New scam on PayPal !

[steve_sordy]

Today I received four email messages from PayPal (yes it was them, I checked).
Each one was telling me that a bloke had made a request for $499 to buy stuff in Boots. I don't think Boots is in the USA, so why was the request in US$? So far so obvious. PayPal were helping me out, right?

I logged into my PayPal account (password, 6-digit code texted to my registered mobile). On my dashboard there were four identical requests from the guy. On each one I could click for details. So I clicked one and got a message from PayPal saying that this was a suspicious transaction and that if I wanted to stop it to ring this number (a UK freephone number). I rang the number and went through what sounded like the normal security questions. He even sent me a six-digit security code for me to input. The guy had a very bad accent and it was not easy to tell what he was saying, I ended up having to spell my email address and the security question answers. After I had given him my email address and answered the two security questions that I had logged with PayPal, he started to ask which bank account, what credit card etc., I was starting to get suspicious at this point and told him so. Then he hung up on me! My paranoia went into overdrive.

I immediately changed my password, changed the two security questions and then cancelled each of the four requests. I tried to raise the issue with PayPal but couldn't find a way to do it. I tried to raise "a case" but PayPal said that they don't do that on that type of transaction. They no longer have a phone number to ring, or at least not one that I could find.

Take note of this!
During this cancellation process I noticed that the "note from PayPal" wasn't from PayPal, it was a note from the bloke (PayPal facilitates that!) PayPal are covered because in small print it says note from ..........(the bloke)........

The only good thing is that my credit card registered with PayPal was cancelled and replaced a year or so ago, on the advice of my bank due to another security concern. It looks like I caught it in time, but it depends upon how rapidly they were able to use the information they got from me.

I sent a copy of the email to [email protected] (something I discovered several years ago, no idea if it is still live).

Apart from cancelling my PayPal account, not sure what else I can do. Any suggestions?

 

[Stihldog]

The sharks are out there.
One of my biggest worries was that my elderly parents would become victims. Our family members eventually took interventions to secure those vulnerable matters.

 

[steve_sordy]

The sharks are out there.
One of my biggest worries was that my elderly parents would become victims. Our family members eventually took interventions to secure those vulnerable matters.

My Mum developed Alzheimer's and fortunately we saw it coming in time to get the two Lasting Power of Attorney agreements (Health & Welfare and Finance & Property), known as LPA's. When the time came, we were able to close her credit card accounts and remove her debit cards from her. We contacted the bank to make sure that they didn't send her any replacements automatically, or even a cheque book! She could quite happily chat to potential scammers and be safe from financial harm. The LPA's are the product of the British Government and having set them up for my mother and used them, I can wholeheartedly give a gold star for clarity to whoever designed the website. I also can recommend that if you have elderly parents, even if they are fully alert, then set up the LPAs. You will not be able to set them up once they have "gone" as there are third party tests to complete. Once that happens you will have to go to the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) - and that is a paperwork and legal nightmare! My mate told me what happened to him and he's a very clever guy. His Mother and older sister refused to get LPA's and he had to go the OPG route.

I was so impressed with the LPA's and the protection they provide that once I had got them for my mother, I set them up for me and my wife so that if we went gaga (age or accident), then they would be saved from the OPG route (which I repeat would be a long-lasting arse-ache for my daughters for the rest of my life and/or my wife's.

Do the LPA's yourself and save over a grand if your solicitor were to do it for you! Protect your kids from the arse-ache, make it easy for them to look after your best interests when you can no longer do it yourself!

LP12 Make and register your lasting power of attorney: a guide (web version)

Do It now!

 

[RustyIron]

Apart from cancelling my PayPal account, not sure what else I can do. Any suggestions?

You said you already changed your password. That's good, as long as it's unique to that account, and comprised of at least a dozen random characters, including capitals, numbers, and symbols. It also sounds like you're using two-factor authentication. Good. Now check your history to confirm you haven't made any PayPal payments. None? All good.

Remember back in the 1980's, how you were told not to have anonymous unprotected sex at the gay bathhouse? How you shouldn't exchange needles with other intravenous drug users? It's the same thing today. There are dangers lurking, but if you are sensible and abide by the commonly accepted rules, you can mitigate the risk.

Long before people were being duped on the interwebs, people were losing their money by mailing checks for products advertised in the backs of magazines, falling for the slick pitches of phone solicitors, and even forking over cash to hucksters traveling town-to-town in horse drawn wagons.

Anyway, there's nothing new under the sun. The bad guys weren't able to steal your cash today. And although it's cold out, that's no excuse not to ride. Cheerio, mate!

 

[The Hodge]

I had a similar scam email yesterday saying that I'd had a request for a significant payment for Argos vouchers ..
Checking the app showed that there were no messages generated by PayPal..that being the case I just deleted the email ..
Absolute bunch of wankers..and I wish in some way there was a way to hurt them ..because someone somewhere is bound to fall for this ..

 

[ThierryGTLTS]

Hi Steve,

Do you use your phone or a Personal computer to connect to paypal?

Hope you'll have chance and a good issue.

Have a NIce Day.

Thierry

 

[steve_sordy]

I had a similar scam email yesterday saying that I'd had a request for a significant payment for Argos vouchers ..
Checking the app showed that there were no messages generated by PayPal..that being the case I just deleted the email ..
Absolute bunch of wankers..and I wish in some way there was a way to hurt them ..because someone somewhere is bound to fall for this ..

Also @ThierryGTLTS
I don't use the PayPal app. I used my laptop. On that I can see who the email is from very easily. Once I saw they were all from PayPal, I logged in. But that was what the scammer was hoping for! I thought I was doing everything correctly. I suppose I was, it's just that my suspicion relaxed a bit once I knew I was on the proper PayPal website. If the scammer guy on the phone hadn't had the exact same accent as all the other scam phone calls of the "there is something wrong with your computer..." type, then I might not have got as suspicious as quickly as I did.

Beware! You are not even safe on the proper security protected PayPal website!

 

[Arminius]

Thank you for the valueable warning! They are getting smarter and smarter in calling and sending trojans of any kind to private and company. Curiosity kills the cat!

 

[steve_sordy]

I see that this thread has been moved to the Lounge instead of the General Forum. I will look out for that in future. Not sure I even knew it existed; I just go for What's New.

 

[Stihldog]

I see that this thread has been moved to the Lounge instead of the General Forum. I will look out for that in future. Not sure I even knew it existed; I just go for What's New.

Probably a good place for this. But I just removed my credit card from PayPal and found a very low monthly payment. I’ll figure that out later because I’ve no idea what it’s for.??

 

[steve_sordy]

Probably a good place for this. But I just removed my credit card from PayPal and found a very low monthly payment. I’ll figure that out later because I’ve no idea what it’s for.??

It is low so that you don't notice, but multiply that by thousands, tens of thousands or even millions of accounts and soon you're talking real money.

 

[steve_sordy]

13th Dec'22. Yet another attempt to defraud me via PayPal. I'm out! At 11:10, I closed my account and asked PayPal to delete all my data. Confirmed by 6-digit code. Then I got an email from PayPal saying that they are working on it and it may take 30 days to confirm the status. (30 days!) It would appear that there is time yet for more attempts to defraud me.

What irritates me is that I could find no sure way to inform PayPal what was happening, could find no way to get advice from them, their FAQs were no FN use. The process of closing my account allowed me the opportunity to give feedback, which I used. Maybe they will pay attention now? But I doubt it.

 

[Arminius]

Any chance removing your bank account data from paypal or to withdraw authorization of paypal to debit your bank accounts?

 

[RustyIron]

13th Dec'22. Yet another attempt to defraud me via PayPal.

Is someone sending you a payment request any different than the requests I get daily? I have emails offering HotRussianBabes, Free Energy, Male Enhancement, new storm windows, and squirting. On Facebook, chicks with their boobs hanging out all want to be my friend. For these 21st Century annoyances, I filter, delete, and block. Every day the mail man delivers advertisements intended to rid me of my hard-earned cash. Even my own bank and financial companies send me junk. Cancelling my accounts and burying all my money in the back yard never really occurred to me.

 

[steve_sordy]

Any chance removing your bank account data from paypal or to withdraw authorization of paypal to debit your bank accounts?

Thanks for the idea, I didn't believe that was possible. But doesn't it undermine the whole concept?
Anyway, it's gone now, they confirmed the account was deleted this morning.

 

[steve_sordy]

As @Arminius says, you should be able to put a block on your account to that provider with your on-line banking.

That's like with the funny glowing magical box thing where you're reading this

Alternatively, if you send me all your bank details, I can do it for you.

What pissed me off to be honest, was that PayPal was facilitating this. In addition, I could not find any way to get PayPal to pay attention. All, I could do was to open each attempt and then cancel it. A few days later, PayPal emailed me to say that the request had been cancelled. Now that eBay has set up their own payment mechanism, I no longer use PayPal, so deleting the account is no loss to me.

 

[steve_sordy]

Is someone sending you a payment request any different than the requests I get daily? I have emails offering HotRussianBabes, Free Energy, Male Enhancement, new storm windows, and squirting. On Facebook, chicks with their boobs hanging out all want to be my friend. For these 21st Century annoyances, I filter, delete, and block. Every day the mail man delivers advertisements intended to rid me of my hard-earned cash. Even my own bank and financial companies send me junk. Cancelling my accounts and burying all my money in the back yard never really occurred to me.

I can totally understand your view. Anything that turns up on my laptop I can block and send into oblivion. Anything that turns up on my phone ditto. And I never accept any cookies other than the essential ones and occasionally the performance ones. I also use an Ad Blocker which gets rid of the vast majority of ads for me.
But these messages were from PayPal and I didn't want to block PayPal (not initially). What I thought worthy of making a thread was that the scam message was in what I thought was a safe place. I was on the PayPal website and had gone through all the usual security checks. Now I see with new eyes, the message to ring this number was marked "from (the scammer)" and not from PayPal. I believe that I am as aware as the next guy about scams and cons etc, but I missed that one. I came close to giving away the farm. The same evening of my first experience with the PayPal scam, there was a guy on the news who had fallen for the PayPal scam and got relieved of a lot of money. His job was with computers and web stuff and he was deeply embarrassed. I guess he was just too confident in his own abilities.

The extra irritation for me was not being able to much that felt active and final. I couldn't tell PayPal and I couldn't delete the message. All I could do was to cancel the scammer's request. Several days later the requests were still there cluttering up my account. Then some more arrived.

 

[Stihldog]

Just closed my PayPal account and I did the security “dance”. There was one monthly payment of $1.44 that was not identified by PayPal. Like Steve said; it’s small enough that you don’t really notice.

In the past 5 years I’ve only used PayPal 3 times (I think) to purchase items. I never had a problem with this purchase/delivery method. But using my credit card seems a little safer, even though it’s not completely safe. On my iPhone I’ve been using “Wallet” for local purchases. It shows my purchases immediately. And recently my bank has requested that I update my info. Why? The request seems vague and unnecessary. I’ve been using this bank for 35+ years. Additional security …maybe?

 

[nB2000]

I had similar in the UK, Lynn Dunkr

"lynn dunkr sent you a money request

NOTE FROM lynn dunkr:

Fraudulent Activity Found In Your Account , Amount £649. 99 GBP Has Been Debited From Your Account For A Purchase Of DECATHLON GIFT CARDS, If It's Not You Reach Us Immediately @ +44-800-368-6158"​

I contacted PayPal - apparently any PayPal member can request money from another user [which IMO means that this "user" should be removed], to request - they don't need your password. It's just a request for payment, you can refuse it [there's a decline or similar button] and Paypal reassured me that they won't pay until I click to tell them to do so.
I clicked and now it still sows but as cancelled so I can't click it by mistake

The conversation:
me:
Hi. I received what appeared to be a fraudulent email asking me to pay £649.99. I never heard of the requester. I looked at my PayPal account and this payment request is actually there in my pending section. Please tell me what to do and please look into why a PayPal account holder is able to attempt fraud on my account like this.
Paypal:
"
Hi My name is Sowmya, thank you for contacting PayPal Messaging!

I see that you are concerned regarding the payment request received.

Firstly I would like to thank you for highlighting this with us.

I would request you to please forward the payment request email to [email protected].

Not to worry, be assured that there will be no funds debited automatically from your account for the invoice/payment request.

-and -

Please note that any PayPal user can send invoice request to anyone. As we have received same complaint from several customers we are reporting every case to our investigation team and post their review they will take necessary action.
I request your understanding in this matter."

 

[steve_sordy]

Thanks @nB2000 I will change the place I send scams from "[email protected]" to "[email protected]"

 

[Stihldog]

I had similar in the UK, Lynn Dunkr

"lynn dunkr sent you a money request

NOTE FROM lynn dunkr:

Fraudulent Activity Found In Your Account , Amount £649. 99 GBP Has Been Debited From Your Account For A Purchase Of DECATHLON GIFT CARDS, If It's Not You Reach Us Immediately @ +44-800-368-6158"​

I contacted PayPal - apparently any PayPal member can request money from another user [which IMO means that this "user" should be removed], to request - they don't need your password. It's just a request for payment, you can refuse it [there's a decline or similar button] and Paypal reassured me that they won't pay until I click to tell them to do so.
I clicked and now it still sows but as cancelled so I can't click it by mistake

The conversation:
me:
Hi. I received what appeared to be a fraudulent email asking me to pay £649.99. I never heard of the requester. I looked at my PayPal account and this payment request is actually there in my pending section. Please tell me what to do and please look into why a PayPal account holder is able to attempt fraud on my account like this.
Paypal:
"
Hi My name is Sowmya, thank you for contacting PayPal Messaging!

I see that you are concerned regarding the payment request received.

Firstly I would like to thank you for highlighting this with us.

I would request you to please forward the payment request email to [email protected].

Not to worry, be assured that there will be no funds debited automatically from your account for the invoice/payment request.

-and -

Please note that any PayPal user can send invoice request to anyone. As we have received same complaint from several customers we are reporting every case to our investigation team and post their review they will take necessary action.
I request your understanding in this matter."

Well that response raises my temperature a bit. Now I’m very glad I deleted my PayPal account.
PayPal; “we’ve received same complaint from several customers.”

Several million customers maybe! Ffs

 

[nB2000]

Sadly I don't suppose there's any way they can stop a PayPal member making a payment request - scary thing is that I do use PayPal at Decathlon. Maybe it's just a coincidence.
Only thing PayPal can do, I imagine, is ban people who make these incorrect requests from the platform

 

[TtheArab]

Same happened to me 15th Nov. as I was travelling. The fake number is +44-800-260-5954. It looks absolutely genuine until, as the OP did, you chat to the "helpdesk guy" and he starts to ask for credit card number plus the CVV. be warned it sound genuine as they reel off your last 3 to 4 Paypal transactions somehow not just the fake ones they hook you with.

At that point phone down, bank called and credit card cancelled (I didn't give CVV) and Paypal contacted on their real number (0203-901-7000) which is on their website (PayPal Contact Us).

I was lucky in that I didn't get hit. The same day my son did and is £13,000 down as his bank let through 13 £1,000 transactions within 10 mins....

 

[BeBiker]

I closed my PayPal account after:
** they refused to help me when I gave them all proof the article was not as described
** they reinstated this totalitarian fascist move, in a hidden way

 

[steve_sordy]

Sadly I don't suppose there's any way they can stop a PayPal member making a payment request - scary thing is that I do use PayPal at Decathlon. Maybe it's just a coincidence.
Only thing PayPal can do, I imagine, is ban people who make these incorrect requests from the platform

Or ban contact details inside the note and automatically delete all requests that contain contact details.

 

[steve_sordy]

...................

I was lucky in that I didn't get hit. The same day my son did and is £13,000 down as his bank let through 13 £1,000 transactions within 10 mins....

Yikes!