Received very suspicious email regarding "Inactive Account" - Urging me to send money to Activate.

[PreciousBullion]

Received a message from a client claiming he cannot complete payment for his order...messaged me his phone number for pictures of the item...did so, he was weary because Etsy apparently let him know my account was not "Activated", yet I am fulfilling orders and getting payments no problem.. Scam, or what?? I am trying to change my password right now but I am having trouble.

Is this possibly legit?! I cant fathom it.

[This content has been removed by Moderation.]

It has to be a scam, but I cant change my PW and I am afraid to logout...

I just activated 2FA and Text message verification.


My main question is, are my customers actually unable to purchase from my shop?? 

[OrnamentBoutique]

That is most definitely a scam. Don’t click any links, don’t give any info.

[OrnamentBoutique]

And anytime someone tells you to get a prepaid gift card- wether it’s Etsy or somewhere else- it’s a scam.

[Amaradorn]

It's a SCAM!

You need to remove the contents of that email including your own email address. You can sum up the email without copy/pasting it. (ETA: Etsy did it already)

[Jewels2at]

It is a scam.  What I find interesting...Moderation came in and removed part of your post...but did not state if it was from them or not.

[FallenAngelBrass]

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@PreciousBullion wrote:

we’re having some technical issues with our customers phone service, Don’t call any Etsy customers service numbers currently

Well, if the wonky return email address didn't already give it away, this surely does.  Etsy has ZERO customer service phone support.  There's no customer phone service with which to have technical issues. 

[FabioMcMustache · Accepted solution]

Hello,

Thank you for bringing this up! I've raised this internally and requested an investigation.

In the meantime, I recommend that you do not engage with this person in any way and mark their email(s) as spam as well. That is positively not an email from Etsy.

Thanks!

[Jewels2at]

Thank you @FabioMcMustache

You have come to the rescue again!

[PristinityJewelry]

Well played.

[dianedowgill]

UK seller here. I checked your shop and would have been able to make a purchase. The message you received sounds like a scam.

[FallenAngelBrass]

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@PreciousBullion wrote:

Received a message from a client claiming he cannot complete payment for his order.

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This "prospective customer" is in on the scam.  He's not a client.  

[PreciousBullion]

Yea... I figured that out as well.. alarm bells went off at the first message asking for a text message to a phone number

Thank you for your insight!

[MaggieandRose]

Etsy handles ALL payments, neither sellers or buyers can make any input to the process, it’s ALWAYS A SCAM. 

[bradgoodell]

This sounds like an alternative version of a scam that has been hitting Etsy sellers.  The person can't check out, or needs something, and wants to take the conversation off Etsy.  Can be email, SMS/text, WhatsApp, etc.  

Online scams are running rampant right now.  I’ve put clues to the latest scam on top.  This list also contains clues to other common online scams.  Hopefully it will help you and other sellers.  Once you hit more than 2 red flags, shut down the conversation.  

1. New seller
2. High dollar item or large sale amount
3. Odd or awkward-sounding language
4. They want to take the conversation off Etsy (they ask for your email)
5. Someone messages you and claims you may have been a victim of fraud, and requests your email address to "resolve the issue"
6. You get a (FAKE) message from Etsy Support telling you that they are having technical issues and asking if you've received notification of an order in the last few minutes.  
7. You get a (FAKE) Live Chat message.  
8. You get a phone call from someone claiming to be Etsy.  Etsy doesn’t cold-call sellers.
9. “Etsy Support” claims they want to contact you by text/SMS.  Etsy doesn’t text, they use Etsy messages and/or email.
10. Anyone claiming to be from Etsy who asks for your phone number or login information is a scam. 
11. You get an email requesting you "complete" the order as its currently on hold and asks you for your debit card information.
12. You get an email from (FAKE) Etsy saying Etsy is changing payment methods and will send money directly to your credit or debit card. Etsy has not changed their payment method.
13. You go back to their account, and it's gone
14. The original message has disappeared off Etsy, or has moved itself to your Spam folder.
15. They send you a link of some sort.  DO NOT CLICK ON THE LINK
16. They claim they cannot check-out and need your email to complete the order.
17. They claim your Etsy checkout isn't working, and they send you a link to "fix it” 
18. You get an email from (FAKE) Etsy saying you need to do X to get your account verified.  
19. You get a (FAKE) email from Etsy claim you need to buy a high dollar pre-paid Visa or American Express card to get your Etsy account working
20.  They send you a link to a (FAKE) Etsy page that looks genuine and asks for your login and/or credit card details.
21. You find a (FAKE) Etsy phone number off the net and talk to a sympathetic customer service rep that wants you to download an app so they can access your account to fix something.  Etsy does not have a published phone number you can call.  It's a scam, the number is not Etsy's.
22. They want to take the sale off Etsy
23. They ask if something is "still available" when it's obviously for sale in your shop
24. They ask about the condition of an obviously new item
25. They ask if you are honest
26. There is some urgency, such as a birthday or anniversary
27. They claim they are in the Navy, an oceanographer, on a cruise ship, on a research vessel in Antartica
28. They ask you to buy a high dollar gift card and include it in the order
29. They will pay you extra for the inconvenience
30. They claim to have their own shipping company or pick-up agent
31. They claim an uncle is paying
32. They want to pay by money order or Cashier's check
33. They send you payment for far more than the order total
34. They want you to send the overage through Western Union, Venmo, etc.
35. They send you a (fake) PayPal email that says PayPal will release the payment after you send them the overage.