Paypal scam heads up!!

[Rhubarbpie]

I was going through my emails today and found an email apparently from Paypal. 

It said (roughly),

"Dear Client,
            We have noticed that your account has had some unusual activity.  For security reasons, we have placed restrictions on your account.  To lift these restrictions, click on the following link (gave link) and answer a few security questions. "

Well, after a small windfall last month, I HAD perhaps spent it up a bit, so I clicked the link.  Something wasn't right for me.  The top of the page looked like the sort of page Paypal would have, but the font for the "questionnaire" part was totally different and TBH looked like it had been copy/pasted over a Paypal page.

I smelt a rat and Googled Paypal scams and sure enough, there was a proper Paypal guide on how their emails should look and how to spot a fakie.  Also they gave an email address you should forward the scam emails to for their team to investigate.

Here is the link for the Paypal Guide https://www.paypal.com/webapps/helpcenter/article/?solutionId=12600&m=SRE

Please take care peeps

[MaronaPossessed]

Thanks for the heads up! Will watch it^^

[MikeysGrrrl]

Thanks for the heads up. It's good that you caught it before giving out any personal info

[achab1984]

Someone trying to get free money again. Thank you for letting us know

[ponylady]

Yep, that was a "phishing" email you received. It's always important to remember that PayPal emails will always use your first and last name, or your business's name. They will never use Dear Client, Friend etc.

Also their emails will never ask for your personal or account information such as credit or debit card numbers, bank account details, driver's license number, email addresses, or passwords.

I have probably received 20 in the last year. It's always the same song and dance. I just forward them to straight to Paypal.


 

[achab1984]

I wonder how many people have fallen for these emails ?

[blondee1982]

I have gotten a ton of them too, I even got one that had my correct name on it! Paypal will never ask you to log in and give them info about your account so that is always the safe indicator that it is a spoof. I actually got one from Bank of America today asking for info which I had to laugh at because I don't have an account there and never have I had a real scare this summer with some scammers in California who were saying the were a law office and that they were going to serve me papers because I owed $426 for a online payday loan I supposedly received 9yrs ago and never paid...they really had me thinking it was real at first because they had the name of my old bank, my old address and last but not least MY SOCIAL!! I knew that I never applied or received a payday loan before so I researched it through my old bank and sure enough I never had a deposit for a payday loan from that place. I had to do a police report and call the FTC and do a report I also had to sign up for identity theft protection just in case they try to use my social at all. I actually found out later that they got my social from my old bank, apparently someone hacked there old system and they stole thousands of peoples info and sold it on the black market Yikes! What a headache, but it happens everyday....

[Corona]

A lot of sites will have a disclaimer saying "[Site Name] will never ask for your personal information!" and it's true! Good thing you checked it out, would've been bad if they got your info.

[Ringlets]

Thanks for letting us know!   I'm really glad you checked it out first and didnt get scammed