Am I about to fall for a scam???? (2024)

I'm trying to sell something online through Facebook marketplace. I made up a price with the buyer and the buyer asked to pay through zelle (it's my first time using it). He showed me a screenshot of the payment being sent, but now I got this email from zelle

"We have a problem crediting your funds of $475.00 because the account status is not a business user which makes your account have limits this amount seems to be above your limits so you have to take this urgent step to expand your limit.

To fully expand your account into a business account, contact the buyer of your item to send in an additional payment of $200.00 into your Zelle account to expand your limit. Soon as this is done, we will credit your account with the total sum of $675.00 and a free $50.00 bonus from Zelle user administration"

Does this email make sense at all?? Does zelle have a limit?

The buyer then emailed me back

"I just received an email from them now they said the payment is currently pending to be credited into your account, they want me to help you send in an additional payment of $200 to expand your zelle account to that of a business user"

I emailed back
"Maybe dividing it in two payments would work?"

He emailed
"Which I don’t have a problem of doing that
Just promise to refund back the money so you can be credited"

I emailed

" I rather not do that.... I don't need a business account"

And he emailed

But the money has been deducted from my account. They want me to help you with another additional payment of $200 now so your account can be upgrade to business so that can credit your account with the sum of $675 now

So emailed that I will try to contact zelle and tell them to refund him, he answered ok and that's where I'm at now....

Is this a scam? What do I do?

Ok. I reread your post. Most definitely a scam. Do not engage with this person. You may want to contact zelle.

Also, never give your phone number or answer any requests for a code to confirm you are human. They will hack your Google account

Anyone who pays anything other than fb marketplace, PayPal, or cash in hand is a scam

edit - saw I missed a bunch of posts while I was typing. Just block him, report if you can, otherwise no need to keep responding to him.

Last edited by icedcoffee on Sun, Mar 27 2022, 10:58 am; edited 1 time in total

Thanks. How do I report? I never usually use Facebook so don't know how it works....I've been in contact with him through Facebook messenger (although he does know one of my email accounts as I gave it for the zelle payment)

I send a friend $500 or $1000 quite a bit because she goes to the bank when I can't get there and brings me cash and I repay her. Also the message doesn't even make sense because you are the recipient of funds so there is no reason for you to have to do anything to receive a relatively small amount of money.

Personally I would contact my bank and let them know about this because the scammer might have gained some kind of information about your account and you should make sure to safeguard it.

There is nothing like selling on-line to bring out the scammers. I was trying to sell a relatively expensive sofa. Someone emailed and wanted to buy it right away - without seeing it - for full price and said he would send someone to pick it up. Like you, it didn't seem right and when I googled craigslist scams, sure enough this was a prevalent one. My spidey senses were on the alert because who buys a sofa without looking at it in person - pays full price - and then has some kind of weird way it will be picked up? 🤷🏼‍♀️

Thanks what do you think he could have gained? He just has my email and name. Should I worry and call the bank now?

Who knows.

In this age of digital fraud I try to be very careful with my financial accounts.

A few times I have called my bank when I have gotten suspicious emails just to make sure - e.g. I never respond to emails by clicking or even mailing back. I always call the bank at their "real" number to make sure I am actually talking to the bank.

I also do this with some other accounts as I will occasionally get possibly scam messages from Netflix

There's a common scam of overpaying or accidentally sending a zelle payment with a fraudulent card/account, then asking for repayment/refund. You cant refund on zelle so when you pay him back, the money goes from your real account. A few days later, their fraudulent payment gets cancelled, and you're out whatever money you "refunded".