Watch out for a Scammer(s) on the Board!

[Leon]

Originally Posted by pcoz

Good advice Phil, thanks. I called PayPal, and they said they can only interact if the payment was made through goods/services, not friends/family. Since it was not an unauthorized payment, although a fraudulent transaction, there's nothing they can do. Leon you're right about Zelle, that's why he asked for my payment first to come that way, as it's an immediate and no recourse transfer of funds. Lesson learned the hard way.

Really sorry to hear that, Pete. We have had countless discussions, on the front page, about scammers over the last year to the point I almost locked some of the threads. I am a little surprised you never saw one of them. They were very popular sometimes. I hate these kinds of learning lessons. I get them from time to time and they are never fun.
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[pcoz]

Thanks Leon, I should've been more aware knowing this happens and how the world can be at times. It wasn't a super expensive lesson learned, but still not too much fun. Apologize if this was a redundant thread topic, I somehow missed seeing them over the past year.

[BobC]

Though you can't get the money back through Zelle, have you at least tried asking them for the contact info, address, etc., of the person you sent the money to? Since Zelle is a bank-to-bank transfer, the party had to open an account with some bank and give them the necessary info to open it. And if they refuse, ask them if it is better for you to contact local police or federal authorities (assuming the money crossed state lines) so they know they will be contacted by the authorities if they refuse to be cooperate with you, and then do follow up and actually contact and report the fraud/theft to the appropriate authorities.

You might get lucky and actually be able to get some real info on the person that did this to you, and likely others. But don't hold your breath. It is sickening given our modern society and modern technology how easy it is for people to open accounts using fake or stolen info, and is a testament to how lazy businesses truly are in allowing criminals to so easily open such fake accounts. The complicity of businesses in making it so easy for someone to get ripped off is appalling, and they should be held to account for such reckless aiding and abetting. Sadly, they are not though.

Sorry to hear you got taken.

[pcoz]

Thanks Bob, I will ask them if they can find out and share the bank information. I have the name of the person and their email, but I'm not sure the bank account that my funds went into is the person who scammed me. Thanks for the suggestion.

[BobC]

Originally Posted by pcoz

Thanks Bob, I will ask them if they can find out and share the bank information. I have the name of the person and their email, but I'm not sure the bank account that my funds went into is the person who scammed me. Thanks for the suggestion.

That is the problem/issue, if the scammers can somehow dupe others into aiding their schemes, or they can somehow hack and take over accounts. Zelle is a little different from typical payment platforms like Paypal or Venmo. It is actually ultimately owned and operated by several major US banks, such as Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase, and Wells Fargo, and involves transfer of money right from one person's bank account directly to another person's bank account, without having to go through any intermediary account, like with Paypal. That is also why payments made through Zelle are not subject to federal tax reporting via 1099 forms.

And since the transfers are directly to someone's actual bank account, you would think/hope the bank opening that account would have done at least a little work to properly vet the party that opened the account, and make sure they are a real person, and that they actually are who they said they are. I know the younger generations are all about ease, and doing things remotely and online, but cracking down to make people physically show up, at least initially, with proper and adequate photo IDs and such to open and start new accounts or commence business activity, would at least be a start to possibly reducing some of the illegal things being perpetrated by such criminals and scammers.