There is no buyer.
Notice how the scammer doesn't call what you are selling by name? He uses the generic word "item", that is because he sends the same stock copy/paste email to anyone selling everything that he can find and he has no idea what you are selling and doesn't care.
There is only a scammer trying to steal your possession, your electronic item, name brand clothing or jewelry.
The scammer isn't interested in your identity or bank account only in convincing you to ship your possession to him without him sending you a penny.
The next email will be from another of the scammer's fake names and free email addresses pretending to be "Paypal" saying "kindly send the tracking number and we will release the funds".
Paypal does NOT send such emails, ever. Paypal does NOT have escrow or money holding services like that scammer describes. Paypal does NOT demand you send a tracking number before money is sent. EVER. No exceptions.
Now that you have responded to a scammer, you are on his 'potential sucker' list, he will try again to separate you from your cash. He will send you more emails from his other free email addresses using another of his fake names with all kinds of stories of being the perfect buyer, great jobs, lottery winnings, millions in the bank and desperate, lonely, sexy singles. He will sell your email address to all his scamming buddies who will also send you dozens of fake emails all with the exact same goal, you sending them your cash via Western Union or moneygram.
You could post up the email address and the emails themselves that the scammer is using, it will help make your post more googlable for other suspicious potential victims to find when looking for information.
Do you know how to check the header of a received email? If not, you could google for information. Being able to read the header to determine the geographic location an email originated from will help you weed out the most obvious scams and scammers. Then delete and block that scammer. Don't bother to tell him that you know he is a scammer, it isn't worth your effort. He has one job in life, convincing victims to send him their hard-earned cash.
Whenever suspicious or just plain curious, google everything, website addresses, names used, companies mentioned, phone numbers given, all email addresses, even sentences from the emails as you might be unpleasantly surprised at what you find already posted online. You can also post/ask here and every scam-warner-anti-fraud-busting site you can find before taking a chance and losing money to a scammer.
If you google "cragislist buyer scam", "fake paypal email scam", "ebay escrow fraud" or something similar you will find hundreds of posts from victims and near victims of this type of scam.
Check out the one and only official paypal website, read up on what paypal does and how it really works.
Are you selling a Smartphone on Ebay? You do not ship anything until the money has cleared your Paypal account and only when you log on to your account directly. Paypal is not located in Missouri. It is in California. If this is an Ebay item you are selling, the buyer would also have an Ebay account, so check out their feedback and transaction history.
Scam! PayPal doesn't send out messages like that. The buyer did it. Report the scammers!
Anytime you get an email from PayPal that you find questionable FORWARD it to spoof@paypal.com and they will reply within a few hours to let you know if it's from them or not.
Looks like a scam.
PayPal never asks for proof of shipment before they will release payment.
Never heard of the extension USA.com for an email.
And I can't find where this is any kind of real company.
Do me a favor. Email that person. I bet you it will bounce right back to you.
Definitely a scam.
Yes. Delete it.
Dear?Alex Colon,A?payment has been made to your?PayPal?account?by Janet Woods?for an?eBay?item?***Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket SGH-I727 - 16GB - Black (Unlocked) Smartphone***?which?will?get into your account as soon as we verify and confirm that the item has been shipped out.This is?due to the standard PayPal method used by the buyer. We?Request that you send the item within the next 24Hours to the buyer's shipping address since he/she has made payment to your PayPal account. Otherwise the payment?will?not be credited to the account specified. This is to reduce the high rate of fraudulent acts going on and to ensure that both buyers and sellers are satisfied and secured. We need the item shipping tracking number to verify the shipment of the item to the buyer's shipping address provided.Shipping tracking numbers?will?be given to you at the post office/courier service company?where you ship this item and it should be sent to?our Customer care. This is to inform you that we need you to send us the Proof of Shipment in the right format below to ensure we credit your account.?Name?/Shipping Address??????????????????????? ?????Item NumberName Of Courier Service???Tracking NumberDate /Time Of Shipping.?The fund has been deducted from?(janet.woods42@yahoo.com) and?will?be credited into your PayPal account immediately we receive the shipment tracking number from you.?Shipping Address:?????????????????????????????????????????????Tunde Akande.???????????????????????????????????????????? 3394 Rockmill Drive,???????????????????????????????????????????? Ellenwood,???????????????????????????????????????????? GA,???????????????????????????????????????????? 30294,???????????????????????????????????????????? USA.?****PLEASE NOTE***Due to the fact?that PayPal processes thousands of orders daily, PayPal RECOMMENDS contacting the?Customer Support Representative?that has been assigned to this particular Order directly. This ensures speedy verification of shipment as well as prompt transfer of the funds to your account. Send shipment tracking details to:customerscenterunit@usa.com??*CUSTOMER SUPPORT*If you have any questions, Please feel free to contact the Customer Support Representative that has been assigned to this particular Order at:??customerscenterunit@usa.comThe "official" PayPal corporate offices are at:Centennial Hall 1281000 S. FranklinKirks ville, MO 63501Thank you for using PayPal ?Sincerely,PayPal Customer Care.
