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AIBU?

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Original poster

Paid wrong person via PayPal. Help!

168 replies

NewNameDueToMyIdiocy · 14/09/2018 17:38

Please be kind, I feel like a total idiot right now. Name changed because I am embarrassed and worried.

I sent some money via PayPal "Friends and Family" recently and inadvertently sent it to the wrong person (a total stranger!). It was not a small amount of money (hundreds) and I am now very worried at the possibility of not getting it back.

PayPal won't / can't help because I used F&F. I am obviously not expecting them to cover me, as I forfeited that right by using F&F, but they won't even request a refund on my behalf or anything. There is no option for me to do this myself via my account. The only dispute option open to me isn't applicable to the situation and when I raised a dispute it was closed almost immediately.

I have been in contact with the incorrect recipient via email and while they have replied to me, they haven't made it clear at all if they plan to return the money. I can understand that they might be worried about a scam or similar, but I'm really hoping I can convince them I am genuine.

AIBU to hope that they will return my money? Is there anything I can do if they don't? Has anyone ever been in this position? Help Mumsnet.

OP posts:
0hCrepe · 26/09/2018 16:34

Perhaps the op needs the money to pay back the real intended recipient! They managed to contact Paypal in the first place, it’s obviously not that difficult.

ambostraw · 26/09/2018 16:40

I don't know what scan they think they could be getting conned into here. They have been sent money, through PayPal, in error. All they need to do is send it back. There is literally no scam risk here.

They are stalling until payday at best, but tbh, You are unlikely to see this money again.

DanglyBangly · 26/09/2018 16:58

I can’t see why they’re worried about being scammed either. They’ve only got to press a refund button on a legitimate site (PayPal) for a specific amount of money they received through said site.

Shallishanti123 · 26/09/2018 17:17

They may be a well educated professional, but that means nothing.

RangeRider · 26/09/2018 17:32

I know it's annoying, but if I were to receive this money by mistake and then be 'hassled' with emails I'd be inclined to make you wait as long as possible.You don't know what's going on in their life and if I was to receive an email telling me you were going to the police because of your mistake, I'd be inclined to wait until the police came knocking and then issue the refund.
This ^^. You screwed it up, not them.

Ginorchoc · 26/09/2018 17:33

They might be concerned it’s a paypal money laundering cash pay back scam whereby they return the money and have a cash back charge taken from their account. It’s a pretty viral scam, well it was a couple of years ago.

bellabasset · 26/09/2018 17:35

Very worrying for you but it sounds as though you will be refunded.

Redken24 · 26/09/2018 17:39

Hate to burst your bubble but ime PayPal refunds are always long and always seem to appear in your bank dated like 12th when you have checked every bloody day til the 21st iyswim

Original poster
NewNameDueToMyIdiocy · 26/09/2018 19:34

I think I'm going to leave this thread where it is now, as it's starting to make me feel more anxious and upset about whether I'm ever going to get the money back. And some of the more recent posts are making me feel the need to "defend" myself, which will never end well on Mumsnet will it? I know I made a stupid mistake, and it's an inconvenience to the person on the receiving end, and I think I have acknowledged that.
Thanks again for all the input/advice/opinions everyone.

OP posts:
EK36 · 26/09/2018 21:26

I feel really sorry for you OP. I think you will get your money back. I would forward a copy of the e-mail he sent you to PayPal. Then when you contact PayPal again in the morning they have proof that he is waiting to hear from them because he is concerned about being scammed.Hopefully you 'll get a more helpful advisor at pp next time you call. Ask them to ring you back afterwards so you know where you stand.

glagdy · 26/09/2018 21:51

Bless you op. You sound lovely. I hope you get it back!

glagdy · 26/09/2018 21:53

@Ginorchoc how does that work exactly? I was selling a boat recently and had a scam email asking for my paypal to put money in. How would they have made money from giving it to me? I'm a bit slow

MicroManaged · 26/09/2018 21:57

All they need to do is send it back. There is literally no scam risk here

No...that’s one of the oldest, most basic scams about.

You receive £500 into your PayPal or bank account. Then you get a terribly apologetic message saying it’s an error and please return it.

So you send a PayPal transaction or bank transfer back for the same amount.

Then the original transaction is found to be fraudulent and PayPal or the bank reverse it.

And suddenly you’re £500 down.

ENormaSnob · 26/09/2018 22:15

I remember that scam too tbh.

Id be furious at this tbh. The threat of police would have me waiting for contact from them before I did anything. Save me liaising with dreaded paypal.

glagdy · 26/09/2018 22:17

The scam is still alive and kicking. Someone did it to me last week. Or tried to.

delorisvancartier · 26/09/2018 22:47

Contact Action Fraud. They will be able to offer you advice. www.actionfraud.police.uk/

Ginorchoc · 26/09/2018 22:57

Just as micro explained.

glagdy · 26/09/2018 23:12

Bit they were just telling me they'd send money. What if I didn't send it back? Then I'd have the money! Still dim

glagdy · 26/09/2018 23:13

But. Now I can't spell either Hmm

MicroManaged · 27/09/2018 00:30

You wouldn’t have the money though, that’s the point.

Eventually, PayPal or the bank would reverse it once fraud was discovered. To the scammer, it’s just an additional £xxx they didn’t get this time.

No skin off their nose, in the scam it’s not their money they send you anyway.

glagdy · 27/09/2018 00:42

Ahhhhh. Ok.

glagdy · 27/09/2018 00:43

Who's money is it then???

Shallishanti123 · 27/09/2018 07:18

Surely that scam only works if you sent them a new transaction with the money back - so that the funds come from your bank, rather than pressing “refund” on the original PayPal payment (thus returning the money).

Puzzledandpissedoff · 27/09/2018 10:28

glagdy thing is, they're capable of faking notifications which only make it look as if someone's received money. So someone "refunds" them using their own, genuine funds, only to find the original "payment" never existed in the first place

I don't know if this is the scam others are referring to, but the internet's full of them. In theory the banks are supposed to refund victims of fraud, but of course they'll drag it out and suggest someone's been "negligent" in the hope they'll give up and go away

Puzzledandpissedoff · 27/09/2018 10:37

Shallishanti123 it works because users have their credit or debit card linked to Paypal. So if there aren't enough funds sitting in the actual Paypal account (maybe from an ebay item sold or whatever) the system will "dip into" the bank account for the rest