@KardiaGifts I'm very sorry you were targeted; a cr-ppy experience as a new Seller. Scammers have been hitting new Sellers as well as seasoned ones. They also appear right after Sellers list an item/s. Scanning of QR Codes is a popular scam, as well as "Verification" and threats of Shop closure. Many of these goons pose 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). *"From Etsy" Folder was not on the App until recently (a highlighted blurb on the Message). The thing is, should you not see this first (and be familiar with it), you could receive a scammer's Message beforehand. Also, the App does not allow you to Mark the Message as Spam (you must use a browser instead, or use the Buyer App).
Also for future, many scammers 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.
Etsy should be able to nail these FAKE accounts who are impersonating Etsy Staff/Support, etc. It's happening way too often. For a while now, Sellers have been reporting that legitimate Buyer Messages are being put in "Spam" by Etsy (obviously a glitch to combat the scamming problem). Here is the Help Article re: Scams.
https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/360000343128-How-to-Handle-Scams-and-Suspicious-Messages?seg...
Because you clicked the QR Code, you should run virus scans on all of your devices.
Hope this is helpful to you, and may this garbage cease for you and for others.
