Paypal scam??

[southcoastpunter]

Is it possible to get scammed just by using Paypal to send someone money? (so that they then presumably have your paypal details?)

The situation: I met a lady from SA, we had a cup of coffee meeting, got on well. Mid 20's, struggling single mum. Next day went out to dinner and had a very pleasant evening out. I paid for dinner, otherwise no money involved. In conversation, she said her car was in for a service.

Next day, in whatsapp conversation, i offered to give her something towards her car service. She said thanks please send to me by paypal. I said i don't have paypal i'll bring round some cash for you. I had dropped her of at her place the evening before so i knew where she lived, well the block of flats. she could have been going in then out the other side i suppose.

Anyway, as soon as i said i don't do paypal -  nothing. no response to whatsapp messages and no response on SA either. So i am thinking that maybe she just wanted to get my paypal details? Not being a paypal users, I don't know how safe it is or how easy it is to scam someone. The strange thing (at least to me) is that she declined cash.

(this is not about whether i was daft to offer her some cash after just a couple of meetings, a dinner out and no sex. It was my choice to do that and it wouldn't have been that much anyway!)

So is she a potential scammer or maybe she just went off me.

[Jumping Jack Flash]

I think that PayPal Itself is pretty safe, it wouldn’t be used by millions of EBay users without there being some robust security systems in place.

That doesn’t mean that there aren’t scammers on there and reading your description I think that she’s a scammer who wanted cash from you. She probably doesn’t even live in those flats, if she does then she lives with her partner and couldn’t risk you rocking up with a wad of cash, hence the radio silence.

[Bigwilts]

The ways of scamming PayPal are to not provide the service that’s being paid for (not applicable here as you’re just offering the money) or to use a fake page for you to enter your bank account/ card details or your password.

You can pay someone via PayPal without your own account - they create a PayPal invoice and you follow the link and pay with your card.  You do of course need to check the link to ensure it is a genuine PayPal invoice and not a fake address to collect your card details.
It’s easier to create a PayPal account

The details you receive in PayPal transactions are the email address or name that has been registered.
Eg your money in/money out transactions will show ‘Joe Bloggs £50’ etc and are based on the details entered when setting up the account

[hungrypunt]

the only way she could scam you with paypal is threaten you that she now has your real details and blackmail, if you dont use a false name on paypal obvs.

Could be a hundred reasons she ddint want you turning up with cash, wasnt really in the flats where you dropped her (wise move on her part ) her BF or family was with her that night, didnt really want ot see you again after dinner but thought shed try and get some wedge out of you with the old car service trick.... blah blah.

If you still think there is something worth chasing message her an emergency cash code that most bank apps now have. Totally anon, and she just goes to the cash point and with draws dosh.

I use it all the time.

[Squire Haggard]

It looks to me that she's a parasitic skank out to get whatever she can get for nothing. She hasn't even given the OP the courtesy of a reply.

[Marvelous]

It looks to me that she's a parasitic skank out to get whatever she can get for nothing. She hasn't even given the OP the courtesy of a reply.

Never Ceases to amaze me the sheer amount off skanks capable off this behaviour..  all the while the poor mug is thinking like the OP "we had a pleasant evening" how these cunts sleep at night is beyond me. 

[southcoastpunter]

Thanks Guys for your comments.

[fudi_maar]

The problem with using Paypal is this : when you pay someone (or they pay you), the other person can see your full name and email address.

You cannot choose to hide this information from your recipient. This information is normally enough to discover more personal details about the person and to dox/coerce someone.

[Rochelle]

The problem with using Paypal is this : when you pay someone (or they pay you), the other person can see your full name and email address.

You cannot choose to hide this information from your recipient. This information is normally enough to discover more personal details about the person and to dox/coerce someone.

You can get around that by signing up with a punting name and email address. That's what I did.

[scutty brown]

my guess is she needed a quick fix, for which she needed needed immediate money hence the paypal transfer.
A promise of money later was no use

[southcoastpunter]

No, I don't think so SB. Whilst I am not an expert on drugs or drug addicts, I am pretty sure she is not one. There were none of the usual tell-tale signs!

[ronthebrummie]

I had an experience last week contacted a girl on Locanto offered a £20 first meet deal owo sex no condom etc etc wanted an Amazon card, I said ok I’ll bring it with me, she said no scratch the code off the back and send photo along with the receipt.
So it was a no from me, beware all sorts of scams out there

[Zeusthedoc]

You can get around that by signing up with a punting name and email address. That's what I did.

does this not need a bank card verification?

[Rochelle]

does this not need a bank card verification?

I added my current account. I had no issues.

[Zeusthedoc]

I added my current account. I had no issues.

fair enough - i've not tried it

[davidgood]

You can get around that by signing up with a punting name and email address. That's what I did.

I thought there was something in the PP TCs & Cs that you can't use anything but real names.

I think I had a PP account when I was doing some charity work but as I had not used it for some time I opened a new one when a party organiser wanted deposits, pre Lockdown.

During LD I have had several e mails wanting bank account details from what claims to be PP but the addresses did not look right so I ignored them, so now I get messages saying my account is blocked.

I am an old codger so very confused if the messages were from PP and I should have given bank details or did I do the right thing and ignore?

Does anyone know the Answer?

Regards,

davidgood

[Rochelle]

I thought there was something in the PP TCs & Cs that you can't use anything but real names.

I think I had a PP account when I was doing some charity work but as I had not used it for some time I opened a new one when a party organiser wanted deposits, pre Lockdown.

During LD I have had several e mails wanting bank account details from what claims to be PP but the addresses did not look right so I ignored them, so now I get messages saying my account is blocked.

I am an old codger so very confused if the messages were from PP and I should have given bank details or did I do the right thing and ignore?

Does anyone know the Answer?

Regards,

davidgood

Like I said I've done it. I have PayPal accounts that aren't in my real name.

Regarding those emails you receive, I also receive them from time to time. They're bogus. How old is an old codger exactly?

[martini2429]

I thought there was something in the PP TCs & Cs that you can't use anything but real names.

I think I had a PP account when I was doing some charity work but as I had not used it for some time I opened a new one when a party organiser wanted deposits, pre Lockdown.

During LD I have had several e mails wanting bank account details from what claims to be PP but the addresses did not look right so I ignored them, so now I get messages saying my account is blocked.

I am an old codger so very confused if the messages were from PP and I should have given bank details or did I do the right thing and ignore?

Does anyone know the Answer?

Regards,

davidgood

If the part on the email address I have highlighted in red below doesn't say [email protected] then it is a scam email

[email protected] <[email protected]>

 

[j_181]

I thought there was something in the PP TCs & Cs that you can't use anything but real names.

I think I had a PP account when I was doing some charity work but as I had not used it for some time I opened a new one when a party organiser wanted deposits, pre Lockdown.

During LD I have had several e mails wanting bank account details from what claims to be PP but the addresses did not look right so I ignored them, so now I get messages saying my account is blocked.

I am an old codger so very confused if the messages were from PP and I should have given bank details or did I do the right thing and ignore?

Does anyone know the Answer?

Regards,

davidgood

Sounds like you did the right thing. If you are unsure, you can contact paypal directly External Link/Members Only , and not reply to any email asking for any details.

[davidgood]

Like I said I've done it. I have PayPal accounts that aren't in my real name.

Regarding those emails you receive, I also receive them from time to time. They're bogus. How old is an old codger exactly?

Thanks Rochelle, I will look into PayPal again when things are back to normal and parties are being held.

I think of myself as an old codger as I am over 60 but still active.

Regards,

davidgood

[davidgood]

Sounds like you did the right thing. If you are unsure, you can contact paypal directly External Link/Members Only , and not reply to any email asking for any details.

Thanks to you and the previous poster. The e mail addresses contained a jumble of letters and numbers.

Regards,

davidgood

[j_181]

Like I said I've done it. I have PayPal accounts that aren't in my real name.

I didn't know that was possible - I always thought the name had to match the name on the linked bank account/card. Good to know!

[Rochelle]

I didn't know that was possible - I always thought the name had to match the name on the linked bank account/card. Good to know!

Better to do it now, as you know security measures are tightening on various things. They may close that loophole in the near future.