LadyR Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 I received an email from PayPal this morning. I can usually tell when these emails are fake and in the past I have just forwarded them to PayPal's security team. But I'm not sure with this one. Here's what I received this morning. Dear (my full name was here), As part of our security measures, we regularly screen activity in the PayPal system. During a recent screening, we noticed an issue regarding your account. Case ID Number: (numbers here) For your protection, we have limited access to your account until additional security measures can be completed. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. To review your account and some or all of the information that PayPal used to make its decision to limit your account access, please visit the Resolution Center. If, after reviewing your account information, you seek further clarification regarding your account access, please contact PayPal by visiting the Help Center and clicking "Contact Us". We thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. Please understand that this is a security measure intended to help protect you and your account. We apologize for any inconvenience. Sincerely, PayPal Account Review Department ---------------------------------------------------------------- PayPal Email ID (numbers here) The email did not ask me to follow any links like the fake ones usually do. So I went to my PayPal account (without using any link) and logged in. It sent me to a page that says: We are currently performing regular maintenance of our security measures. Your account has been randomly selected for this maintenance, and you will now be taken through a series of identity verification pages. Protecting the security of your PayPal account is our primary concern, and we apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Then it lists the expiration date and last two digits of my credit card and the last two digits of my bank account. It's asking me to enter the full credit card number and the full bank account number. I cannot leave this page unless I hit a button that says "Submit" or "Logout". What is confusing me is that it is using some of the same terminology as the fake emails do. But I had to log onto my account, and they game my full name in the email. Anyone get something like this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle in MO Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 before, and I honestly can't remember if this is the format! However, what I would do if I were you is call PayPal----they do have a 1-800 contact number. That's what I did before---I called them to find out if they had generated a certain e-mail. In my case, they had not. A good PayPal representative should be able to point out whether or not this e-mail was generated by PayPal or whether it was some other group out there "phishing." Best wishes to you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
periwinkle Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 something just doesn't seem right:( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 You should be able to go to your pay-pal account (not through that e-mail) and check your account. Sadly, it sounds like you are going to have to talk with someone at pay-pal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nestof3 Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 I would just go to the paypal main page and log in. Once you are logged in, if there is a security problem (and I had one once), it will indicate so when you log in. You can also email this email to paypal and ask them about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdWTMer Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 I would automatically disregard it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j.griff Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 I would be worried about a possible worm or virus, and I'd call PayPal to verify the legitimicy of the email, and tell them about what happened when you signed into your account (so they can verify it's legit, or they can momentarily freeze your account in case it was a virus or something and now someone else has your account info, but honestly it looks like the already had that info, huh? so it "should" be legit, but I'd still call). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs. Readsalot Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 I often receive messages like this. I assume they are fake and delete them. Then I go into my pay pal account via their site and see it their is any message pertaining to my account. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queen_Zarga Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 Forward it to spoof@paypal.com . If it is legit, they will tell you. If it isn't, they will add to their list of spammers to investigate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C_l_e_0..Q_c Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 I often receive messages like this. I assume they are fake and delete them. . I lost my Hotmail account because I assumed a message was fake. Sounds to me this one ISN"T a fake. I once had a message from Paypal in answer to something I sent them. They said they would *always* use the real name information they have on file when contacting a client. This is the case here. Also, by going to the real site (not following a link), LadyNancy is also getting a message, right on Paypal. What is confusing me is that it is using some of the same terminology as the fake emails do You got that in reverse. The fake emails are using the same terminology as Paypal... So, LadyNancy, do verify with Paypal first, but it does sound genuine. If you don't do anything at all, you risk losing your Paypal account. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JESSICAinMD Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 I got three messages just like yours this morning. I know I don't have any pay pal issues (I don't have paypal) so I know mine are fake. I would disregard it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plaid Dad Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 When in doubt, call. It's very likely a phishing scam, but calling PayPal directly is the best way to find out for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyR Posted March 5, 2008 Author Share Posted March 5, 2008 I first forwarded the email to PayPal. This morning they sent me an email in return saying it was a phishing email and to delete it. But I couldn't get past the fact the email had my full name and no links (fake emails don't give your name and do have links). When I went to my PayPal account (typing in the address in a new web browser), I logged in and it immediately took me to a page that asked to verify my account information for security purposes (it listed the last digits of my credit card and also my bank account). From there I could either submit it or log out. I could not access anything else. So I called PayPal and they verified they DID send the email and verified the Case ID Number in the email. My account had limited access for some reason, probably because I had not accessed it in a long time. They assured me that it was okay to enter the information, and that if it was a fake website then they would not have information about the expiration and last digits of the credit card, etc. Anyway, I had her stay on the line with me while I entered the information and, like she said it would, it immediately brought me to a page to change my password. I also immediately received an email from PayPal verifying that I changed my security information and if I did not authorize it I should call them... She also took off the "limitation" on my account. And she apologized for the second email that said the first email was a fake. So....hopefully all is well. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C_l_e_0..Q_c Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 Ah! I called it right! ;-) thanks for letting us know that it *can* happen. In these days, we always tend to assume it's phishing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyR Posted March 6, 2008 Author Share Posted March 6, 2008 CleoQc, I thought about what you said: The fake emails are using the same terminology as Paypal...I'll probably still keep a close eye on my account for awhile. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cindyinTexas Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 If you go to the Paypal page they tell you that they will never ask for your personal information in a form of an e-mail. If they have your last few numbers of info, why would they need the rest of the numbers??? Please go to your account and report this to them they have website listed https://www.paypal.com/ewf/f=pps_spf This should explain it all https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_security-center-outside Hope this helps.... CindyinTexas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PariSarah Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 So, LadyNancy, do verify with Paypal first, but it does sound genuine. If you don't do anything at all, you risk losing your Paypal account. Yes, I agree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 I first forwarded the email to PayPal. This morning they sent me an email in return saying it was a phishing email and to delete it. You know, I have a HUGE problem with this part. I've sent questions and e-mails via that spoof e-mail address and via the one they provide for questions about security and I've either not gotten a response, or have gotten the automated response and nothing else. One was a legitimate security question that I and several other members of a board I frequent had about the security and legitimacy of what looked like a PayPal site offering a $15 rebate. It appeared to be a mirror site, asking for your PayPal e-mail address. PayPal just never responded! I'm sure they take security seriously, but it would be nice if they also took customer service surrounding their security just as seriously. :mad: I'm glad you were able to work it out, though I'm sorry it took such legwork on your part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyR Posted March 6, 2008 Author Share Posted March 6, 2008 Hi cindyinTexas, they didn't ask for any information in the email nor were there any links. That's what made me think it was authentic. It was on the website, after I logged in with my password, that they were asking to verify my account that ended with xxxx and expired in xxxx. I called and they verified that they did send out the email. Melissel, that part bothers me too. I've forwarded them spoof emails in the past and always got a quick response, but after this last one it makes me wonder if anyone is actually looking at them. :confused: Probably not. One time I clicked on the link in a spoof email (knowing it was a spoof and I wasn't going to give any information - I was just curious as to where it would take me) and it took me to a fake PayPal site. My browser (or maybe it was my Kapersky anti-virus program) made this squealing noise and alerted me that it was a fake site and provided me a button to "get me out of here". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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