How to report a scammer on PayPal

PayPal's Resolution Center is the starting point for problems with a purchase. To open a dispute from the web, go to the Resolution Center, click Report a Problem, select the payment, and choose a reason such as an item not received, an item significantly not as described, an issue with the seller, or a billing error. PayPal

Once a dispute is open, PayPal gives the buyer and seller a window to exchange messages in the Resolution Center and try to resolve the issue directly; PayPal does not decide the outcome at the dispute stage. If that does not resolve things, the dispute can be escalated to a claim, which asks PayPal to investigate and decide. PayPal generally requires at least 7 days to have passed since the payment date before a dispute can be escalated, and a dispute otherwise closes automatically after 20 days if it is not escalated; a closed dispute cannot be reopened or escalated later. PayPal

PayPal states it usually reaches a decision on a claim within 14 days, though some cases can take 30 days or longer, depending on how quickly both parties respond and whether more information is needed. PayPal

PayPal also documents specific filing windows by dispute type: an Item Not Received dispute must be opened within 180 days of the payment date; a Significantly Not as Described dispute must be opened within 30 days of delivery or fulfillment, or within 180 days of payment, whichever is sooner. For billing errors other than unauthorized transactions, PayPal asks to hear from you no later than 60 days after it sent the first statement showing the problem. PayPal

If a payment left your PayPal account that you did not authorize, this is treated separately from a purchase dispute. PayPal asks you to tell it "at once" if your statement shows a transfer you did not make, since unauthorized-activity reports are time-sensitive. PayPal Report it from the Resolution Center by selecting the transaction and choosing the reason for unauthorized activity, and secure your account by changing your password and reviewing linked cards, bank accounts, and any devices you do not recognize.

If a PayPal account itself is being used to run a scam (for example, a seller who never ships, or a buyer attempting a payment-reversal trick), the relevant transaction should be reported through the Resolution Center as described above so PayPal can review the account's involvement in the specific payment.

Separately, if you receive an email, text, or website that only claims to be from PayPal, do not click any links, call any listed numbers, or open attachments. Forward the entire email, unaltered, to phishing@paypal.com and then delete it; for a suspicious text, forward it to the same address using your phone's forward option before blocking the sender. PayPal PayPal notes it will always address you by your name or business name, never with generic greetings like "Dear user," which is one sign of a fake message. PayPal

PayPal offers two payment types. Goods and Services is intended for buying from a seller you may not know and is eligible for PayPal's Purchase Protection. Friends and Family is intended for everyday money exchanges between people who know each other, such as splitting a bill or sending a gift, and is explicitly excluded from Purchase Protection. PayPal PayPal lists Friends and Family payments among the categories not eligible for Purchase Protection. PayPal

PayPal specifically warns that if a seller asks you to send a Friends and Family payment for something you are buying, this can be a sign of a scam, since the seller may be aware that this payment type will not be covered if the item never arrives. PayPal

PayPal's Purchase Protection may apply to eligible Goods and Services transactions when an item never arrives or is significantly different from its description, provided the dispute is opened within the applicable timeframe. Some categories are excluded even for Goods and Services payments, including motor vehicles, industrial machinery, real estate, prepaid cards, and items intended for resale, among others; eligibility is determined by PayPal case by case. PayPal

For sellers, Seller Protection is described by PayPal as covering eligible Item Not Received and unauthorized-payment claims when the seller meets requirements such as shipping to the address on the Transaction Details page and providing valid proof of shipment or delivery. Certain categories, including real estate, vehicles, and Significantly Not as Described claims, are outside Seller Protection. PayPal Neither program guarantees a particular outcome; PayPal reviews each case against its stated eligibility requirements and evidence.

• Transaction ID and date: found on the Transaction Details page in your PayPal account.
• Messages with the buyer or seller: screenshots of any conversation inside PayPal or on the platform where the deal was arranged, showing what was promised.
• Listing or product links: the exact page or ad describing the item or service, saved before it can be edited or removed.
• Shipping and tracking information: if you are the buyer waiting on an item, or the seller trying to prove delivery for Seller Protection.
• The suspicious email or text itself: forwarded unaltered to phishing@paypal.com rather than summarized, so PayPal can inspect headers and links.

If you funded the PayPal payment with a credit or debit card, you may also be able to dispute the charge directly with your card issuer, which can have its own separate deadlines and process independent of PayPal's Resolution Center. Contact your bank or card issuer promptly, especially if a PayPal dispute has been denied or the payment type (such as Friends and Family) was never eligible for PayPal's own protection.

File a report with your local police and, where available, a national fraud-reporting body such as the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) in the United States or Action Fraud in the United Kingdom, especially where the amount is significant or the same seller or buyer pattern appears to be repeated against multiple people.

Fraudpol accepts reports that identify an individual or group who used a PayPal account, email address, or linked payment details to carry out a scam, alongside transaction references and evidence you have gathered. Each report is reviewed manually. Fraudpol does not recover money, never charges victims a fee, never contacts victims unsolicited asking for payment, and is not a government agency or law enforcement body; where a report is substantiated it may be referred to the competent authorities, without a promised timeline or guaranteed outcome. Filing with Fraudpol does not replace a PayPal dispute, a card-issuer chargeback request, or a police report.

If you believe a specific person or group used PayPal to scam you, you can report a scammer. For a broader first-response checklist, see what to do if you've been scammed, and be alert to recovery scams that target people who already lost money by promising to get it back for an upfront fee.

Last checked: September 2026.

• PayPal: How do I open a dispute with a seller?
• PayPal: How do I escalate a dispute to a claim?
• PayPal: Dispute filing timeframes
• PayPal: How to report suspicious emails and messages
• PayPal: What are 'Friends and Family' payment scams?
• PayPal: Does PayPal cover my purchase if there's a problem?
• PayPal: What is PayPal Seller Protection?