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Original poster

Paypal payment mistake

146 replies

Frannyhy · 22/06/2021 14:02

Some weeks back I received a mystery payment of almost six hundred pounds to my paypal account. I had no idea of what it was for, and didn’t know the sender.

I didn’t touch the money - I waited. The following day I received an apologetic email from the sender, saying that the money was for his sister who has the same name as me - he’d made a typo.

As the money was sent by friends and family he can’t reverse the transaction himself, and asked me if I’d do it.

I replied, that he needs to process the refund through paypal. I’m not sending the money back myself in case it’s a scam. However, Paypal won’t get involved.

He has written a couple of nasty emails to me. I’ve blocked him and taken legal advice and was advised that as long as I don’t withdraw the money I’m fine.

I do remember seeing someone who had made this mistake and was wondering if he or she is still here? I’m wondering what happened about it, and if a solution was found. I want the money to go back if the guy is on the level, but won’t risk sending it back myself.

OP posts:
SuperstoreFan · 22/06/2021 14:44

The money was sent via friends and family therefore the likelihood of it being a scam is pretty low.

drpet49 · 22/06/2021 14:45

** I would definitely NOT send the money back. Let Paypal reverse the payment.
If you go over to MSE you will see loads of instances where people have been scammed in exactly this way.**

^This. You did the right thing OP

cupsofcoffee · 22/06/2021 14:45

@MiniCooperLover

Is he asking you to send jt to a different account or back to the original account? I'd be worried about money laundering.
You can't refund it back to a different account.
Thelnebriati · 22/06/2021 14:47

You've done the right thing, its a known scam. PayPal will deal with it.

Before sending a large amount to anyone, you send a pound and check it reached the right account.

plodalong12 · 22/06/2021 14:47

There is a lot of misinformation on this thread but there you go!

I missed the part in the OP where it said it was definitely sent as F&F.

OP, is the transaction status showing as 'completed'? If so, then he is correct in contacting you. That is the first thing we'd advise customers to do. If the recipient didn't respond or refused to refund the money, we would advise the customer to go to the resolution centre and contact us with the details of what happened. We might refund it from the recipients account depending on the info given. This isn't always successful, not hardly ever successful tbh.

Paypal is open to scams. I am 99.999999% sure this isn't one of them.

ChiaraMontague · 22/06/2021 14:47

Do NOT refund the money, this is a well known scam - you refund the money and the sender’s original transaction is later cancelled or bounces for lack of funds (which can take longer than people realise with PayPal) and you are on the hook for the “refunded” amount.
Alarm bells would be ringing for me that he is pressuring you instead of using PayPal processes.
If you are concerned, contact PayPal directly for advice - maybe they can cancel the transaction completely? Their fraud department will definitely be able to advise you of next steps.

theemmadilemma · 22/06/2021 14:48

Paypal are always helpful on the phone. Glad they're assisting.

khakiandcoral · 22/06/2021 14:49

@Frannyhy

That’s what I feel. Why wouldn’t he just do a bank transfer to his sister.
Confused

I don't blame you for being cautious, but he might just happen to have the money on paypal from selling something and use that.
Plenty of reasonable reasons why he would.

plodalong12 · 22/06/2021 14:51

@ChiaraMontague

Do NOT refund the money, this is a well known scam - you refund the money and the sender’s original transaction is later cancelled or bounces for lack of funds (which can take longer than people realise with PayPal) and you are on the hook for the “refunded” amount. Alarm bells would be ringing for me that he is pressuring you instead of using PayPal processes. If you are concerned, contact PayPal directly for advice - maybe they can cancel the transaction completely? Their fraud department will definitely be able to advise you of next steps.
You CAN'T cancel a F&F payment.

The sender CAN open up a 'complaint' via the resolution centre but even if they did, and the recipient had already refunded the money back, the 'complaint' is disregarded. NOT. A. SCAM.

BetterCare · 22/06/2021 14:52

Don't do anything I am sure I have heard of this being a scam but I can't remember how it works.

Maybe do a little research on Google and see if you can find it.

I wouldn't do anything until you have spoken to PayPal.

stuntfarter · 22/06/2021 14:54

@Frannyhy

That’s what I feel. Why wouldn’t he just do a bank transfer to his sister.
Because he may not have an online bank account
Funfortheroad · 22/06/2021 14:54

Well done, OP! You’ve done the right thing.

With all the cries of ‘Don’t be silly, you’re being ridiculous, just be KIND, that poor man!’ it’s no bloody wonder that so many people in the U.K. get scammed every day.

northbacchus · 22/06/2021 14:55

Don't send the money back, I believe he can get a chargeback for the Paypal money issued through his bank and if you then also refund you will be out of pocket. Isn't F&F more likely to be a scam? Lots of selling sites say to avoid using it.

SuperstoreFan · 22/06/2021 14:55

Theres so much misinformation on this thread.

ImbarbaraB · 22/06/2021 14:57

I use PayPal to send friends money and he’s right that he’s not protected by PayPal for friends and family money transfers

Just return the money

Hopeislost · 22/06/2021 15:01

Glad to hear that you managed to get in touch with PayPal and have ignored the terrible advice from the future scam victims on this thread!

wonkylegs · 22/06/2021 15:02

Caution is always better on this kind of thing - too many scams and some are sophisticated.
The OP has done the right thing and gone through the official channels to check and process
Original sender may be pissed at the timeline but frankly he should have been more careful. It's not the OPs fault and not her priority to sort out. She hasn't touched the money or done anything wrong and although I would personally email and say i'm sorting it through official channels apologies it's taking so long, I'd leave it at that.

EllieStartingOver · 22/06/2021 15:02

Does anyone read the full thread??

YOU CAN’T REVERSE OR CANCEL A FRIENDS AND FAMILY PAYMENT.

It’s not a scam, I’d be furious too.

Blossomtoes · 22/06/2021 15:03

@EllieStartingOver

Does anyone read the full thread??

YOU CAN’T REVERSE OR CANCEL A FRIENDS AND FAMILY PAYMENT.

It’s not a scam, I’d be furious too.

Yep. You and I know this but apparently we’re future scam victims. 🤷‍♀️
wonkylegs · 22/06/2021 15:03

Ha, just as I posted I got a scam notification - very official looking except I don't have a PayPal account in that name

plodalong12 · 22/06/2021 15:04

@northbacchus

Don't send the money back, I believe he can get a chargeback for the Paypal money issued through his bank and if you then also refund you will be out of pocket. Isn't F&F more likely to be a scam? Lots of selling sites say to avoid using it.
Yes, F&F is used a scam when buying something. If you buy something from a seller and they ask you to send it via F&F DON'T DO IT. (Unless you actually know them as either a friend or family, of course)

But this didn't happen with the OP. And in any event, she is the one that received the money, not the one being asked to send via F&F. THAT'S where the scam part comes into it. This isn't that.

NCnotmyusualone · 22/06/2021 15:07

Let PayPal sort it out. This article covers how this works as a scam

www.wafb.com/2020/05/02/received-an-accidental-payment-money-transfer-app-it-may-be-scam/

diamondpony80 · 22/06/2021 15:11

PayPal do not refund this type of transaction. If he had money in his PayPal account then he has no way of getting the money back except if you choose to send it back. If the money was funded from his bank account or credit card there’s a chance that he could do a chargeback but he would have to prove that the transaction was not authorised by him (eg if his account was hacked) and such an investigation could take weeks. However that doesn’t seem to be an option for him either seeing as he did authorise the transaction. I don’t see any way for him to get the money back unless you return it.

cocoloco987 · 22/06/2021 15:13

There's lots of reasons why not to use bank transfer- perhaps he was using his PayPal credit, perhaps sister wanted PayPal credit. Maybe he doesn't have internet banking, maybe sister is abroad so this is the cheapest way. I don't see how it could be problematic or what scam you'd be part of to just refund it back to the original account

Compoundinginterest · 22/06/2021 15:14

Even if you look at the community boards over on Paypal, there are multiple reports of scams involving F&F.
I'm not suggesting that the person saying they used to work for Paypal is incorrect, I'm simply saying be cautious and protect yourself.

And the person saying they'd be furious if they were the guy who sent the money in the first place.....well he made the mistake in the first place so now he has to wait until it can be done properly without any danger of the unintended recipient losing out. Should have been more careful!