Worrying Paypal email

Whoop · 9 May 2007 at 09:33

Hey all,

received a worrying Paypal email last night and it appears to be genuine :eek:

They have genuinely limited my account access, I typed paypal.com directly into my firefox and went through all the right stages, and it even has the list of people I have transferred money to.

Doesn't tell me an awful lot more though apart from I need to do loads of validation stuff -

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.

Reference Number:

For your protection, we have limited access to your account until additional security measures can be completed. We apologise 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 Centre. If, after reviewing your account information, you seek further clarification regarding your account access, please contact PayPal by visiting the Help Centre 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 apologise for any inconvenience.

Yours sincerely,
PayPal Account Review Department

For reference it got limited because -

Your account access has been limited for the following reason(s):

# 8 May 2007: We have reason to believe that your account was accessed by a third party. Because protecting the security of your account is our primary concern, we have limited access to sensitive PayPal account features. We understand that this may be an inconvenience but please understand that this temporary limitation is for your protection.

So what you think ?

Whoop

Moredhel · 9 May 2007 at 09:36

Unless you log into Paypal (NOT VIA THE EMAIL) and see that the message is also waiting for you there, then it's fake. Come on this isn't rocket science.

Beenom · 9 May 2007 at 09:36

I had the exact same email, when I logged into my paypal via the proper web address and checked the resolution centre there was nothing there and the account was fine. :confused:

Wrathamon · 9 May 2007 at 09:38

Remember all proper PayPal emails will address you by your real name....

That email appears to be one of many fake phishing emails.

Helium_Junkie · 9 May 2007 at 09:39

If the email has a link, delete it. If there are no links and instead it just says to log into your account, then it can hardly be malicious. Just log in, change your passwords, whatever.

Majago · 9 May 2007 at 11:12

I got the same email even though I haven't completed the sign-up process. I haven't validated any of my card details (the thing where they pay a few pence into your account and you have to say how much it was) yet I still got the email about unauthorised activity.

Account not activated + email about 3rd party access = fake email

IAmATeaf · 9 May 2007 at 11:22

Sounds like the accounts been hacked as the OP has logged in by typing in the paypal.com address. I'd get onto the phone to them to confirm this and didn't you get any emails confirmations for any of the money transfers made? Also make sure you change your password.

Whoop · 9 May 2007 at 13:01

IAmATeaf said:
Sounds like the accounts been hacked as the OP has logged in by typing in the paypal.com address. I'd get onto the phone to them to confirm this and didn't you get any emails confirmations for any of the money transfers made? Also make sure you change your password.

It does indeed seem like it was hacked and I have since changed password but not overly re-assured as to the security of Paypal now.

The messages were still there on login, I did think of ringing them but it seems a bit odd for a web based company

Whoop

gjrc · 9 May 2007 at 13:05

Whoop said:
The messages were still there on login, I did think of ringing them but it seems a bit odd for a web based company

Whoop

lol why not just call them??

Big Kev · 9 May 2007 at 13:12

I received one of these the other day as well, logged into Paypal as I normally do, and my account had two unauthorised transactions from 2nd May.

The money has now been refunded and personal details changed.

Whoop · 9 May 2007 at 14:09

Big Kev said:
I received one of these the other day as well, logged into Paypal as I normally do, and my account had two unauthorised transactions from 2nd May.

The money has now been refunded and personal details changed.

Thats a little more reassuring in a way, at least it looks like it is there side and I don't have to worry about my pc integrity being compromised.

Whoop

trojan698 · 9 May 2007 at 14:56

I had it, but only because I accessed my account from work, gfs and home. They'd obviously picked up the different IP addresses accessing the account.

zain · 9 May 2007 at 15:15

Email senders have two attributes; display name and email address. [email protected] does not mean that is the address, that's just the display name so check the real sender if they have not disguised it.

When you click links hover your mouse and look at the real address it links to.

That a side PayPal do send emails like that from time to time but they do address you by your full real name.

Siliconslave · 9 May 2007 at 15:22

as with any e-mail that asks you to log into any just log into the account off your own back, do not follow any links in the e-mail.

If your account has been restricted then it will tell you when you log in, if doesn't don't worry about it

J1234 · 9 May 2007 at 15:38

I've had an email just like that before claiming it was from Paypal, but it was sent to an email address that isn't even registered with Paypal.

Siliconslave · 9 May 2007 at 15:45

Justin said:
I've had an email just like that before claiming it was from Paypal, but it was sent to an email address that isn't even registered with Paypal.

you have to remember that unfortunately PayPal is one of the most spoofed websites around