BEWARE - New PayPal Email Scam
By freak369
@freak369 (5113)
United States
August 11, 2007 1:33am CST
I was so worried about this and it looked SO official but it is a scam.
From my email:
We recently noticed one or more attempts to log in to your PayPal account from a foreign IP address.
If you recently accessed your account while traveling, the unusual log in attempts may have been initiated by you. However if you are the rightful holder of the account,click on the link below to log into the account and follow the instructions.
https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_login-run
If you choose not to complete the request, you give us no choice but to suspend your account temporary.
It takes at least 72 hours for the investigation in this case and we strongly recommend you to verify your account at that time.
If you received this notice and you are not the authorized account holder, please be aware that it is in violation of PayPal policy to represent oneself as an other PayPal user.Such action may also be in violation of local, national, and/or international law. PayPal is committed to assist law enforcement with any inquires related attempts to missapropriate personal information with the intent to commit fraud or theft. Information will be provided at the request or law enforcement agencies to ensure that perpetrators are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Thanks for your patience as we work together to protect your account.
PayPal Account Review Department.
Please do not reply to this email. This mailbox is not monitored and you will not receive a response.
For assistance, log in to your PayPal account and click the Help link located in the top right corner of any PayPal page.
PayPal Email ID PP00145
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The return address for this is: accounts@paypal.com
However the link in the email takes you to:
http://dhs.dewitt.edzone.net/~dhs/mediagallery/mediaobjects/llndex.html
Then redirects to you to:
http://www.mtmchile.cl/modules/coppermine/albums/claxon/index.php?;co_partnerId=2&siteid=0&pageType=-1&errmsg=8&pa1=&i1=-1DATA=SabuKatVpl37b$$jbabuKatVpl37b2ol37b2oaabuKatVpl37b2oaszrQTGVnCTmsPv&a/20%&UsingSSL=0&bshowgif=0
Suffice it to say, if you clicked on any link like that, clear out your browser's temp files, cache and cookies - and all temp files for browsing - BEFORE you log back in to your paypal account.
2 people like this
6 responses
@brendalee (6082)
• United States
11 Aug 07
I once lost a paypal account for a similar scam. Luckily I only had a few dollars in it. I get these kind of scams alot lately but I will never log into my account from my email again. Thanks for giving people this warning.
1 person likes this
@lilaclady (28207)
• Australia
11 Aug 07
I don't open or take any notice of any emails that say they are from Paypal, when I get anything that may be genuine I log onto my Paypal account and see if they have left a message there if they haven't I just send it to spoof@paypal.com yes you have to be careful these days...
@alexdiazgranados (678)
• United States
23 Dec 07
I, too, have received such e-mails, almost on a daily basis at that.
Thing is, though, that if you had taken some time to look over that message carefully, you'd have noticed a few giveaways that would tell you that the "official-looking" mail was a fake.
First, they would have addressed you by name. That e-mail doesn't. The identity thieves that designed the page know we normally freak out when we get messages like this and count on us not thinking straight.
Second....look at the grammar. There are several dooseys of errors within the body of the mailing. I know you're a good writer - we both write at Epinions so I know you write well - and know grammar and spelling rules. Look closely and calmly, and you'll spot them. If the grammar is bad and there is no name in the greeting, then you are being PHISHED.
