The buyer sent me a GCash screenshot but the money did not arrive. What now?
Do not ship or hand over anything: a screenshot is not a payment. Open your own GCash app and check the transaction history; if the money is not there, it was not sent, and the "receipt" was edited or generated.
Fake receipt apps and simple photo editing make a convincing screenshot in a minute. The buyer then pressures you: "it is pending", "GCash is delayed", "the rider is already there". A real GCash transfer appears in your app within seconds, with a reference number you can see yourself.
What to do
- Check your own GCash app, not the screenshot. No balance change means no payment.
- Tell the buyer you will release the item once the money is in your account. A real buyer accepts this.
- If the buyer insists it is "pending", wait. GCash transfers do not stay pending for a real sender.
- Save the screenshot and the chat: it is evidence of attempted estafa.
- If you already handed over the item, report the buyer to the platform and to the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group or the NBI, with the number and the account name.
Frequently asked questions
- The reference number on the screenshot looks real. Can I trust it?
- No. Reference numbers can be invented. Only your own app shows the truth.
- Can Veritaza check the buyer?
- Yes: send the number, the name or username and the screenshot messages. Veritaza checks if the number is on scam lists, if the name appears in scam reports and if other people have already checked the same number.
Want to know if there are warning signs about the person you are talking to? Veritaza checks the photos, the messages, the number, the email, the name and the ID, for ₱199.
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