** Spoof / Phishing Emails - Tips on how to identify & stay protected **

PayPal_Siobhán
Moderator
Moderator

Due to the increase in Phishing /Spoof Emails being reported to PayPal I thought I would post a few tips on this topic that might help.

 

You’ll know that an email is not from PayPal when:

 

  • The email uses a generic greeting like ‘Dear user’ or ‘Hello, PayPal member.’ We'll always address you by your first and last name.
  • The email requests financial and other personal information. A real email from us will never ask for your bank account number, debit or credit card number etc. Also we'll never ask for your full name, your account password, or the answers to your PayPal security questions in an email.
  • The email asks you to provide the tracking number of a dispatched item, before you've received the payment into your PayPal account
  • The email includes a software update to install on your computer.

 

Here are some security tips to help you stay protected online:

 

  • Even if a URL contains the word 'PayPal', it may not be a PayPal webpage.
  • When using PayPal, always ensure that the URL address listed at the top of the browser displays as https://www.paypal.com. The 's' in ‘https’ means the website is secure.
  • Look for the 'lock' symbol that appears in the address bar. This symbol indicates that the site you are visiting is secure.

 

If you think you’ve received a phishing email, forward it to spoof@paypal.co.uk and then delete the fake email from your mailbox.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Siobhán 

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137 REPLIES 137

cleverclogs
Contributor
Contributor

This email has the 's' and the loclksymbol but I have no made a  payment via paypal to anyone from this company and its worrying that they have got my email address.

 

I have sent it on to spoof emails at paypal.

 

I cant delete the part of the message as you state above as that would mean openning it!

 

 

 

 

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STW
Contributor
Contributor

I've just tried forwarding the spam e-mails to spoof@ from within my gmail account, and it keeps crashing the system page, they obviously have some kind of a block in place.  So I'm going to try printing them as pdf files and attaching them that way - maybe they can still be checked.  Any ideas welcomed  🙂

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Arleigh1
Contributor
Contributor

PayPal doesn't want to hear it. As long as they make money whether honestly or criminally, they are fine with it. They don't care

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kernowlass
Esteemed Advisor
Esteemed Advisor

@Arleigh1 

 

They don't make money from spoof emails as the scammers do not use the paypal site.

The emails are normally sent from an internet cafe somewhere in asia or africa and do not use paypal at all.


Advice is voluntary.
Kudos / Solution appreciated.
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HurtPatty56
Member
Member
Yes because I reported fake PayPal people who fooled me because I thought they were from PayPal and they got $306 dollars from me I reported it the same day but PayPal did not try to stop it or give me my money back
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RMURPHY195
Contributor
Contributor

Indicators on a recent phishing email I have received are

 

1) "P.A.Y.P.A.L." as part of message header

 

2) Reply address is "paypal.co.us"

 

3) Email address it was sent to started "flyer@" followed by a general email address that is not recorded with Paypal!

 

4) Misspelling in this case "We are detected  ....."

 

5) A form attached to download and fill in ... as if!

 

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TheeGuvnor
New Community Member

Hi Siobhan,

 

It's all very well you asking customers to send e-mails to spoof@paypal.co.uk. This doesn't help customers fears as the more I seem to use Paypal the more spoof e-mails I seem to recieve. I want to know what is being done with these e-mails is there actually anything being done at all as I seem to be getting a spoof e-mail every month.

 

I don't keep getting spoof e-mails for my online banking only paypal.

 

Regards

 

a very annoyed paypal customer.

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Macaroons
Member
Member
New member too and agree with everything you say. Did you receive an acceptable reply.
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retro58
Contributor
Contributor

In recent weeks this seems to be getting worse been building up being tols my account wil be closed if not updated then when i have logged in being told my details are not the same as you have on the system, i have no problems with my bank on line so why should i have problems with paypal if all security methods are in place, what makes things worse is these **bleep** automated replies from spoof well one reply out of 3 mails forwarded and no replies from customer service, is there not any human beings employed at paypal, am sick of being sent round in circles am so annoyed that if i dont get a personal reply by the weekend i'm closing the account because to be honest this just isn't worth the grief and i have not been given any confidence or reasurance that my account is ok and not been tampered with......................David.

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