okay, you being in the USA explains why your post was around 4 in the morning, thatโs why I posted that โIโll be back in the morning to explainโ.
These scams can take a number of different forms. This is a common form:
- you will get a request for your PayPal email address so that a payment can be made
- if you provide your PayPal email address you would then receive an official looking email purporting to be from PayPal indicating that payment has been made but that the payment is being held until you provide a tracking number
- there is NO payment and no funds will be released if you upload tracking details
- by giving them your PayPal address they will send their official looking email direct to you AND it will probably include a link for you to click to view the transaction in your PayPal account
- DO NOT CLICK LINKS IN EMAILS
- if you click the link you will be taken to an official looking PayPal log in screen and then when you log in you will be taken to an official looking PayPal screen showing that you have funds there on hold
- there will probably be a link on that page for you to upload tracking
If you fall for this version of the scam what you will have done is:
- confirm a valid PayPal email account
- given them your password
- given them access to any funds you have in paypal
- given them access to any credit cards you have on file with PayPal
- given them the ability to use your PayPal account to use the โsend moneyโ feature to send themselves money that will come from your credit/debit card
- if you use the same password for your eBay account they will now have that too
- you will have sent the watch to them without any prospect of being paid for it
- compromised your computer/phone operating system
What you should do if you have fallen for this scam is:
- contact your card issuing authority and cancel the card or let them know it is compromised
- immediately change all passwords for email/PayPal/eBay accounts
- contact PayPal and eBay and let them know your account has been compromised
- run your anti-virus software to detect viruses or trojans
- be extra suspicious of emails you receive and, of course, DO NOT CLICK ON LINKS IN EMAILS!
- change your passwords on a regular basis for a few months (every week would not be out of order)
- cease all communications with this scammer and be vigilant in future, after all they do have your email address
