Fake PayPal email
A version of this scam involves getting an email that informs you of funds sent to your PayPal account for the purchase of goods. The scammer then follows it up with the address they want the goods sent. Because the email is not from PayPal, simply checking your account balance will show that you’ve not received them.
But the clever scammer will then tell you that it needs a tracking number for the funds to show. So, if you ship the goods that the scammer has apparently paid for, the funds will show in your account. That’s a lie. PayPal does not need a tracking number to show funds have been sent to you. A tracking number is issued for shipped products to tie a payment made to the corresponding goods. This type of scam only work on those who only rely on payments notification emails from PayPal without logging in to check and confirmed payment
How to avoid this scam
Never use an email link from suspicious mail to log in to your account. Just go directly to paypal.com on your browser. Also, don't simply take the buyer's word about funds sent to your account. Confirm it yourself!
Overpayment Refund Scam
This type of scam works on those who don't know about the Paypal payment cancelled timeframes. A client overpays for a product that you sell, whose price is clearly listed. Well, we’re human and do make mistakes. They then contact you to ask for a refund and for you to ship the product that they have bought. You don’t immediately sense a scam so, you ship the product and do the refund. As soon as you do, the scammer cancels their initial transaction and gets all their money back. You lose the money you refunded and your product too!
How to avoid this scam
DO NOT respond to such refund requests for products that have been overpaid. Ask them to cancel the transaction and do it afresh with the correct cash figures first before you ship the goods. You could also cancel the transaction from your end.
Shipping Address Scam or Delivery & Payment Fraud
This is the most elaborate and well-thought-out of all PayPal scams. It is the hardest to spot. It works by exploiting a weakness in the delivery system of shipped goods. A scammer orders something thenpays for it. They give you a fake address on PayPal and recommend the delivery service they want, which they say is cheaper for them, or offers discounts. After several failed attempts the delivery company calls to get the right address.
As soon as they get the goods, the scammer then calls PayPal with a complaint that his/her goods were never delivered and files a complaint against you. PayPal checks and sees the address as put down by you to be “undeliverable” and as your fault. The scammer gets their money back and you lose your product.
How to avoid this scam
Sellers should stay within the protected areas of PayPal's policies.
For more information
Scamadviser