The 'Transfer Charges' PayPal Scam

A reddit report about a impersonation scam that cost someone Amount not specified. Learn how to avoid falling victim.

Source: reddit | Scam Type: Impersonation | Amount Lost: Amount not specified | Date: March 27, 2026
Hey, this is my first time posting here, so I'll get straight to the point. There's this guy—whom I'd actually forgotten I was following on Twitter—who messaged me out of the blue this week saying he wanted to send me some money via PayPal. This struck me as odd, since we had never exchanged a single word before. I agreed to it out of sheer curiosity—albeit with some doubts—and when he tried to send it, he told me I had to pay 'transfer charges,' just as it says in the image. However, I did a little research on PayPal regarding how one actually receives money, and there's no mention of having to pay a fee to receive a transfer. In fact, having bought things and sent money via PayPal myself, I've never encountered this issue—nor has anyone I've sent money to. So, is this normal? Or is it clearly a scam? *Apologies for not blurring out the number in the image—it's done now. Sorry for the trouble, mods.

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1

Install reputable antivirus software with email scanning

2

Always verify email senders and avoid clicking suspicious links

3

Report suspicious emails to your email provider

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