Scammed on Craigslist. What to do?

I purchase iPhones and fix them and sell them. So I saw this ad on Craigslist of a iPhone 6 Plus for $400. I decided to buy it and started texting the seller. Well I sent her the money via PayPal through my bank account. She told me that she needed the money by the next day cause she had to pay for a speeding ticket and didn't wanna cause a warrant. So I went and bought a PayPal card and sent her 400 more dollars under friends and family so she would get the payment that second and she told me she would send me my money back when it becomes available in her account well it has been cleared for 3 days now and she says her account has "frozen" and she can't do nothing with my money. And to make matters worse, I didn't get my iPhone 6 Plus. She will not respond to my text or call. What do I do? Call police?

I can't believe anybody would buy things on craigslist from a distance.

Notify PayPal, they will look into it.

They will freeze her accounts until it is settled. PayPal guarantees your purchase.

Your 2nd payment may be lost though. That was an obvious scam you fell for.

Notify Paypal. However, it's a known scam when they trick you to send it as "friends and family" to avoid fees. That also results in Paypal not refunding you. To them, it's as if you hand hundreds of dollars to your friend sitting next to you, then try to claim you were scammed by them so Paypal hands you hundreds back, and your friend walks off, too.

There are places like the FTC where you can file reports of things like this. But unless you get your money back from Paypal… You're not likely getting it back.

In the future, be super duper wary of Craigslist. EBay has done well for a reason. Be super duper careful buying electronics on Craigslist. And if they're purchased in transactions where you don't meet the person in person to exchange funds for the item… Don't even think about it. If anyone ever rushes you to pay because of things like speeding tickets -- think scam. If anyone ever tells you to use a dishonest procedure like friends and family -- think scam.

There's no iPhone 6. You're being scammed. Try to communicate to Paypal. Otherwise, consider it payment towards your education, so you don't do something so stupid in the future.

Why don't people even bother reading craiglist's warnings then wonder why they got scammed?

Deal locally, face-to-face -follow this one rule and avoid 99% of scam attempts.
Ignore emails/texts from non-local persons - deal with locals you can meet in person.
Never wire funds (e.g. Western Union) - anyone who asks you to is a scammer.
Don't accept cashier checks or money orders - banks cash fakes, then hold you responsible.
Transactions are between users only, no third party provides a "guarantee".
Never give out financial info (bank account, social security, paypal account, etc).
Do not rent or purchase sight-unseen-that amazing "deal" may not exist.
Refuse background/credit checks until you have met landlord/employer in person.

Of course you got scammed. Iphone 6 is back ordered and out of stock even through the main carriers, and you thought you could get one for only $400? This will go down as a good lesson learned.