topic Re: How often do you receive fake PayPal emails? in Selling

How often do you receive fake PayPal emails?

syrupsmummy — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 22:51:45 GMT

I've got 3 fake PayPal emails this morning. They are all the same.

You sent a payment of $79.3 AUD to eBay International AG (AU-AdCommerce-EOM@ebay.com)

I also got the same one 2 days ago as well as 3 emails in html code which failed to make it looks like PayPal emails.

I'm wondering how often other people get those fake PayPal emails.....

Re: How often do you receive fake PayPal emails?

bigbrickshop — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 22:55:34 GMT

Syrups, I rarely get any spam emails but I've had 4 of those PayPal ones in the last 2 days.

I have several email addresses but I have only received them at the address linked to my PayPal buying account.

Re: How often do you receive fake PayPal emails?

syrupsmummy — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 23:27:05 GMT

I get a lot of spam emails from Chinese wholesalers. I keep blocking them but new ones keep coming.

I get fake PayPal emails sometimes. Not often. But when it comes it comes in bulk such as 2 or 3 a day for a few days. Strange.

My buying account email won't get any spams.

Re: How often do you receive fake PayPal emails?

the3coopers — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 23:28:55 GMT

The fake emails often aren't sent "randomly" - they are usually "targetted".

What the scammers often do is set up fake buying or selling accounts on ebay. When you trade with them the scammer gets your full name, your ID and your email address. Using these 3 things they then craft the phishing email that often looks 100% genuine because it contains information that "can only be known by Ebay or Paypal" (eg: full name).

For example, a scammer might sell a bunch of stuff but never deliver, forcing you to raise a Paypal claim to get a refund. The scammer is not particularly looking to steal your miney on THAT item - it's your contact details that they want.

Only a small percentage of the phishing emails are effective - but even one in a hundred is great for them, because that might give them $1000 worth of items purchased on your behalf.

The easiest solution is to open a new email address, add it to your Ebay and Paypal, and dump the old one (which is already being sold as a "valid address" to scammers all over the world).

I have my own domains, so I just have alias email addresses. When ebay1@mydomain becomes spammed, I just block that one and start up ebay2@mydomain. It's the easiest and cheapest way of staying safe from these scumbags.

Re: How often do you receive fake PayPal emails?

the-kazbar — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 23:29:33 GMT

I find I get them in runs. I can get 3 or 4 a day and then none for a few weeks. It always seems to coincide with me buying a cheapy item from Hong Kong or China

Re: How often do you receive fake PayPal emails?

glenbankloel — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 00:07:50 GMT

Yep, had one on Monday, thanking me for my payment, and today got one from "EBay" so certainly alive and well.

Re: How often do you receive fake PayPal emails?

patchoo78 — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 00:16:39 GMT

I haven't had any yet, but I get a lot of e-mails from sellers in Hong Kong and China advertising their products

Re: How often do you receive fake PayPal emails?

arb_games — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 00:48:53 GMT

Yes I get these regularly, and have been for over 12 months. I just delete them

Re: How often do you receive fake PayPal emails?

*sparklz* — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 00:56:07 GMT

2 today.

Re: How often do you receive fake PayPal emails?

kopenhagen5 — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 01:22:51 GMT

1 a few days ago.

2 today.

Re: How often do you receive fake PayPal emails?

crypsynight — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 01:28:22 GMT

I got the same 3 today.

Re: How often do you receive fake PayPal emails?

digital*ghost — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 01:37:39 GMT

I've had a few - like others, it goes several weeks without getting one, then in a day or two I'll probably get half a dozen. More consistent lately has been some stupid online casino and pill peddlers promising me better performance. :^O

Re: How often do you receive fake PayPal emails?

*sparklz* — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 02:19:02 GMT

That is 3 today now

Re: How often do you receive fake PayPal emails?

wishuponastarcelebrationsandgifts — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 03:25:46 GMT

I've had a couple today, and 3 or so a couple of days ago.

Like others, I get a run of them and then nothing for a while.

Re: How often do you receive fake PayPal emails?

star*mystyk — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 03:25:54 GMT

I get them every now and then. Usually to an email address that doesn't have a Paypal account. It's my posting ID's email address.

But that address gets all sorts of junk, usually one a day. It's an ISP one. Most things I sign up for I use that one, so any number of spammers could know it by now. I might delete it and make a new one.

I got one yesterday, poor grammar, the usual, informing me that my PP account has been suspended. Not that I care as I don't have an account under that email address, anyway 🙂

My email addresses under my domain name never get fake Paypal ones, let alone much, if any, junk at all. Probably my strict spam settings on those.

Re: How often do you receive fake PayPal emails?

davewil1964 — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 03:52:10 GMT

Never had one. And I use gmail.

Re: How often do you receive fake PayPal emails?

phorum_junkie* — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 08:12:52 GMT

I selected one a month inb the poll because that is about how many make it to my inbox, there are always a ton of them in my junk folder.

Re: How often do you receive fake PayPal emails?

trident-direct-online — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 09:50:32 GMT

I was receiving fake PayPal emails 2-3 times a week, now its probably once a week. I forward those emails to spoof@paypal.com and for fake Ebay emails i forward them to spoof@ebay.com. Hopefully this will make a difference and these guys get caught.

Re: How often do you receive fake PayPal emails?

lyndal1838 — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 13:02:22 GMT

For every one that gets caught there are 10 waiting to take his place. You will never get rid of these emails permanently.

Re: How often do you receive fake PayPal emails?

thesoulyearns — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 13:57:51 GMT

Not sure if I've ever received them, though probably have. Asking for bank details over email seems a bit suspect.