!
p.s. In case in one is wondering how much the "mom and pop" jacked up the FedEx shipping: I paid $118 for what FedEx would have charged me $111.48 to drop off at a "FedEx staffed location". Maybe it wouldn't be $6.50 in gas, but what is convenience worth?
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M. Valdemar
Well-known
And tell me how this crime syndicate can clean me out and leave me pantless if all PayPal has is one credit card number?
You simply lack imagination.
You simply lack imagination.
greyhound_flyer
Member
So what have YOU imagined?
M. Valdemar
Well-known
You can lead a horse to water......
Don't worry. Everything is fine. You were really smart and you got your camera back, and you posted a warning to others on an internet forum.
Good job. Something like that can probably never happen to you again. Just go back to your normal routine. Kudos.
Don't worry. Everything is fine. You were really smart and you got your camera back, and you posted a warning to others on an internet forum.
Good job. Something like that can probably never happen to you again. Just go back to your normal routine. Kudos.
Blake Werts
Established
It is likely that they will try to access your true paypal account to steal all of your personal information that you have left with paypal. Often, this is enough information to complete a successful Identity Theft: they can start using your credit card that you have associated with your paypal account; or worse, they can start opening credit cards in your name.
Robburrito
Member
And many times paypal requires you to link to a valid bank account in order to use them, thus scammers with your information could conceivably get access to your bank account and drain the funds. Don't know if this is the case with you, but be wary of it.
greyhound_flyer
Member
Thank you Blake, this is very helpful; I will look into it.