Beware of Paypal fraud: Consumer advice center warns of fake shops

Beware of Paypal fraud: Consumer advice center warns of fake shops

The consumer advice center warns of a fraudulent scam that focuses on the use of Paypal “To Friends and Family”. This fraudulent method aims to steal money from online users by using fake shops that only accept payment via Paypal. In contrast to the secure payment option “For Goods and Services”, paying via “Friends and Family” does not offer any buyer protection. This means that the monies paid cannot be refunded, even if the ordered goods are not delivered.

The scam works by processing payments in fake shops via a manipulated Paypal link. The “Send money to a friend” option is preset in this process, allowing users to unintentionally gift money without careful verification. Using “Friends and Family” as a payment method in a fake shop can therefore lead to financial losses as there is no possibility of getting the money back.

To protect yourself from this scam, it is recommended that you pay close attention to every Paypal payment to ensure that buyer protection is activated by selecting the payment method “For goods and services”. Paypal itself emphasizes the importance of paying attention to possible fraud attempts and ensuring the security of payments. You are strongly advised to carefully review any suspicious transactions or payment requests to avoid falling victim to fraudsters.

The consumer advice center warns of the increasing spread of new fraudulent practices via Paypal and encourages consumers to remain vigilant and ignore suspicious payment requests. Despite Paypal's efforts to improve the platform's security, there continue to be reports of fraudulent activity exploiting users. Therefore, it is important to be aware of how to protect yourself from such scams to avoid financial losses.