Phishing Alert----Paypal-Based Scam E-Mail

[JerseyHarold]

I received an email this morning, supposedly from PayPal, saying that this was their second request for security information and that my account was 'restricted' until the issue was resolved.  They even included a convenient link so I could log-in to fix the 'problem'.  Even though the email was addressed to me by name (very unusual for phishing letters and somewhat distressing since a third party somehow connected the account name to my email address) and had excellent grammar (also rare), I suspected this thing wasn't legit.

 

After calling PayPal and forwarding the email to their spoof department, I got a reply indicating that the email was, in fact, bogus.

 

If anyone here receives a similar letter, don't do anything until you speak with PayPal by phone.  DO NOT use the link because it will lead you down the path to having your identity stolen.

 

Harold

 

 

[TodFitch]

I got one this week claiming to be from Apple saying some services I've never setup have been suspended. Like yours, it had my name in it which is unusual for phishing email.

 

Glanced at the email headers using the "show full headers option" on my email client and saw it came from a residential IP address in Australia.

 

I'm guessing that some crooks have gotten a database of names and email addresses and are setting their "bot net" to work.

[JerseyHarold]

My son is a Software Engineering major at RIT and his theory is that they're getting name and email info from hacked individual PayPal account transaction lists.

[Young Ed]

Another way to check is to go to paypal directly and log in. DONT use the link they provide. If something is up with your account it will show that way.