Consumer complaint received 2025-09-01 00:00:00
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service — Mobile or digital wallet
Issue: Fraud or scam — 
Company: Paypal Holdings, Inc
State: OH

Complaint narrative:
Fraud Incident Report XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX : XXXX {$1500.00} loss via XXXX and venmo XXXX {$3900.00} loss via XXXX  Total Reported Loss : {$5400.00} XXXX. Summary of Incident On XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX and XXXX were targeted in an online vehicle sales scam involving a XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX ( approx. XXXX miles ). The scammer hacked into XXXX ex-coworkers account ( XXXX XXXX XXXX ) and claimed to be selling the vehicle and pressured both victims into making deposits using XXXX and XXXX in order to support her supposedly severely ill uncle. XXXX worked with XXXX until very recently ( XX/XX/XXXX ) until she moved to XXXX from XXXX, OH. 
XXXX approached the scammer through XXXX ; she previously interacted with XXXX via XXXX before for multiple occasions. They quickly exchanged the phone number and started the conversation to buy the listed car. 
The scammer used multiple aliases and different payment accounts while communicating via phone/text. They texted both victims to think that their payment/transfer was denied by sending a separate text. After receiving money, the scammer refused to provide an address for vehicle pickup, continued demanding more funds, and instructed the victims to misrepresent payments as being sent to relatives to bypass bank security. 
XXXX was confirmed by XXXX other ex-coworker ( XXXX ), who works closely with XXXX in XXXX. XXXX was advised in several ways to recover the possibly lost funds, which she followed. Ultimately the law enforcement was called to file a police report on the incident. 

XXXX. Scammer Information Collected Primary phone number : ( XXXX ) XXXX Alternate phone number : ( XXXX ) XXXX Aliases provided : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Payment platforms & accounts used : XXXX ( XXXX ) : {$500.00} sent to XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX conversation with scammer shows his number : XXXX ) Venmo ( XXXX ) XXXX {$1000.00} sent to @ XXXX ( XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX name ) {$2000.00} sent to XXXX XXXX {$990.00} sent to XXXX XXXX XXXX. Victim Transactions XXXX {$500.00} sent via XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX ) on XX/XX/XXXX to XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) {$1500.00} via XXXX ( to @ XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Filed dispute with XXXX  ; stop-payment request XXXX Filed dispute with Venmo ; screenshots of conversation were provided Total : {$2000.00} XXXX {$1000.00} via XXXX  ( XXXX @ XXXX, confirmation screenshot with profile XXXX XXXX {$990.00} XXXX XXXX  ( to @ XXXX, confirmation screenshot ) {$2000.00} via XXXX ( XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX screenshot, XXXX ) Total : {$3900.00} Filed disputes XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX  ; shown as In Progress in dispute tracker Also filed stop-payment requests XXXX XXXX combined : {$5400.00} XXXX. Supporting Evidence Screenshots of text conversations with scammer ( XXXX + XXXX ) : Pressure tactics ( requiring immediate deposits, raising deposit amounts, changing names/accounts ). 


Instructions to mislead banks ( tell them you are sending to a relative ). 


Multiple requests for different payment methods ( XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX, XXXX ). 


Screenshots of transactions : XXXX transfer of {$500.00} ( XXXX ), {$2000.00} ( XXXX XXXX XXXX receipts clearly show XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX as the account holder. 
Venmo transfers of {$1500.00} ( XXXX ), {$1000.00}, and {$990.00} ( XXXX ). 
Venmo receipts clearly show XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX account holder. 


Bank Dispute Tracker Evidence : XXXXXXXX XXXX disputes for {$2000.00} and {$1000.00} ( XXXX ). 
XXXXXXXX XXXX dispute for {$500.00} ( XXXX ). 


FTC and IC3 Reports Filed : XXXX FTC & IC3 report numbers included. 
XXXX FTC report number : XXXX ; IC3 was filed but report numbers were not received at the time of submission of this document. 



5. Indicators of Fraud Scammer provided no physical address for the vehicle. 


Used three different names/identities ( XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX 


Urgency tactics ( first come, first served, must pay today ). 


Asked victims to send payments as friends/family transfers to avoid fraud protections. 


Raised deposit amounts mid-conversation ( from {$2000.00} {$2500.00} ). 


Multiple out-of-state phone numbers connected to the same scam. 



XXXX. Action Already Taken XXXX XXXX : XXXX XXXX dispute filed ( {$500.00} ). 
Venmo scam claims submitted for {$1500.00} transaction Stop-payment request submitted. 
FTC ( # XXXX ) and XXXX complaints filed. 


XXXX XXXX : XXXX Venmo disputes filed ( {$1000.00} + {$2000.00} ). 
Venmo scam claims submitted for {$990.00} transaction Stop-payment request submitted. 
FTC complaint filed ( # XXXX ). 
IC3 complaint filed but report # not available at this time.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief