[carbking]

We just received a very official looking phishing email supposedly from paypal wanting us to verify our paypal account.

While the email did have the obligatory link, it also suggested signed in to our paypal account and confirming our account there.

And what really threw me was it was addressed to my full name, not user or customer, as these things generally do.

I called paypal and they said it was NOT from them, and asked me to forward it to them for study, which I did.

Jon.

[Stuart]

If something looks fishy, it probably is. You can usually hover your mouse over the link in an email and see the actual URL displayed at the bottom of your screen, to see where the link really goes (rather than what it may say in the body of the email.)

[Chief of the 60's]

Look to see if it is "http" or "https". If it has "https" it is a secure site and therefore PayPal. If it is "http", run Forest run!

[tigergto]

I’ve received that before and the other day I received a notice from Craigslist saying my account was suspended. A link was provided but I never follow a provided link. I brought up my account and all was fine, same with Pay Pal

[Firedup6975]

Good to know thanks for sharing.

[bird72]

Instead of responding to e-mail links, log in to your known website. I ignore e-mail verify stuff, it pretty much always is false. When sites need stuff, they will prompt for something on your next log in attempt. Even that is rare.

[Old Goat Racer]

I got one from walmart yesterday telling me to change my password. The link did not work.

[Fullsize455]

Originally Posted by bird72

Instead of responding to e-mail links, log in to your known website. I ignore e-mail verify stuff, it pretty much always is false. When sites need stuff, they will prompt for something on your next log in attempt. Even that is rare.

Yeah, this stuff isn't even remotely new. Been happening since the dawn of email and the internet. It's amazing to me that people are still surprised by this stuff, its been around forever.

[gtohunter]

Got a email notice from a touch up paint company, which I bought some product from recently. They claim to have been breached and to check credit card use, etc. Fortunately I purchased via Paypal which gives me a little comfort. I use it tied to a dedicated checking acc't just for that and nothing else.
Also got a letter from Bankers Life where my Annuities live! They were also hit, and offered free security monitoring!
What's going on with this stuff??....Seems businesses gets a little lax, feeling secure, until they're hit then they scramble to do something about it!

[GT182]

I get that same email a few times a year for the Pay Pal account I don't have. It is a phishing scam. Mark it as such with your email provider and you won't get it again for a while. Better yet call Pay Pal and tell them what's happening. They might be able to do something about it. Save the web address you got with the email so they can have it.

['ol Pinion head]

Dump PayPal.

We did in May 2016 after eBay was hacked.

[The Champ]

I've never found a need for PayPal.

Situations like this only confirm that I need it less than I thought.

[RocktimusPryme]

For every one confirmed horror story about Paypal there are millions of no problem transactions. I dont understand why it gets so much hate. Ive gotten a lot more scam action directed at my bank account than I have from Paypal, Venmo, Cash app etc. But Im not running to pull all my money out of the bank and bury it in the backyard.

Cyber crime is definitely just a factor of 2018 life. But 99% of the time you can see right through it. The one in the OPs case was actually a pretty darn good one and he still felt it was fishy enough to avoid. Just dont be a dolt and you will be fine. Ive only ever gotten got once, and it was a Bank of America clone. Even on that one I quickly realized my mistake and shut off the card before they used it.

The most common one I get now is I get an email every once in a while saying that "They have taken control of my webcam and saw me doing unsavory things looking at the internet" To send them $500 or they are going to send the video of me to my contact list. Who falls for that?

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by RocktimusPryme

For every one confirmed horror story about Paypal there are millions of no problem transactions. I dont understand why it gets so much hate.

Yeah, it doesn't make sense to me either. Ive never had a problem with Paypal

[Chief of the 60's]

Originally Posted by Stuart

Yeah, it doesn't make sense to me either. Ive never had a problem with Paypal

x2 on both

[dataway]

Same here, I actually really like it and prefer it to paying with my credit card. Used paypal thousands of times without a problem, whereas I've had my CC info stolen twice.

[Chief of the 60's]

My Paypal account was hacked twice within the last 3 years via my PayPal debit card. I no longer use their card.

Originally Posted by Chief of the 60's

x2 on both

Let me clarify this. I never had a problem with PayPal, I have had problems with their debit card.

[Half-Inch Stud]

My Paypal has been fine. But i want to kick it to the curb.

How do i do without Paypal?

[Greg Reid]

When you get an email with a link in it like that, scroll your mouse over the link and look at the bottom edge of your screen. It can give you a pretty good idea whether it's from the actual stated site or not.
You can try it on this page in fact, roll your mouse over any clickable item on the page and look at the bottom of the screen.

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by Greg Reid

When you get an email with a link in it like that, scroll your mouse over the link and look at the bottom edge of your screen. It can give you a pretty good idea whether it's from the actual stated site or not.

Hmm...where did I hear that before.

Originally Posted by Stuart

You can usually hover your mouse over the link in an email and see the actual URL displayed at the bottom of your screen, to see where the link really goes (rather than what it may say in the body of the email.)