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  • Fake PayPal E-mail Scam

    by
    OzDragon
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    Published on 05-03-2011 01:45 AM
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    You all need to be aware of such scams as this and their delivery methods - they come in all forms and different methods. This one happened to be sent to one of my personal emails that I use for family. It came with an attachment. If you get emails like this - for your own security and safety of your computer and your personal details - DO NOT download and open the attached file. Do not even reply to the email. This was just one type of scam using PayPal as a scare tactic to get your personal info.

    The quote below is the message that was sent to my email:


    Dear Member of PayPal,

    Unfortunately, our system has just detected unusual charges to a credit card linked to your PayPal account.

    Reference Number: PP-###-###-###

    Access to your account was limited for the following reason:

    We have established that someone tried to access your PayPal account without
    your permission. To ensure greater security, we have limited access to your account. We have sent
    you an attachment which contains all the necessary steps in order to restore your account access.
    Please download and open it in your browser.

    (The locator for this reason is PP-###-###-###)

    We thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. Please understand that this
    is a security measure intended to protect you and your account. We apologise for any inconvenience.


    Thank you,
    PayPal Account Review Department
    I thought PayPal was based in the US where "apologize" was spelled with a "Z", not the English way "apologise". Both are correct, but seeing as I am in Canada (and the email this scam was sent to was a .ca email, representing Canada) and we also spell it with a "Z" it just seems a little odd. I realize PayPal has departments worldwide, but in the past we have found that formal emails from PayPal have used Americanized spelling. Things that make you go hmmm??? But it wasn't just that...

    Question - Tell me what else is wrong with this E-mail?

    Answer - I don't even have a PayPal account. Go figure.

    Regardless of the above, PayPal would never ask anyone to verify their log-in details in such a manner. The best practice is to never click on any link provided in an email, but to go to the site directly and deal with the issue there - or just call them if it's a matter of account security. This isn't just for PayPal, it's for any account where your personal information and banking details may be at jeopardy.
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