A woman has gone viral after exposing a sophisticated PayPal scam designed to trick unsuspecting users into sending money twice and ultimately losing funds.
How the Scam Works
In a video shared online, the woman explained that a scammer unexpectedly sent her $2,000 through PayPal and then began calling her repeatedly, demanding she return it. While this may seem straightforward, the deception lies in how the scam is structured.
“Basically, they send you some money and then they message you or call you like, ‘Oh, I accidentally sent the wrong person the money, can you please send it back?’” she said. “When you send the money back, it comes from your actual account instead of the one they sent from. Then they file a fraud claim and the money is taken from your bank account. So they end up with double.”
The woman said she had already heard of this scam and refused to fall for it, adding that scammers “won’t stop calling” to pressure victims into quickly returning the funds.
Why It’s Effective
Scam experts note that tactics like this rely on creating confusion and urgency. Victims, eager to correct what appears to be a genuine mistake, often rush to send the money back without verifying the transaction.
Once the claim is filed, the victim’s bank account is drained of the amount, leaving the scammer with both the original “mistaken” payment and the refund.
A Growing Online Fraud Trend
Digital payment scams have been on the rise as criminals exploit platforms like PayPal, Zelle, and CashApp.
Authorities and cybersecurity specialists explain that any unexpected payment requests should be treated with extreme caution. Users are urged to pause, verify directly with the platform, and never send money back under pressure.
The Woman’s Warning
The viral video has sparked discussion and gratitude from viewers who applauded her for spreading awareness.
Her advice was simple:
“If someone rushes you to return money online, pause and double check — it’s likely a scam.”
