Funds mistakenly transferred. - Be cautious about PayPal refund scams.
Not long after, you get a message that looks something like this: "Oops, I messed up the email address and accidentally sent you 20 euros instead of a friend. Could you please return the money to me using the 'Family and Friends' option? Thanks!"
You might think to yourself that you wouldn't take advantage of the situation and steal the money. But after receiving the payment confirmation, you're suddenly 20 euros lighter than you were before.
This is because the stranger alerts PayPal of the problem with their original payment, causing the money to be taken back from your account. They used the 'Goods and Services' function which gives them buyer protection, unlike you.
Expert Hauke Moormann from the NRW Consumer Advice Center told the Rheinische Post, "Sending a stranger 20 euros through the 'Family and Friends' option on PayPal is like handing someone a banknote on the street."
This leaves you without the 20 euros while the stranger enjoys their sudden windfall.
Protecting Yourself from Being Scammed
If you receive unexpected money from strangers, tap "Send Refund" immediately in the PayPal app or "Refund this Amount" in your browser. This prevents the scammer from claiming the money back later and you won't lose your own funds.
So why can't you just keep the money?
First of all, the scammer is able to get their money back through PayPal anyway, so it is taken from your account automatically. Moreover, this act of keeping the money is considered "unjust enrichment" under the law. This means that you don't have to return the money but you're not allowed to transfer it from PayPal to your regular account. If the scammer asks for it back, you have to hand it in.
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Source: symclub.org
