To get this person into trouble?

[Iwishiwereheather]

I was purchasing some furniture a couple of months back through Instagram. I put a deposit down through PayPal and then the person blocked me. I paid through ‘friends and family’ therefore no payment protection.

Very annoyed with myself but learnt from the incident.

Logged into my PayPal last night and saw the person still in my contacts. They have now updated their email address to their work email - think [email protected]

I’m tempted to contacted their place of work seeing as they’ve linked an account that scams people to their work address.

Aibu or should I just leave it?

You can indeed report internet fraud to the police, and that’s essentially what this is. Yes OP was extremely stupid ... but it’s still fraud.
I was meaning it would be more appropriate to report to the police than his place of work. His work had nothing to do with it at the time, and it was a personal item, not a work item.

I wouldn't leave it, it's theft. If the company was nearby or even miles away, I'd knock on the door.

@draughtycatflap the OP always knew she was dealing with an individual. They weren't pretending to be a company - they've just used their work email address on their PayPal account. In fact they've changed the email address they are using on their PayPal account to their work one.

If you now have a work address, threaten him with a small claims action. You can send it on paper recorded delivery which should spook him.

I would sent one last email saying you're disappointed that they don't seem to care employing a thief, but that you feel people should be aware so will be putting the details all over their social media accounts this evening.

Yes I would report them. Why did you pay with friends and family if you didn't know them.

[quote IstandwithJackieWeaver]@draughtycatflap the OP always knew she was dealing with an individual. They weren't pretending to be a company - they've just used their work email address on their PayPal account. In fact they've changed the email address they are using on their PayPal account to their work one.[/quote]
I know! Are you always so rigid in your thinking? Also you’re not the thread police. Lol.

Report, report! - We were scammed - paid by card into their account - same Bank as us - the Bank has put a stop on their account (after screen shots of conversation) - then we got a refund!

Rigid in my thinking? Lol @draughtycatflap.

Does he still have the company email on his paypal account or has he changed it?

@MiddleParking

The police wouldn’t do anything either. OP freely chose to circumvent her own legal protections as a buyer. You can’t then look for legal recourse when that goes wrong.

Already said that I wasn’t going to the police so...

That was a response to the poster above my comment you quoted who suggested the police were the most appropriate people to report to, so...

Social media. Name and shame him and the company. They don't like bad press. Plaster it everywhere.

If this is the same person. This becomes a DATA protection issue, we would fire someone for this as it's a gross breach of contract.
We couldn't even have goods delivered to site by Amazon, as MD said he wasn't letting reception be responsible for goods going missing between accepted and buyer receiving goods in work time.

The abuse of work email, by linking to his paypal account where he has been defrauding people would be taken very seriously by our company.

But it is not the kind of thing they would be able to respond to you within a few days. They would need to follow their complaints processes and, assuming they believe your version, decide if it constitutes gross mid conduct or a disciplinary, decide on what action to take, allow the employee to appeal etc. It all needs to be done by the book so they don't leave themselves open to a grievance for the way they handled it.

They will be investigating the employee bringing the company into disrepute (not the fraud itself) which is between them and the employee, the outcome of this is nothing to do with you other than to thank you for contacting them and telling you it will be investigated and dealt with appropriately.

Leave them to it and just be pleased you got some retribution.

Please everyone,
NEVER ever pay by 'Friends and family

A person I know paid for an American antique cash register from an American online dealer....and she scammed him out of $1300

He wasn't savvy as to what ''F&F'' was....and the minute he paid, her friendly Emails stopped.

She has loads of complaints about her on ''Better Business Bureau'' in USA.

Friends and family gives one zero protection, and it is beloved by scammers.

Have you tried Action Fraud?
www.actionfraud.police.uk/

RE Friends and family..

Paypal say they take anguished calls all day long from people who are asked to pay be ''Friends and Family''

I bought something from a dealer who wanted F&F and I paid by ''Goods and Services''

She was very aggressive, saying ''Don't you trust me?''

I replied she wasn't a friend or a family member, but a business transaction.

When the item arrived I could see immediately that it had been restored.

I was able to get my money back {Minus shipping back to her}

Honest people always ask for payment by goods and services.

Another one to beware of is ''Bank transfer''.

An Aussie was scammed out of £4k for an antique rocking horse by a British 'Specialist' dealer, who has 'previous' for ripping off overseas customers.

Out of interest OP ... why won’t/didn’t you go to the police?

I wouldn't lose hope of a response. If it's a larger co, there will be procedures they have to follow which will take time. You could be waiting weeks.

Can you get down to that branch?

I'm sorry this happened a few points @Iwishiwereheather

• You've mentioned branch so I am assuming this individual works in Financial Services, if so an employee who is potentially committing fraud on some scale (ie. more than one) and using the company communication channels to do so should be a red flag to the company

• I second logging this with action fraud. It will take all of five minutes to do and you can do it online. I would also mention the use of company email.

• fraudsters typically have a few gigs going at once, and whilst its furniture via Instagram now, it could be a number of other things. Additionally, if they work in finacial services they may have access to lots of sensitive information which could be a risk.

Please report it to Action Fraud and email the company again including the CEO (you can find their email online) reiterating what you have said in your OP, log with a reference to them using the company email to facilitate their online business and a copy of the crime reference number you will get from Action Fraud.

op, good luck. I hope that the company are doing a thorough investigation which is why it's taking so long.

she made a mistake paying with friends and family - she's said so a few times and she won't do it again !!

this person stole money from her and she absolutely should pursue him if she can

good luck OP, I hope you get your money back!

Tweet the company and ask why you haven’t had a response to their employee defrauding you.