Scam? Or legitimate buyer?

*DanLoc78* · 11-06-2009, 07:48 PM

I put three lenses on craigslist recently...this is what i get as a response to my ad

"i am located in Remsenburg city in NY,i really need to buy this and send to my
son schooling outside the state as a gift .I will offer you
$500 and an extra $100 for shipping so as to close the auction as soon
as possible.I will be paying through PAYPAL because i have a verified
account with PayPal.So kindly get back with
your PayPal email address so i can make payment into your paypal
account. Get back to me if my approval is granted.I would like to see
the pictures please "

this just smells like a scam...but is there harm in just giving my email address that my PayPal account is linked to? you can't hijack an account just with the email address right?

anyway...if anyone has received a response like this one, please let me know.

*PrimeObjectif* · 11-06-2009, 07:58 PM

Originally Posted by DanLoc78

I put three lenses on craigslist recently...this is what i get as a response to my ad

"i am located in Remsenburg city in NY,i really need to buy this and send to my
son schooling outside the state as a gift .I will offer you
$500 and an extra $100 for shipping so as to close the auction as soon
as possible.I will be paying through PAYPAL because i have a verified
account with PayPal.So kindly get back with
your PayPal email address so i can make payment into your paypal
account. Get back to me if my approval is granted.I would like to see
the pictures please "

this just smells like a scam...but is there harm in just giving my email address that my PayPal account is linked to? you can't hijack an account just with the email address right?

anyway...if anyone has received a response like this one, please let me know.

Sounds like the typical craigslist scam email--except that the person is not located in Nigeria or Brazil. Steer clear, my friend.

*monochrome* · 11-06-2009, 08:01 PM

Never send a buyer your PayPal email address on Craigslist, or anywhere else. Always send a Funds Request (an invoice) after they give you their Buyer email address.

Make your PayPal contact email address (the one that shows up in the confirmations, etc.) different than your account email address.

*mba1971* · 11-06-2009, 08:32 PM

Can u tell me why?

*monochrome* · 11-06-2009, 08:53 PM

Originally Posted by mba1971

Can u tell me why?

Your PayPal email address is your LoginID. Once a crook/scammer has that it is a step closer to cracking your password. Most people do not use secure passwords.

Pipeline to your CC or bank account.

The language in that purchase offer sounds suspiciously like a scam - who would pay an extra $100 for fast shipping? FedEx is, what, $16 for three lenses?

*mba1971* · 11-06-2009, 09:00 PM

Well I just changes mu address...thik I may have given my old paypal address yesterday...Thanks for the info!

*raymeedc* · 11-06-2009, 09:28 PM

Definitely a scam response. I receive an almost identical request almost every time I post an item on Craigslist. They never mention the item you're selling so that they can send out thousands of these form letters effortlessly, just changing the dollar amounts.

Barnster · 11-07-2009, 12:12 AM

Don't do it!It's not worth the risk.

*LeDave* · 11-07-2009, 05:47 AM

I sell on Craigslist all the time, and I get these emails ALL THE TIME. It is a scam, it is the popular Nigerian scam. Even though they have PayPal, they will still scam you. Don't do it.

Advance-fee fraud - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Colloquium: Nigerian Scam Buying Items Using Fake Paypal

Nigerian 419 scams now hitting paypal - The Inquirer

rustynail925 · 11-07-2009, 06:46 AM

Does it mean that paypal is not a safe way to pay to a stranger or receive payments online??

*LeDave* · 11-07-2009, 06:56 AM

Originally Posted by rustynail925

Does it mean that paypal is not a safe way to pay to a stranger or receive payments online??

It never was. PayPal is kind of like a joke, you can get away with a lot of things with PayPal. But a lot of people use it anyway because they think it's safe from all their false policies. Plus too many people use and only accept PayPal now so it's become the "only" way to pay for most things.

*DanLoc78* · 11-07-2009, 11:16 PM

yeah...i stayed away from this person. it was the request for email address on my paypal account and the fact they were paying me more than i asked and $100 for shipping???

*raymeedc* · 11-08-2009, 04:59 AM

Originally Posted by rustynail925

Does it mean that paypal is not a safe way to pay to a stranger or receive payments online??

Keep a separate bank account for PayPal transactions only, depositing & sending out payments for the items you buy as quickly as possible on a one to one basis, as they occur.

wll · 11-08-2009, 06:48 AM

I get these all the time and just delete them.

The ones where they are sending someone over with a bank check are a joke.

I ONLY except money and have a marker to test if they are real bills.

On Craig's list .... for me, it is a person to person transaction and cash ONLY.

wll

rustynail925 · 11-08-2009, 07:24 AM

but what if the scammer sounded like a very honest buyer and you give out your email add for paypal? western union i think would be a lot safer