Email scam asking to verify account

[VillageGardener]

I've reently had a wave of email scams from PayPay asking me to click on a link to verify my account as there has been some 'unusual activity so my account is now restricted'.

DO NOT CLICK ON THE LINK!  DO NOT OPEN PAYPAL THROUGH THE EMAIL!

Open your PayPal in a new browser window and sign in as normal to check if the email is true.  

In this case it wasn't.

For example they addressed me as 'dear client' - all in lower case.  Red flag to a bull as PayPal always uses your proper name.

I've now had about 8 of these mails through my two different log in names on my account.  Hope this helps others to be more aware....

VG

[Lea33]

Hi,

I had this email sent to me and I did'nt realise it was'nt legit (stupid I know) so what shall I do, Ive contacted Paypal but I am awaiting a reply?

Here it is here in full......

Dear client,

Recently, there's been activity in your PayPal account that seems unusual compared to your normal account activities.

In order to safeguard your account we have limited your access.

To restore your account access, please click the link bellow:

Post edited to comply with forum guidelines

Once you've completed all the tasks, your account access will be restored.

Please do not reply to this email because we are not monitoring this inbox. To get in touch with us, log in to your account and click "Contact Us" at the bottom of any page.

Copyright © 2013 PayPal. All rights reserved.

PayPal (Europe) S.à r.l. et Cie, S.C.A.
Société en Commandite par Actions
Registered office: 22-24 Boulevard Royal, L-2449 Luxemburg
RCS Luxemburg B 118 349

PayPal Email ID PP315

Please help as I am really worried somebody is hacking my account???

What shall I do??????

[VillageGardener]

LEAVE IT ALONE Lea33!

It is the same scam that I received.  DO NOT CLICK ON THE EMAILED LINKS.

Open up a new browser window and go directly to your paypal from there as you would normally.  If there is a problem with your account, it will be shown in your main page/summary etc.

The main issue of 'authenticity' is that the email is addressed 'dear client' whereas PayPal always use the name that you gave them - ie your proper name.

If it makes you feel better - change your password, but the reality is that they are trying to find out your account details by taking you through the link in the email which is compromised by hackers. 

Just delete the email, and notify PayPal that this has happened so that they can monitor this recent situation themselves.   They may well want you to forward the email to them.

VG

[VillageGardener]

If you have clicked on the link, and especially if you 'logged into' your PayPal account through the link, the first thing you MUST do IMMEDIATELY is change your password and security questions etc.

[Lea33]

Thanks VG for your quick reply, I am really concerned now, I am soooo stupid for replying, of course I should know that Paypal always address you by name, duhhhhhh i am!

I sent the email to Paypal and I will change my password, but I would prefer if paypal could freeze my account until they have checked it out.

Yes I see its the same as the ones you had, you are wise, I wasnt!

is there anything else I can do?

I have the email address from the person who sent it too??

I checked my Paypal account and there does'nt seem any problem with it but I am scared what someone will do with my info??!!!

[VillageGardener]

Just change your details ASAP - password, security questions, etc - and keep toot on any activity in your account - check it as often as you can - hourly, tri hourly, daily, over the next week or so and cancel any payments that you didn't authorise.  

If no payments then you're okay, but if any payments have been made, then you need to deal with PayPal directly as to the best way to proceed.

It'll be a bore for you to close your account and open a new one as it will reflect on your history, and you'll have to change everything that you've registered PayPal with such as ebay.

VG

[Lea33]

Thanks VG you have been very helpful, I have changed my password and security questions so hopefully that will help.

I will do that, thanks, I will keep checking it and any problems I will inform Paypal, I have already with forwarding the email to them so hopfully they will look into it.

Yeah your right it will be a pain but I hope it won't come to that, fingers crossed 🙂

Lea33

[Lea33]

Do you think I need to let my bank know about this scam??

Thanks 🙂

[BiemTheGamer]

theres a new email going around, it asks you for you're credit card info.

i did log in and am going to change pass.\

heres the text:

Dear PayPal Customer,

We need to confirm your account information

You must confirm your Paypal account before we close it

Click the link below to confirm your account information using our secure

server

Confirm now <--- was a link

Thank's
Paypal Team

22/02/2015 11:06:25

also it used my own email to send but in bold letters witch was not the real sender but a fake only edited to look like mine

heres some info about where the email came from:

Received: from pemlinng006.blacknight.com ([185.2.67.10])

[PayPal_Arda]

Hi BiemTheGamer,

Welcome to our UK community page.

I know it can be confusing when you receive emails and you’re not sure. Any time you receive an email about activity on your PayPal account, the safest way to confirm the emails’ validity is to log in to your PayPal account via the PayPal website (not using the links in the email received). Any of the activity reported in the email will be available to view. Please forward any suspicious emails or websites to spoof@paypal.co.uk . If the email is known to us, you will receive an email to confirm whether it was sent by PayPal.

I hope this info helps. Thanks for sharing this info.
Arda