Fake Payment Screenshots | Protect Against Scams

A payment screenshot is not independent proof that money has been received or secured. Sellers should verify payment through the relevant financial or payment service itself before releasing valuable goods.

Why screenshots create risk

An image, email or message can be altered, fabricated or presented out of context. Even a genuine-looking confirmation does not replace checking the actual payment status. A scammer will often pressure users to act quickly or outside of the normal operation of the payment system. It is important to never perform financial transactions in haste or when minimally informed.

What should a private seller do?

Confirm the buyer and transaction details. within the GoEscrow app.
Do not release goods solely because a screenshot says payment was made. The funding status of the transaction can be viewed in the GoEscrow app.
Check the relevant payment status independently of communication with the buyer.
If unsure about a transaction or suspicious of a person, contact GoEscrow customer service immediately.

How GoEscrow changes the sequence

Instead of the seller relying on evidence supplied by the buyer, an eligible GoEscrow transaction can allow the payer to fund the agreed amount first and the payee to independently verify the funding state before handover. Settlement then occurs later in accordance with the transaction details.

A real-world example of a screenshot scam

Mary is trying to sell her old phone online to a person called Carlos. Carlos agrees to pay $500 for the phone and both parties want to use GoEscrow to secure the transaction. Mary and Carlos use the GoEscrow app to create a transaction for the phone at $500 and now Mary is waiting for Carlos to deposit the payment into the escrow account. Carlos says to Mary that he has made the deposit and sends her a screenshot of the GoEscrow app in which the transaction status says “Funded”. Mary can’t see the “Funded” status on her side so she is concerned but Carlos says that the app is just taking time to update on her end, and that the screenshot proves the money is there. Carlos says he needs the phone now because he is travelling soon, so Mary should send it as soon as possible or he will need to find another seller. Concerned that she might lose her buyer, Mary ships the phone straight away. It turns out that Carlos had not deposited the funds into escrow yet, and had simply changed the status on his screenshot to “Funded”. Now Carlos has the phone, and Mary never got paid.

In this example, Mary trusted a screenshot of the GoEscrow app instead of the system itself. Carlos pressured her to ship the item quickly so that she wouldn’t get to the truth of the matter before committing her resources. While Mary acted honestly and with good intention, she should have contacted GoEscrow customer service as soon as something unusual happened. A screenshot does not automatically mean that the person is a scammer, but it should never be used as a source of truth like direct confirmation within the GoEscrow app.

Does escrow eliminate scams?

No payment method removes the need to verify that the other party has or will meet the needs of the sale and this includes GoEscrow. What GoEscrow offers is a means to make sure that the funds are available once the criteria has been met. It does not guarantee that the buyer’s expectations will be met, but it does protect the funds until both parties agree to release them.

Marketplace and private-sale payments

Most online payment scams are operated through decentralised market places, or consumer-to-consumer sales. for more information specific to these cases, read: How to Pay Safely on Facebook Marketplace and Safe Payment for Private Sales in Australia.

Examples of common fake screenshot scams

A screenshot of a buyer’s mobile banking app which shows that a transfer has been made to escrow.
- The scammer may be using a screenshot from a previous transaction, or may have edited the picture to look like the current transaction. They are trying to convince the seller to ship the item without making the payment.
A screenshot of the transaction page in the GoEscrow app.
- Similar to the banking app screenshot, the scammer may be using an old transaction page, or have edited the image in an effort to have the seller ship the item without actual payment.
A screenshot of a postal tracking interface.
- Scammers posing as sellers will often use images of post/courier tracking details in an effort to convince buyers that they have sent the item. These scammers are trying to receive payment without providing the goods/services.

Frequently asked questions

Is escrow useful for a private sale?

It can be where buyer and seller want payment funded before goods are supplied, without requiring the buyer to pay the seller directly before the agreed handover or inspection conditions have been met.

Should a seller trust a payment screenshot?

A screenshot is not the GoEscrow funding confirmation. When GoEscrow is being used, the seller should rely on the transaction status in GoEscrow and wait for confirmation that the funds are in escrow before handing over or shipping the item.

Does GoEscrow check the item I am buying?

No. GoEscrow manages the financial interaction. It does not inspect or supply the goods and does not independently verify their quality, condition, authenticity, ownership or title.

Who releases the money to the seller?

The GoEscrow product is designed around payer-controlled settlement: once the applicable conditions are met, the payer authorises settlement and GoEscrow remits the funds to the payee in accordance with the transaction and its terms.

What happens if buyer and seller disagree?

The funds can remain in escrow while the matter is addressed under the applicable GoEscrow cancellation or dispute process. The outcome depends on the circumstances, party instructions and the GoEscrow Terms of Use; using escrow does not guarantee a particular dispute outcome.