I've just been scammed. "Etsy Staff"

[MugginsUK]

OK. I have just been scammed by someone messaging me and claiming they are from "Etsy Staff". They ask for your email address to confirm your account. And then when they send you a link to confirm your identity by putting in your card details. This is all fake.

And the weird thing is that there is no way to report this to Etsy. They have a user with the name "Etsy Staff" trying to scam/exploit its users and there is no way to say there is a problem here.

Now, going to check my accounts to make sure nothing has gone out. Buck up your ideas Etsy.

[GlitteramaCrafts]

If you gave them bank details, ring your Bank NOW to put a stop on the card/account.

[ChillwolfArt]

I am so sorry you were scammed. There have swarmed here unfortunately, targeting new Sellers as well as seasoned ones. These thieves are using "Verification" as one of their scams, posing as Etsy Staff/Support, etc.   When you receive a LEGIT Message from Etsy Support/Staff, etc., it will appear in the "From Etsy" Folder (in Messages). If it isn't there, Mark the Message as Spam (so you don't get dinged for S Seller).  *The "From Etsy" Folder is not on the App, however (you must use a browser instead).

Many are posing as "Buyers", stating they need your email for an Order. They don't, Etsy already has it. When you receive a LEGIT Order, it will appear in "Orders & Shipping" (Left Column of Shop Dashboard); if it isn't there, you have no Order.  Mark the scammer's Message as Spam (so you don't get dinged for S Seller).  And never click on links or engage with them.

I don't understand for the life of me, why Etsy can't nail these FAKE accounts who are impersonating Etsy Staff/Support, etc. It's happening way too often.
Currently there is a Pinned Announcement at the top of the Forum, "Protect Your Account From Scammers".
Here is the one about the "From Etsy" Folder (currently this is in past Announcements).
https://community.etsy.com/t5/Announcements/New-From-Etsy-section-in-Messages/m-p/143722497#M1899

*Please contact your bank immediately. Change the expiration date of your credit card to TODAY's DATE.
In your Sign In Page, check to make sure it is YOU (if the scammer's Sign In/s are there, Sign them OUT. Run virus scans on all of your devices.
Report this to authorities; this is a cyber crime.

I hope this is helpful to you.

[CanningCrafts]

Etsy is capable of policing the word "Amber", to the point that a seller who's shop NAME had Amber in it (because it was her name), had to change her own shop name to prevent the incessant take downs. It's amazing to me that they don't have a way to prevent anyone from incorporating ETSY into an account name!

[CraftyCornishMaids]

there was a big pink 6 line warning about scams, on your messages, with a link for more info, you had to click it, to say you had read it, before it would go away for good.

If you didn't read it, it said

! How to spot and report scams in Messages

If you get a suspicious message asking you to leave our site to share personal info or complete orders, make sure to mark it as spam. Keep in mind:

• Buyers never need your email to purchase an item.
• Real messages from Etsy always have a badge or "Etsy staff" label.
• Etsy Support won't call you unless you've requested a call from our Help Centre.
  OK, got itLearn more about scams

  and if you click o that, the very first bit highlighted says.....

  Authentic messages from Etsy always appear in aFrom Etsy inbox and are clearly labeled "From Etsy" below the subject line. If someone claims to be an Etsy employee and the message is not located in the From Etsy folder, mark the message as spam and don't reply. 

  ....

  If you have fallen for the phishing scam, let your bank/card know now, that you have fallen for a phishing scam, they may be able to hep you recover any fraudulent money transfer to the scammers from you.

[CanningCrafts]

Etsy should consider making this blurb box fixed on the messaging page for a bit, so that you can't click it away. I was on another website recently, & they had a prominent warning about Scams & how they will/won't contact you, etc on top of the page. 

[Adorabilities]

I'm going to guess that anyone still getting tricked by this is using the app, where there's no "From Etsy" folder.

A constant blurb would be annoying to the rest of us, but clearly that one-time blurb hasn't worked for a lot of sellers.

[OpenRoadTravelImages]

Please note you can only see the "From Etsy" tab using your desktop OR your mobile browser.
You cannot see this on the Etsy apps

[CraftyCornishMaids]

but you can see the great big pink warning, that you have to say you have read, for it to go away

[JacquiwithaQCrafts]

I don't even HAVE the app and they scammed me. As a fairly new user, I didn't know really what to look for and check...I even had an email thinking it was from the Etsy Staff, i didn't know what to trust. Now I check all the boxes to make sure everything has come from Etsy itself. I didn't realise that mail in the INBOX hadn't come from Etsy....sigh

[ThecaveartCreations]

I have just had one as well

[UppNorthEh]

and the OP has over 900!! sales.  where are people's heads?  this is never going to stop.  etsy is fully contaminated.

[ZenCatPottery]

I don’t understand how someone with 936 sales falls for this.  I really don’t think that in 2023 anyone should fall for scams as we have all been warned and not just by Etsy.  My kids learned about verifying senders &  avoiding scams when they were in elementary school over 15 years ago!  
I have sympathy for new sellers though as there is an emotional component to them really wanting to make their first sale, but even they should think twice.

[mikaart]

I received probably the same message.  I reported it to Etsy by Chat.  But yes, I wish Etsy have some place we can report it easily - preferably inside convo, "flag this convo to Etsy" type of function.

[GlitteramaCrafts]

@mikaart You're a star seller so make sure you either spam that message or reply to it, otherwise it will affect your SS next month.

[mikaart]

@GlitteramaCrafts 

Thank you!  I marked it as a spam.  The suspected scammer is using the Etsy logo as their avatar. I think that visually oriented people will be tricked.

[ExtremeCreation]

This will never end it seems. NEVER click links from someone you can't confirm is who they are. 

All I can say to people, is if some random person comes up to you claiming they are who they are and asks for your personal info .. would you give it to them? This is same thing just digitally.

I do my best to confirm who I'm dealing with before I give sensitive info. I feel badly for those who are new sellers or even experienced sellers. Many are vulnerable to scams thinking the people are legit. If they can't prove who they are, then I will not give them any info or click on links from someone just because they claim to be someone familiar. Even the IRS has people claiming they are them. 

For future references...

When in doubt...
Go to your shop manager
- Click "Help"
- Click "Contact us"
- Select the listed options that best fits your issue & continue doing so until you get the option to click "I still need help"
You will then have the option to contact a real Etsy rep either by chat, email, or at times by phone call request. This way the REAL Etsy will let you know if you have an issue with your shop.

Spam the scam!

I hope you are able to stop them from getting anything from you. Do a virus scan of your pc or device,  change any log in passwords, get new bank/credit cards issued. 

Wishing the best of luck all that fall prey to scams like this.

[JacquiwithaQCrafts]

I'm fairly new to Etsy and it seems I can't get in touch with anyone who can help. I have asked on the HELP bit on my account page, and I received a reply...which didn't help because I'm not aware of the procedure. I have had 3 messages, asking for my full name and email....which I replied to on the 9th...someone on another social platform has just sent me the link to these messages. I have taken screen shots..and the reply I received, told me to reply to THAT email.in the first place they gave me a customers name, and said the order had been processed, and paid...now I have no idea what to do...if anyone can advise I'd be very grateful...TIA

I went to Shop manager as the seller above mentioned...and I now have received 4 of these messages, this new one says"Etsy support is reaching out to you for the first time"...I have to confess am stumbling about in the dark here!

[ExtremeCreation]

@JacquiwithaQCrafts  

That is a well known scam. Please do not communicate with them any longer. I'm glad you came to the forum about it. 

If you reach to Etsy support, they should have sent you an email about it. You should have a support ticket. In that email, it would normally ask if the response resolved the issue and if not, you could respond back to get more help. Do not open a new ticket (keep responding to through the same email with Etsy). Etsy would not use another social media platform to contact sellers. This is what I have done in the past for issues that I was given a general response to. After the 2nd email with no resolution, I responded to the email that I still needed help and was finally helped with my issue. 

[MouseGarden]

@JacquiwithaQCrafts

Customers and Etsy don't need your email.  If you have an order, it will show up on the orders page.

Scammers are randomly asking people for emails to fully process orders while pretending to be Etsy.  Send requests like that to your spam folder.

[ExtremeCreation]

@MouseGarden  is correct!

If you reached out to Esty support the manner I mentioned, 

Go to your shop manager
- Click "Help"
- Click "Contact us"
- Select the listed options that best fits your issue & continue doing so until you get the option to click "I still need help"
You will then have the option to contact a real Etsy rep either by chat, email, or at times by phone call request. This way the REAL Etsy will let you know if you have an issue with your shop.

Etsy will send you an email soon after doing this (with out you giving them your email when you request a chat, email or phone call). You do not need to give your email to them because as @MouseGarden mentioned... Etsy already has it. That email you receive from them would be the real Etsy and you can respond to those emails. 

[JacquiwithaQCrafts]

I just edited my post to say that I have received yet another one...I wasn't suspicious the first time, and stupidly I gave my name and email, but wasn't asked for anything else...the messages I've received, are also on my Etsy message page.....I'm honestly struggling to know what is or isn't right. Was going to ask for help, and instead I had the repeated message. sigh ...

[ExtremeCreation]

That will happen, once you give them some info they will send more message/emails. They work in groups to see which one of them you will fall prey to. 

If the order does not show up in your shop, then there is not real order from the person sending you those messages. 

I apologize for my typos. I tend to type fast and not spell check before posting. 

[Adorabilities]

@JacquiwithaQCrafts 

on my Etsy message page

But are they in the "from Etsy" folder? 

[dippeldiundscribble]

@JacquiwithaQCrafts 

If these messages are not also in the „From Etsy“ section, they are NOT from Etsy.

Since you gave them your email, you may receive a legitimate-looking email from these scammers asking you to enter your credit card details. They will often give you a deadline by which to respond and threaten to block or deactivate your account if you don't do so.

Do not answer and do not engage with them any further.

Please read these threads:

Etsy Announcement: New “From Etsy” section in Messages

https://community.etsy.com/t5/Announcements/New-From-Etsy-section-in-Messages/m-p/143722497

Etsy Announcement: Protect Your Account From Scammers

https://community.etsy.com/t5/Announcements/Protect-Your-Account-From-Scammers/m-p/143158945

How to Spot a Scam - No a Buyer Doesn't Need Your Email Address. How to Avoid Scammers

https://community.etsy.com/t5/Managing-Your-Shop/How-to-Spot-a-Scam-No-a-Buyer-Doesn-t-Need-Your-Ema...

Etsy Help Centre Articles:

How to Handle Scams and Suspicious Messages

https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/360000343128-How-to-Handle-Scams-and-Suspicious-Messages

What to Do After You Sell an Item
https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/115015710308-What-to-Do-After-You-Sell-an-Item?segment=selli...