Funds just turned up in my paypal account

Quigs Snr

A payment for £50 just showed up in my Paypal account this weekend from a UK user. I contacted them about it and they told me that their account had been hacked and could I refund them using the refund option in Paypal.

The money is definitely in my Paypal account alright. I logged in and checked. So here is the question... this makes me suspicious. Why would someone hack an account and send money to a random stranger. I don't see the angle and cannot see how this is a scam unless there is something around the recall/refund mechanism that can be exploited.

I have sent an email to Paypal about it, but am wondering if anyone can shed any light on this ? The person who sent the money says that they are contacting Paypal also.

Nody

Only reason I can see from a hacker point of view would be to have 10+ transactions to hide the culprit account (i.e. 50 to you, 25 to another 100 to a third etc.) that would benefit from it. The main reason behind this would be to allow enough time to use the cash to pay someone/something with it as the account has the balance and the payment will go through and the hacker has the goods on the other end (I know of that one using bank accounts as well but no hacking there but social engineering instead).

Max Power1

I wouldnt refund them personally.

If the transaction is unauthorised they can file an "unauthorised transaction" dispute with paypal.

jor el

Yeah, let Paypal sort it out. They'll figure out who's wrong and who's scamming. Just don't do anything with the funds, spend them or withdraw.

Quigs Snr

Thanks folks. I have notified Paypal and will let them deal with it.