Nigerian Scammers on Craigslist: Fake PayPal Shipping Scam

A Craigslist “Nigerian scam” is usually a fake payment and shipping scam. The buyer says they want your item, often offers full price or more, asks you to ship it, sends fake PayPal-style payment emails, and may later claim there was an overpayment that you must refund through Western Union, gift cards, crypto, Zelle, Cash App, or another hard-to-reverse payment method.

The safest rule is simple: deal locally, meet in person, do not ship valuable items to strangers, and do not believe any email that says your PayPal money is “pending” until you provide a tracking number. Log in to PayPal directly in your browser or app. If there is no payment in your PayPal activity, you have not been paid.

You can check out my Craigslist scam detector for a quick analysis.

Quick answer for Craigslist sellers:

• If a buyer wants you to ship a Craigslist item overseas, treat it as a major red flag.
• If a buyer sends a “PayPal” email saying funds are held until you send tracking, assume it is fake unless the payment appears inside your real PayPal account.
• If anyone overpays and asks you to refund the difference, stop communicating.
• If anyone asks for Western Union, gift cards, crypto, Cash App, Zelle, a verification code, or a cashier’s check arrangement, do not continue the deal.
• Use Craigslist mail relay, meet in a safe public place, and keep the transaction local whenever possible.

Note: I am keeping the phrase “Nigerian scam” because that is what many people still search for, and because my original example involved a shipping address in Nigeria. But scammers can be anywhere. Do not judge a person by nationality. Judge the deal by the warning signs.

What Is the Nigerian Scam on Craigslist?

The Craigslist Nigerian scam is a version of the classic advance-fee or fake payment scam. It usually targets sellers with expensive, easy-to-ship items such as jewelry, watches, phones, laptops, cameras, collectibles, and other high-value goods.

The scammer does not really want to complete a normal local Craigslist deal. They want one of two things:

1. Your item, shipped before you receive real money.
2. Your cash, usually through a fake overpayment refund, shipping fee, customs fee, courier fee, or “account upgrade” request.

The emails often look sloppy, but the scam works because the buyer creates urgency, pretends PayPal or another trusted company is involved, and makes the seller feel like payment is already on the way.

How the Fake PayPal Craigslist Shipping Scam Works

Here is the basic version of the scam, updated for how sellers should recognize it today.

1. The buyer asks if the item is still available

The first message is usually short and generic. It may not mention the item by name. The buyer may ask you to email or text them outside Craigslist.

Red flag: A real local buyer usually asks a specific question, wants to see the item, or tries to arrange a pickup. A scammer often wants to move the conversation away from Craigslist quickly.

2. The buyer says the item is for a son, daughter, relative, client, or friend

In my original example, the scammer said the item was a surprise gift for his son. Other versions say the item is for a cousin, military member, missionary, business client, or someone living overseas.

Red flag: The long personal story is not the point. It is there to make the shipping request sound normal.

3. The buyer offers full price or more than asking price

The scammer may offer your asking price immediately, add extra money for shipping, or offer more than the item is worth. That is designed to make you stop questioning the deal.

Red flag: A stranger who is eager to overpay for a Craigslist item without seeing it is usually not a serious buyer.

4. The buyer insists on PayPal or another “safe” payment method

The buyer may say PayPal is the safest and easiest way to pay online. They may also tell you to create a PayPal account if you do not already have one.

Red flag: PayPal can be legitimate, but scammers abuse the PayPal name. Do not click payment links in buyer emails. Go directly to PayPal and log in yourself.

5. A fake PayPal email says the money is waiting

This is the heart of the scam. You receive an email that looks like it came from PayPal. It says the buyer paid, but the money will not be released until you ship the item and send a tracking number or scanned shipping receipt.

Red flag: PayPal does not need you to email a tracking number to a random customer service address before a payment appears in your account. If you received money, it will show inside your PayPal activity when you log in directly.

6. The scammer pressures you to ship fast

The buyer and the fake PayPal email may both push you to ship within 24 hours. They may ask for Express Mail, international shipping, a tracking number, or a photo of the shipping receipt.

Red flag: Urgency is a tool. A scammer wants you to ship before you slow down and verify the payment.

7. The buyer asks for a refund after a fake overpayment

In the second part of my original email exchange, the scammer claimed PayPal accidentally deducted too much from the buyer’s account. Then the fake PayPal address told me to refund the extra money through Western Union.

Red flag: Any “overpayment” followed by a request to send money back is a scam. The payment is fake, stolen, reversible, or nonexistent.

Real Example: What Happened in My Craigslist Scam Emails

Years ago, I posted an expensive jewelry item on Craigslist because I wanted to document how these scams worked. It did not take long for a scammer to contact me.

This article now combines my original Nigerian Scammer emails post with the follow-up. The old posts had a lot of back-and-forth emails, so I am condensing the example here to make it easier to read.

The setup

The buyer asked if the item was available. After I replied, he said he wanted to buy it as a gift for his son and have it shipped. He offered $2,800 for the item and $200 for shipping, for a total of $3,000.

That is already enough to stop the deal. A local Craigslist buyer who has not seen the item should not be trying to send thousands of dollars and arrange international shipping.

The fake PayPal confirmation

Next, I received a fake PayPal-style email. It claimed that the buyer sent $3,000 and that I needed to ship the item to Nigeria. The message included an address, a transaction ID, and instructions to forward proof of shipment before my account would be credited.

That sounds official if you are moving quickly, but the logic is backwards. A real payment should be visible when you log in to PayPal. You should never rely only on an email notification, especially when the email tells you to ship before the money appears in your account.

The tracking number pressure

After I pretended to ship the item, the scammer asked me to send the tracking number to the fake PayPal customer service email. Then the fake PayPal email asked for a scanned shipping receipt.

This part matters because many sellers think a tracking number is harmless. But the scammer wants proof that the item is really in the mail. Once the package is moving internationally, it may be very difficult or impossible to recover.

The email mistake

At one point, the scammer mixed up the buyer email and the fake PayPal email. I expected a reply from “PayPal,” but the answer came from the buyer instead.

This is a common clue. Scammers often run several identities at once: the buyer, the payment company, the shipping agent, the courier, or the relative receiving the item. When they are in a hurry, they make mistakes.

The overpayment twist

After the fake shipping confirmation, the scammer changed the story. He claimed PayPal accidentally deducted $3,400 instead of $3,000. Then the fake PayPal email told me to send $400 back through Western Union before my account could be credited.

That is the second half of the scam. They were not satisfied with trying to steal the item. They also tried to get cash.

Biggest Red Flags in the Example

• The buyer wanted an expensive item shipped instead of meeting locally.
• The buyer offered extra money for shipping without seeing the item.
• The fake PayPal email said funds would be released only after shipment.
• The email used generic greetings, awkward wording, and pressure.
• The buyer pushed me to send tracking and a receipt.
• The buyer and “PayPal” emails appeared to be controlled by the same person.
• The scammer later claimed there was an overpayment.
• The refund had to be sent by Western Union.

What Has Changed Since the Original Posts?

The basic scam has not changed much, but the tools have. Years ago, these scams leaned heavily on fake PayPal emails and Western Union. Today, you may see the same structure with other payment methods and platforms.

Modern versions may mention:

• Zelle
• Cash App
• Venmo
• Apple Cash
• crypto
• gift cards
• fake escrow services
• fake shipping companies
• cashier’s checks
• verification codes
• “business account upgrade” fees

The names change, but the warning signs are the same: the buyer avoids meeting locally, creates urgency, sends suspicious payment messages, and asks you to ship, refund money, share personal information, or pay a fee.

How to Verify a PayPal Payment Before Shipping Anything

If you decide to accept PayPal for a Craigslist sale, verify the payment the safe way.

1. Do not click links in the buyer’s email.
2. Open a new browser window or the PayPal app yourself.
3. Log in to your PayPal account directly.
4. Check your recent activity.
5. Make sure the payment is actually there.
6. Check whether the payment is eligible for seller protection.
7. Confirm the shipping address inside PayPal, not just in an email from the buyer.

If PayPal does not show the payment, you have not been paid. A realistic-looking email is not proof.

What to Do If You Get One of These Emails

If you receive a message that looks like this scam, do not argue with the buyer. Do not try to outsmart them. Do not click links or download attachments.

• Stop communicating.
• Do not ship the item.
• Do not send a refund.
• Do not provide your bank account, PayPal login, Cash App login, Social Security number, driver’s license, or verification code.
• Use the flagging link at the bottom of the Craigslist mail relay message if the scam came through Craigslist relay.
• Forward suspicious PayPal emails to PayPal at phishing@paypal.com.
• Report fraud or attempted fraud to the FTC, FBI IC3, or your state Attorney General if appropriate.

What If You Already Shipped the Item?

Act quickly. Contact the shipping carrier immediately and ask whether the package can be intercepted or returned. If you used USPS, you may also need help from USPS customer service. I have a separate guide here: How do I talk to a real person at USPS.

You should also save every email, tracking number, receipt, phone number, payment message, and shipping address connected to the transaction. If money or merchandise was lost, file reports with the appropriate agencies.

How to Avoid Craigslist Scams Before They Start

Most Craigslist scam attempts become obvious when you keep the deal local. Use Craigslist for what it does best: connecting local buyers and sellers.

• Deal locally and meet face-to-face when possible.
• Meet in a safe public place.
• Bring another person if the item is valuable.
• Keep communication inside Craigslist mail relay until you trust the buyer.
• Do not accept complicated payment arrangements.
• Do not ship high-value items to strangers.
• Do not refund overpayments.
• Do not deposit cashier’s checks from unknown buyers.
• Do not give out verification codes.
• Trust your instincts if the buyer seems rushed, vague, or too generous.

If you are new to selling, start with my guide on how to sell stuff on Craigslist and learn how to sell on craigslist safely before listing expensive items.

Should You Ever Ship a Craigslist Item?

Craigslist is built for local selling, not long-distance e-commerce. Shipping is not always automatically fraudulent, but it removes many of the safety checks that make Craigslist useful.

Shipping may be especially risky when:

• the buyer is outside your local area;
• the buyer wants the item sent to another person;
• the buyer offers more than your asking price;
• the buyer pressures you to ship quickly;
• the buyer sends a payment email that does not match your account activity;
• the buyer wants to use a courier, mover, escrow service, or third-party pickup agent.

If you want to sell items nationally and ship them, a marketplace with built-in checkout, shipping labels, tracking, dispute resolution, and seller protection may be a better fit than Craigslist.

Why Scammers Like Expensive Craigslist Items

Scammers often target expensive items because the payoff is higher. Jewelry, watches, laptops, phones, cameras, musical instruments, and collectibles are easier to resell than bulky local items.

That does not mean cheap items are always safe. Scammers may also use low-priced items to trick sellers into revealing contact information, clicking phishing links, or sharing verification codes.

Common Scam Phrases to Watch For

Scam messages change, but many still sound familiar. Be careful when you see phrases like these:

• “I am buying this for my son.”
• “I will add extra for shipping.”
• “PayPal has deducted the money from my account.”
• “Send the tracking number so your account can be credited.”
• “Kindly get back to me ASAP.”
• “I accidentally overpaid.”
• “Refund the difference through Western Union.”
• “My mover will pick it up.”
• “I am out of town right now.”
• “Send me the verification code.”

A single phrase does not prove fraud, but several of these together should end the conversation.

Where to Report Craigslist, PayPal, and Shipping Scams

• Craigslist: Use the flagging link in Craigslist relay emails or flag suspicious postings.
• PayPal phishing: Forward suspicious PayPal messages to phishing@paypal.com and then delete them.
• FTC: Report scams and fraud at the FTC’s ReportFraud site.
• FBI IC3: Report cyber-enabled fraud through the Internet Crime Complaint Center.
• USPS / mail fraud: If the mail was used, report suspected mail fraud to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
• Local police: If you met someone in person or lost property locally, contact local law enforcement.

Frequently Asked Questions About Nigerian Scammers on Craigslist

Are Nigerian Craigslist scams still happening?

Yes, the same type of scam still exists, although it may not always involve Nigeria or PayPal. The current version may use fake payment emails, fake escrow companies, fake shipping services, Zelle, Cash App, Venmo, crypto, gift cards, or cashier’s checks.

How do I know if a PayPal email is fake?

Do not rely on the email alone. Log in to PayPal directly and check your activity. Be suspicious of generic greetings, urgent warnings, links, attachments, tracking-number demands, and emails saying you were overpaid.

Does PayPal hold Craigslist payments until I send a tracking number?

Do not ship based only on an email that says payment is pending. A legitimate payment should appear when you log in to your PayPal account directly. If it does not appear there, do not ship.

What should I do if a Craigslist buyer overpays?

Do not send money back. Overpayment requests are one of the biggest scam warnings. The original payment may be fake, stolen, reversible, or nonexistent.

Is Western Union always a scam?

Western Union is a real company, but Craigslist buyers who ask strangers to refund money or pay fees through Western Union are a major red flag. Once money is picked up, it can be very difficult to recover.

Is it safe to give a Craigslist buyer my email address?

It is safer to use Craigslist mail relay at first. The relay helps hide your real email address and gives you a way to flag unwanted messages. Once you move outside the relay, you lose some of that protection.

What if I already sent the tracking number?

Contact the carrier immediately and ask whether the package can be intercepted, returned, or stopped. Save all messages and receipts. If the item was shipped through USPS, start with USPS customer service and consider a mail fraud report if appropriate.

Final Thoughts

The original scam emails looked ridiculous in places, but the strategy was effective: create urgency, pretend PayPal is holding the money, pressure the seller to ship, then try to get an extra cash refund.

That formula still works on people because it feels like the sale is almost complete. The seller thinks, “I just need to send the tracking number and I will get paid.” That is exactly the trap.

For expensive items, keep Craigslist simple. Meet locally. Verify payment inside the actual payment account. Do not ship to strangers based on emails. Do not refund overpayments. And if the deal starts getting complicated, walk away.

You can also use an advanced feature to search all of Craigslist here.

Authoritative Scam Safety Resources

• Craigslist: Avoiding scams
• Craigslist: Reporting scams
• PayPal: How to spot fake PayPal emails
• FTC: Online sellers and fake PayPal emails
• FTC: Report fraud
• FBI IC3: Internet Crime Complaint Center
• USPIS: Report mail fraud