warning to paypal users

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

Looks like there is another round of false paypal emails getting round. Titled : Security Account Update. The opening lines will read something like;

Information Regarding Your account:
Dear PayPal Member:

Attention! Your PayPal account has been limited!

For those of you who are don't know This email is garbage. Deleted it immedidately or forward it to spoof@paypal.com.au. Any email from paypal to you will start with, Dear Your Name, not Dear Paypal Member.

DO NOT CLICK ON ANY EMBEDDED LINKS IN THE EMAIL!! If you are concerned go directly to your email account by typing the address into the address bar of your browser. If you have clicked on the link and changed your details contact paypal and let them know of the situation and go directly to your account and change them. Check to make sure there has been no unauthorized activity with your account. Contact the financial services that you use and alert them to a possible fraudulent use of your Credit Cards.

Don't get caught out. I know of a one person who has been caught out this way. Fortunately it didn't cost them anything but they may have been lucky. Don't let it happen to you.

CS

[matt]

Yep. Got one of those emails yesterday.

Looked like goobledegook when I clicked on it. The text was all jumbled and there was embedded code and links everywhere.

I just delete anything that looks remotely like that...especially if it asks me to enter details which would enable access to any account. Financial institutions, PayPal etc simply don't send out emails asking you to hand over your banking details. They already have them!!!!

Be warned, as Paul says

[astroron (Ron)]

I had three last week and one overnight.
the first couple I contacted PayPal and they told me they where a scam.
I even had one attached to a receipt from a camera company I boughta camera from.
Just follow the security instructions from PayPal and you should be alright.

[Kevnool (Kev)]

Wouldnt it be easy for the federal police to track these.
Or they must simply come from 3rd world countries where there is no law.
Kev.

[marki]

I get about three of these a week either asking for my details or informing me I have limited acess to my account. They automatically go into the junk box and are deleted periodically. If PayPal want you to update your password etc they pull you up when you log in. They will only limit your access if they suspect fraud and you have to contact them not the other way around. This happened to a workmate of mine last year. Paypal limited his account access and when he contacted them he was informed that someone had spent about $8000.00 Au buying iphones in Denmark. The silly bugger had them sent to his home address and the danish police caught up with him. All money etc was restored within 48 hours and paypal had picked this up and started the chase before Dave even knew about it.



Ciao Mark

[spacezebra (Petra)]

Hi Paul

Many thanks - I received one this morning. I swifty deleted it.

Cheers Petra d.

[Allan_L (Allan)]

Originally Posted by spacezebra

Hi Paul

Many thanks - I received one this morning. I swifty deleted it.

Cheers Petra d.

Yes, me too!
Forwarded it off to the spoof@paypal.com.au as directed.
They replied to say they are investigating it.
Hope they get them!

I wonder if there is some link that we all visited the same site recently or something.
Be nice to know where they get their addresses from.

al

[Jen]

these people get me angry

[marki]

Originally Posted by Jen

these people get me angry

Unfortunately many are untouchable as their governments see it as an acceptable practice (nigeria being the case). Still I love some of the scam mail I get sent where barrister poobah of the central nigerian bank requires me to contact him urgently so I can claim the $8000000000000000000000000000000000 000000000000000 US dollars they happen to owe me .

The moral of the story: If you dont know the person sending the Email, bin it. If there is an ".exe" file attached to an email you recieve, bin it. Never engage in corrospondence with these people as no one is going to give you money that you did not know about.

Ciao Mark

[JethroB76 (Jeff)]

If you want a laugh have a look in the "419 eater" forums where baiting all these nice Nigerian scammers is almost a fulltime gig.

[RAJAH235]

I don't get bothered by them.
Mail Washer Pro takes care of it.
Highlights the crappy ones & shows where the links, link to.
I just delete them on the server.
I'ts gotta be good...It's from NZ.

Some of those ^, 419'ers are simply stupid.
Makes for interesting reading though.

[marki]

Wow Isu Smith has just informed me that his government has put away $25 million US for me to collect at my leisure .

[Starkler (Geoff)]

I have had three of these paypal scam emails in the last week.

The first clue in identifying these are poor english grammar.

Let me reiterate what Paul said .DO NOT CLICK ON ANY EMBEDDED LINKS IN THE EMAIL.

If in doubt, close the email, open a new browser window and log in as you normally would from the CORRECT base url, eg www.paypal.com

[Casshern (Sydney)]

Hi, guys

you people are probably right because i think last year ago i got scammed for this telescope but i soon found in in Queensland and i got him into court

[Geoff45 (Geoff)]

Originally Posted by Allan_L

Yes, me too!
Forwarded it off to the spoof@paypal.com.au as directed.
They replied to say they are investigating it.
Hope they get them!

I wonder if there is some link that we all visited the same site recently or something.
Be nice to know where they get their addresses from.

al

I sent mine to spoof@.., but got no reply

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

I recieve the Paypal ones quite regularly. Even before I had a paypal account.
A genuine Paypal email always addresses you by name.
I agree with you Jen, scamming spammers make me very very mad.

[matt]

This one arrived in my mailbox in the last 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Microsoft Corporations:
Customer Service
New London Road,
Chemsford
FILE REF: HL/5564/06/07/MICS
BATCH: MC11/834/5PDH /EU


Dear Winner,


It is obvious that this notification will come to you as a surprise but please find time to read it carefully as we congratulate you over your success in the following official publication of results of the E-mail electronic online Sweepstakes organized by Microsoft, in conjunction with the foundation for the promotion of software products, (F.P.S.) held this March 2009 in London UK.


Where in your email address emerged as one of the online Winning emails in the 1st category and therefore attracted a cash award of 500.000.00 (Five hundred Thousand pounds sterling) Our winners are arranged into four categories with different winning prizes accordingly in each category. They are arranged in this format below:


These are your identification numbers:MCS-26799/097


CATEGORY NO.OF WINNERS WINNING PRIZES
1st. 2 :500,000.00 pounds each
2nd. 8 :350.000.00 pounds each
3rd. 13 :250,000.00 pounds each
4th. 27 :70,000.00 pounds each


We write to officially notify you of this award and to advise you to contact the processing office immediately upon receipt of this message for more information concerning the verification, processing and eventual payment of the above prize to you.


It is important to note that your award information was released with the following particulars attached to it.


(1) Award numbers: NL 56/7766
(2) Email ticket numbers: EAASL-130877
(3) Batch numbers: MC11/834/8PDH /EU
(4) The file reference numbers: HL/5574/41/07/MICS (5)Serial Numbers: McST/006/NL46560


1. Full names:
2. Residential address:
3. Phone number:
4. Fax number:
5. Occupation:
6. Sex:
7. Age:
8. Nationality:
9. Present Country:
10.Next of kin name/address:


Mode Of Price Remittance.


(1)Cash Pick-Up (You coming Down to Uk Personally to Pick Your Price).


(2)Courier Delivery Of your Certified Winning Cheque Name and other Winning Documents safely to you.


To file for your claim, Please contact your Validating Officer for VALIDATION of your winning within Twenty-nine working days of this winning notification. Winnings that are not validated within Twenty-nine working days of winning notification are termed void and invalid. You are required to mention the above particulars of your award in every correspondence to enable the Agent validate your winning.


CONTACT:

*********************************** *******************
FOREIGN TRANSFER MANAGER
DR.WILLIAMS SMITH
MICROSOFT SECURITY DEPARTMENT (UK).
E-MAIL:drwilliamssmith@msn.com

*********************************** *******************


The Microsoft Internet E-mail lottery Awards is sponsored by our CEO/Chairman, Bill Gates and a consortium of software promotion companies. The Intel Group, Toshiba, Dell Computers and other International Companies. The Microsoft internet E-mail draw is held periodically and is organized to encourage the use of the Internet and promote computer literacy worldwide.


Once again on behalf of all our staff, We Say a Big CONGRATULATIONS!!!


Sincerely,

MR.STEVE CLERK.
M.S.PRO. ZONAL COORDINATOR.

It's the third one from 'Microsoft' I've arrived in the last week.

Reluctantly....I shall resist the urge to claim my 'price'...

[marki]

Do you think it was collecting your "price" (sic) or his E-MAIL:drwilliamssmith@msn.com that gave him away??

[matt]

Yes. The lack of a valid Microsoft address for the good doctor was of concern.

As was the myriad typographical errors and mistakes in grammar.

Really, the list of tell-tale signs goes on.