Upstate woman falls victim to PayPal impersonator scam
SPARTANBURG, S.C. (WSPA) – Police are investigating a scam after a woman was said she scammed out of $5,500 after receiving a fake PayPal email.
On Friday, a woman said that she received an email from 'PayPal,' congratulating her for purchasing a gun, according to the Spartanburg Police Department. The woman told officers that she does not have a PayPal account, so she called the customer service number that was provided in the email.
The victim said she spoke with someone about the issue, who transferred her to the 'anti-theft specialist.' The 'specialist' instructed her to go to the bank and withdraw $5,500, according to police.
She was then instructed to go to a gas station and transfer the money via Bitcoin. The 'specialist' had instructed the victim on what to do, according to police.
The victim said she attempted to call 'PayPal' back after the transaction was finished, but could not get in touch with anyone. She then realized that she had been scammed.
Police said they are investigating the issue and have uploaded the information into evidence.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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