Suspicious message from 'technical support'

[ChessheadShop]

Hi folks, I just received this message. Should I trust it? It looks very odd. What could the scam be, if it is one? Why did Etsy contact me in a suspicious way if it is genuine?

Hello, Dear Seller. I am an Etsy technical support agent, your item was paid for by a buyer, but an unforeseen error occurred due to the processing of the transaction in the backup processing center, please enter your email into this chat to receive a customized form to confirm the sale of your item. Thank you!
Regards Etsy

[NanaLetha · Accepted solution]

Scam for sure.

[PristinityJewelry · Accepted solution]

Phishing.

And if you haven't, do not download or open the file/form.

I'm leery of downloading or opening any unsolicited files.

[PillowDetails · Accepted solution]

Run.  Not legit.

Etsy already has your email - lol!  This one has been going around with the scammer/buyer asking for your email, but this is a new - and particularly dumb - twist!

[ACertainFeel]

Definite SCAM. Report it. 

[FallenAngelBrass]

Etsy never calls us "Dear Seller"s. 

[BlueAgateFarms]

And Etsy does not appear to have much tech support.  Scam.

[GieseDeseiGns]

So Etsy messages you on Etsy saying they need you to take a problem with Etsy, off Etsy to solve it, um No

[bradgoodell]

Complete scam.  Etsy's real technical support has access to your email address, and buyers do not need your email to check out.  I will highlight some clues from my list below that apply to your email.

Online scams are running rampant right now.  There are various types and variations of scams on the internet.  I'm going to post this list again of Red Flags to watch for.  Hopefully it will help you and other sellers.  Once you hit 2 or more red flags, shut down the conversation.  

1. New seller
2. High dollar item or large sale amount
3. They want to take the conversation off Etsy (they ask for your email)
4. They want to take the sale off Etsy
5. You go back to their account, and it's gone
6. They ask if something is "still available" when it's obviously for sale in your shop
7. They ask about the condition of an obviously new item
8. They ask if you are honest
9. They send you a link of some sort.  DO NOT CLICK ON THE LINK
10. Odd language
11. There is some urgency, such as a birthday or anniversary
12. They claim they are in the Navy, an oceanographer, on a cruise ship, on a research vessel in Antartica
13. They claim they cannot check-out and need your email to complete the order.
14. They claim your Etsy checkout isn't working, and they send you a link to "fix it"  
15. They ask you to buy a high dollar gift card and include it in the order
16. 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
17. They will pay you extra for the inconvenience
18. They claim to have their own shipping company or pick-up agent
19. They claim an uncle is paying
20. They want to pay by money order or Cashier's check
21. They send you payment for far more than the order total
22. They want you to send the overage through Western Union, Venmo, etc.
23. They send you a (fake) PayPal email that says PayPal will release the payment after you send them the overage.
24. You get an email from (fake) Etsy saying you need to do X to get your account verified.   
25. You get 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.

[nineteen27]

@bradgoodell 

you may have to add:

26.  if the email begins with... hello dear seller <--- SCAM

[bradgoodell]

@WitticismsRus Thanks, I was hoping I'd get away with at least one day without posting my list.  

But glad to share it.  

[WitticismsRus]

@bradgoodell 

Sorry. You should totally get a day off from posting the list. I'm going to bookmark your post below or add a link to my macros so I can share it instead of have to @ mention you. Hopefully a day off is in the near future.

[sharonjenkins1]

We have a lot of these reported this week- maybe 4 or 5 or more?

[bradgoodell]

Every single day, often multiple times a day, all new shops/sellers.  

[CuriousityShop]

I saved your list too. Sometimes I get up very, very early. Nothing much to do a 3am.

[bradgoodell]

@WitticismsRus LMAO thanks!

[sharonjenkins1]

Just saw another one “ first time seller” as soon as I left this thread.

[LinkisPrintables]

Did you recently see something? It looks very fishy to me, I would ignore it, especially when or if you did not sell something. This email may be fishing you. The best way to see it is to click on the sender's full address, and if it is just a little wrong, mark@etryT. com you know it is not from any Etsy person

[CarpetCollectionAU]

This is from yesterday - Same scenario but from 2 different accounts in the one day One pretending to be Etsy Technical Support and the other pretending to be the Buyer

https://community.etsy.com/t5/Managing-Your-Shop/Customer-says-that-to-make-the-sale-he-needs-my-ema...

@FabioMcMustacheCould this be another one you need to look at and action?

[FabioMcMustache]

Thanks! This one got flagged automatically and is already out.

[ChessheadShop]

Thanks, everyone. I'll report it.

[BlueCatStudioShop]

@ bradgoodell

Great Job on the list!

[CuriousityShop]

Buyers Do NOT need anything from you to buy things, NOT your email, not your phone number nothing.

Technical support WILL NEVER contact you without you reporting a problem. They are busy screwing up Etsy with their stupid TESTS, and don't have time to fix anything.

[ChessheadShop]

I just received another suspicious message from someone else?

"Hello, I would like to buy it from you but Etsy asks for the seller's email address when buying, please let me know"

How do I reply to that? I dislike not replying.

[bradgoodell · Accepted solution]

Mark is as SPAM on Etsy.

You can also have fun with it and simply reply:

"Thank you so much for your interest in my products!  Yes, we have it in blue.  How many would you like?"