Paypal Problems

[Bob Falter]

I have had a Paypal account for some time now but have only used it 2 or 3 times. Today when I checked my email I found out that, through my Paypal account, I had bought a $249 Apple iPod Video MP3 Player for some guy in Benton Harbor Michigan. First I called Discover and stopped the payment, lucky that I didn't have money in the account. (I again found Discover service to be very friendly and helpful. Surprising to find now days.) Then I clicked on the "Dispute Transaction" button on the email. That was about 30 minute ago and I still have not got through (at work and not using dial-up). I'm wondering if Paypal hasn't got a bunch of people with the same problem and it is loading up their system. I know a lot of forum members use Paypal. Any of you having a problem?

Thanks,
Bob

[Dragonrider]

SCAM SCAM SCAM SCAM!!!!

Um...if you got it in an email...it's a scam. The links in the email directed you to a bogus site and if you log in to "dispute the transaction", you just gave them your REAL account information.

Get on paypal.com itself...from a NEW browser...and click fraud/dispute links directly from there and notify them that you just gave your info out...

Or you might try logging directly into your paypal account and seeing if you can still change your password...maybe the scammer hasn't gotten in yet...change the password! NOW! MOVE BUSTER!

[Dragonrider]

And as the implied lesson here...

NEVER click on a link in an email that is supposed to take you to your bank, paypal, credit card, ebay or whatever account.

Read the email, and if you think you need to check your account...open a new browser and go directly to the site, NOT using the url's in the emails.

[ccogswel]

I have had a similar experience with paypal. I got a phone call from paypal asking me if I done a transaction for 937.00. If I remember correctly it was to a flower basket making company. I told them no and filed the same paper work you did. Also change your password and then in a couple weeks change it again. I have my paypal account linked with my bank so I had to call my bank to stop payment. Never did postto my bank account. I got lucky I guess. Also you may want to check your backup funding source you have at paypal as if it has any money on it you may want to stop that one as well. Never would hurt to make sure. I watch my paypal account like a hawk now. And I change my password every six months. Good luck and I hope everything works for you.

[MikeFromMT]

+1 on the above posts, I often get "phishing" emails, they look just like paypal but when I hover my cursor over the link, I get a different address, you can also forward these to spoof@paypal.com , don't click on any links just forward it. Good luck!

[xswilly]

perfect way to handle paypal
start a checking account, with a debt card
only put 100 dollars in it.
use that with your paypal.
so if they crack into it, you only loose 100 or less
if you buy something bigger just do online backing to transfer from your normal account to your paypal checking account
then do your transaction
thats how i do it

[81xsproject]

a friend of mine just got screwed out of a G from a phony paypal email. Guy in UK bought the item and sent a "paypal" email that said that the money had been sent and to finalize the transaction, he had to enter a tracking number. That was an expensive lesson about opening stuff like that from your email. Better him than me

[Bob Falter]

Damn I should have know that! I know I’m getting old, now I must be getting senile. Fortunately being so old I didn’t remember which email account I had used for Paypal. The email I got wasn’t even in the right email account and when I tried to log on I used that same wrong email account. Don’t they say ignorance is bliss.

I did go to Paypal directly. There wasn’t any charges there and I changed my password. I also reported it there and sent the fake email to spoof@paypal.com. Thanks for the help!

Bob

[trbig]

I'm glad to hear that this "Phishing" expedition wasn't expensive for you..

Tod

[Erik the Red]

Paypal scams aren't the only ones. Yesterday I got a 'phishy' email, supposedly from Yahoo about my Yahoo account and needing info to make something right. These SOBs have lots of different fronts. Gotta stay alert. Even with that, they get people.

[TopCatGr58]

Also as a reminder, whenever you get an alleged email from Ebay, it'll be in your My Messages section of your Ebay account IF it's truly from Ebay. IF it's not there, then Ebay didn't send it, and it's a Phishing Scam, just delete or send/forward to the Spoof addy!
Stay safe and solvent!
T.C.

[ccogswel]

That's right T.C.

For those who don't know this but ebay owns paypal.

Also if you get a fake email from ebay you can send it to spoof@ebay.com I get fake emails from paypal and ebay. I wish paypal done it like ebay to where if the message is real you will have it in your messages when you log in.