E-Bay and Paypal Pfishing Scam Warning!
By Darkwing
@Darkwing (21583)
February 19, 2007 10:57pm CST
Today, I received an e-mail, which was supposedly from Paypal but it was easily recognisable as a scam, and I deleted it without opening it or clicking on the link. Have you had any e-mails which supposedly came from E-Bay or Paypal, requesting you to log into their sites to verify your account? Two of my friends had similar e-mails, and I just wanted to put out a warning to my friends in Mylot about these scams. Please be very alert at all times. I don't want it to happen to any of you!
E-Bay and Paypal are being targeted by criminals using software that records people’s log-in details. Victims receive two types of spam e-mails; the first infects the computer with key-logging software that records account log in and password details. The second e-mail says there has been a breach of account security and directs the user to bogus official-looking websites where they are then tricked into disclosing personal bank and credit card details.
Both scams mean that the criminals can fraudulently use genuine e-bay accounts or commit identity theft and steal money directly from their victim. This is known as pfishing.
It was the second type of e-mail which I received today, from Paypal, asking me to click on a link and log into my account, as there had been other activity on it. No way, Jose! I've seen these before. Delete button! The e-mail which was supposed to have come from E-Bay, was slightly different. According to the e-mail, E-Bay had suffered some sort of internet connection problem, (oh yeah?), and had lost parts of people's records. Surprise, surprise... it could only be the account log-in details, couldn't it? Sure enough... "please click on this link and log into your account to refurnish us with the details that have been lost"! Some poor, unsuspecting person is going to do just that, and guess what? Yes, you're right, their bank details will be pfished and their accounts invaded!
Whenever I had received these e-mails, prior to today, I immediately contacted E-Bay or Paypal, to ask them whether the e-mails are genuine. Their answer: "We never send out e-mails asking for personal details, or asking you to click a link to log in to your account. This is a scam."
Just because it looks like a genuine request doesn't mean that extreme caution isn't needed, when receiving a like e-mail. If you receive one, report it immediately to the company concerned and to trading standards and then delete it without opening it. Internet banks and organisations such as E-Bay and Paypal are trying to combat fraud and never ask for personal information by e-mail but computer users are urged to have up-to-date personal firewall and anti-virus software.
Computer users should always check with the bank or credit card company,E-Bay or Paypal, directly before responding to any emails and never give out sensitive information in response to unsolicited approaches. This can be done by logging into the proper E-Bay and Paypal sites... they will each have a padlock symbol in the URL bar, or a logo showing it to be the genuine site, and both have a system whereby you can report mail which you suspect to be a pfishing scam, or any other scam come to that.
So do be careful, my friends, and follow this advice before taking any action on such e-mails.
8 people like this
15 responses
@Bizziebod (3497)
•
20 Feb 07
Hi Darkwing, thanks for the advice, I'd also like to point out that somepeople have been receiving phone calls about their Ebay and Paypal account asking them to confirm passwords etc. We get quite a few of these emails and they always get deleted! Brightest Blessings
3 people like this
@Darkwing (21583)
•
20 Feb 07
Yes, that's right, Gabs. In fact, they insist you let them know when you receive such an e-mail, so that they may investigate it. I suppose it helps in the fight to quash the perpetrators. E-Bay has a similar spoof address. Thank you for your response my dear friend and Brightest Blessings.
3 people like this
@lifeiseasy (2292)
• United States
5 Mar 07
I see from the date you posted this discussion that you got yours just about the same time I got mine ..I saw the paypal email ...but I was busy and didn't open it ...then a few hours later I got another one ...this time I did open it ...but my email acct .warned me so I closed it and just deleted the second one ...I saw in the forum at FAN that someone had gotten the same email and the ones from the so called e-bay ...they are definetly persistent aren't they ... but thanks for keeping us all informed about these types of sites ..good work ...
@recycledgoth (9894)
•
14 Mar 07
These are becoming more and more frequent lately, I received FIVE in the last couple of days. I always delete them immediately but it is right that people are warned on a regular basis, these scams will never be stopped until people are aware and can take the right action.
2 people like this
@Darkwing (21583)
•
14 Mar 07
Yes, I agree. I was hoping more people might take note of this discussion, but then perhaps they did read some of the content and didn't have a response. I certainly hope this will save people from having their identities stolen.
As you say, the e-mails seem to be very frequent at the moment and it's not only EBay and Paypal; they're using Barclays and Lloyds Banks now, in Britain. So please, everybody be aware... Lottery scams too!
Thank you for your response and brightest blessings.
1 person likes this
@anonymili (3138)
•
6 Mar 07
I've been receiving these emails for a few years now and have never taken any notice. Having been an internet user for over 10 years now I was warned way back before people were using email regularly by my old boss that things like this were going to be happen. Of course there will always be people out there ready to scam and con their way through life rather than earn an honest living. I've had many warnings from my bank and other sources about the validity of such emails. In general any email asking you to log into any accounts you have online whether they be just email accounts or banks or auction sites should be ignored.
No business is going to email you asking you to confirm your username and password, they have it already. It will always be someone trying to scam you, so protect yourself and remind people you know. As a long time user of the internet and email you might think everyone knows these things but there are people who are still new to the online world and they can easily get scammed, so I regularly send out warnings to people I've added as a contact just in case they're new to the online world and ask them to pass warnings on to other people. I'd rather give the same message to someone 10 times than even 1 person get conned in this way! :)
2 people like this
@Darkwing (21583)
•
6 Mar 07
I quite agree with you, but some people haven't been on the internet quite so long and some of them need warning. I've received several but I just thought I'd bring it to everybody's attention as they seemed to be coming thick and fast.
Thank you for your details response. It was very helpful.
Brightest Blessings.
2 people like this
@anonymili (3138)
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6 Mar 07
Thanks for your comment on my response, I should add that I meant I regularly send out warnings about these phishing emails to people in my email contacts as scammers will keep on trying as there will always be those few people who are not aware. I like to spread the word about these nasty people as much as possible and tell my pals to forward on these warnings too :)
1 person likes this
@marciascott (25529)
• United States
12 Sep 07
I got two of those emails @ebay.com I knew that it was a scam, they sent me a letter saying that they could not verify my account and that they were going to try again to get money, I sent them this nasty note. telling them whatever it is cancel it I know nothing about it. and I told them not to bother me anymore.
@moreinfo (3865)
• China
23 Feb 07
too many such phishing emails today.
just try to use a unique email for your payment processors'.
some discussions here:
E-Gold, fund account, cash out, all about the gold backed payment processor
http://www.mylot.com/w/discussions/722311.aspx
E-Gold and Online Security Recommendations
http://www.mylot.com/w/discussions/447072.aspx
Online Security: How to keep your e-gold and other accounts safe?
http://www.mylot.com/w/discussions/441238.aspx
Online Security: Use Firefox NOT iexplorer to access e-gold and other accounts
http://www.mylot.com/w/discussions/688769.aspx
Use ROBOFORM to Protect Your E-Gold and Other Accounts?
http://www.mylot.com/w/discussions/452266.aspx
Easy way to check if an e-gold account is blocked or not
http://www.mylot.com/w/discussions/807893.aspx
@danishcanadian (28955)
• Canada
3 Sep 07
I get these all the time, from many different companies. I received one "from paypal" just the other day, and I got rid of it. I also get it from companies I'm not even affilliated with. I got one from a Canadian bank I've never been in. I've never had an account with TD Canada Trust, yet they told me to give them my account information. Yeah right!
1 person likes this
@trouble4u2avoid (2915)
• United States
23 Feb 07
I few weeks I wind up getting on of those crazy emails. It's pretty funny too because when you look at the return address or usually somewhere in the email, you will see some random email address.
@killahclaire (3665)
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22 Feb 07
I quite often get emails saying that they are eBay or Paypal and they arenot.
You should get the ebay toolbar and if you get directed to a fake site by an email then they will alert you so that you don't insert any information.
You can also have it alert you when an item is ending by coming up with a bix in the conrner of your screen and it gives you a search toolbar as well for when your not logged in the site.
ANyway eBay don't need me to PR their toolbar for them cos it sells itself. (Its free by the way)
I would put the link here but I don't want anyone thinking its a scam. Just go to your http://www.ebay.co.uk or your http://www.ebay.com and search for the word toolbar and it will come up. It takes two minutes to download and it has saved me already four times in 3 weeks so it must be worth it.
@Darkwing (21583)
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22 Feb 07
Thank you very much for the info Killahclaire. I have all that already, but as I said to Bizzie and others, all this info can only be helpful to others who come into this discussion and are not aware of all the security devices Ebay and Paypal offer.
Your contibution is very much appreciated. Brightest Blessings.
2 people like this
@pharmacist23 (200)
• India
23 Feb 07
ya we have to be carefull because the scams and spams are ruliing the internet than any others
@whisper1488 (82)
• United States
7 Sep 07
there are so many how do you know which ones are for real and the which ones bogus. I sometimes wonder if I have been fallen a victim
1 person likes this
@Darkwing (21583)
•
12 Sep 07
With Paypal and EBay, there is a scam site. They don't send anything regarding personal details through e-mail, they put the requests on site, EBay in your personal messages and Paypal, on login. If you receive any e-mails of this nature from either of these sites, then don't open them to add details; go to their sites and find their scam check address, and send the e-mails to them for checking. They will respond immediately, and in my experience, their response has been 100% scam.
With banks, I guess it's more difficult, but if you receive an e-mail from a bank that you use for personal reasons, then log independently into their site and see if they ask for the details. If not, it's a scam. Delete the e-mail immediately. I had no less than FIFTEEN e-mails from NatWest Bank, over two or three days, and I don't even bank with them. So, I would say, just be alert, and think before you open your e-mails.
Brightest Blessings in the hope that this will help you not to fall victim to the criminals.
@fordgtdeb (131)
• Australia
6 Sep 07
yes i have had scam mails from ebay and paypal and we have deleted them which is the best thing to do. Actually my son got one yesterday from paypal saying about a transaction but he never did one so we just deleted it but just with our paypal account to make sure anyway but everything was fine with it.
@Darkwing (21583)
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12 Sep 07
You have certainly followed the best route here, Deb. I had one from Paypal too, saying that I needed to update my credit card details. Yeah, ok... I was born yesterday! lol.
It never hurts to make others aware though because some of my friends HAVE been duped. Brightest Blessings.
