This time of year, we might use our paypal accounts to purchase things on line. Well, (Jaws music if you please), they are out "phishing again". Yep, the spammers and spoofers got me this morning.
I have resolved it and didn't lose any money, but boy did it take some time and worry. They wouldn't have stolen much, but when you are not working and selling your things on ebay, $35.67 is a lot!
So, what I learned I am passing onto my TF family!
If you get an email, check the from address. If "PayPall" is spelled with two "L"s, you have to just forward it to "spoof@paypal.com" and they will take it from there.
The headings might say something like "Someone has fraudulently used your account" or "Your funds are not available," or anything to strike fear and urgency into your heart! Then, they will ask you to verify your account. When that happens, you will be giving them everything they need to clean you out. If you get that far, it's already too late.
Also, if you want to use your card, be careful. If someone in a store holds your card long enough while the transaction is going through, they could write it down and your next move will be to get one of these spoofs.
If you get one, look at it carefully. If it ends up in your spam account to begin with, there is your first clue. Paypal's address should be in your address list if you have an account with them, so that legitimate emails get through. When they are not the exact same email address, then they will go to spam. Most start out by saying "Dear Paypal User" or "Dear Paypal Account Holder". Paypal always uses your name and they never, EVER ask for a password.
So, word to the wise dear friends, read it carefully and don't believe it if you know there is nothing wrong. These sharks can smell blood, so don't give them any of your hard earned money. My belief in karma says these people will get theirs. Let's not let them get ours! I hope this helps even one person. They look something like this.
Flag this messageNotification of Limited Account Access RXI-112Sunday, November 7, 2010 8:25 AM
From: "PayPal" <service@paypall.com>Add sender to Contacts
Source: Just happened to me an hour ago!
By Sandi/Poor But Proud from Sweet Home, OR
This page contains the following solutions.
I use PayPal whenever possible and for good reason. Just recently, I had questions on treating a sick furbaby. I had gone to a website where you deposit $9 in their paypal account and would get an answer to your question by a qualified person in that topic.
This is a warning to anyone who uses PayPal in conjunction with your bank account. Watch your bank statements closely!
Last week I received what genuinely looked like an email from Paypal stating my account had been violated. It advised me to log on and renew my information to make sure it was current. I smelled a rat...
I am really trying not to use credit cards for spending. I have a PayPal account. So every week I put money into my PayPal account. It can be 2, 3, 10 dollars or more. This way, when I come across something I want to purchase on-line, I can just pay for it from my PayPal account.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
I am wanting to set up a Paypal account and don't feel like it is good to use the charge card I use now for that. I'm afraid it's not safe. I'm not sure a prepaid card is the way to go; do you need one for Paypal?
By Jill Bates from Steedman, MO
You have to have a card to set up a account. I have had my account hacked into twice. It was always someone from overseas. I don't know how they got my number but both paypal and my bank helped me with the process. The last one they tried to get a western union money transfer for $1000. If I decide to sell items again I will probably get a prepaid card just so it won't be connected to our personal accounts.
I would like to clarify what nightrain71 was saying. If you ever get an email from Paypal that is not just letting you know that a transaction you initiated was completed don't use any links provided. When in doubt open another browser window and go to Paypal yourself and see if that email is one of the messages on your account. If it is NOT and you have any doubt the email is not legit forward the email to spoof@paypal.com and it will be delt with. If it really was from them they will let you know. If it was not they have safeguards in place to trap these scam artists.
I have had Paypal for almost 15 years now. I have never received an email from them that was not a reaction to a transfer I initiated. All other emails have been scams. Even emails that just ask you to login via a provided link to verify your account are scams if they are not the initial email sent to you when setting up your account. The only other email I have seen from Paypal is initially when I set up my account and had it verified to my checking account. They made two deposits to my account of 1 cent each. That is it, anything else forward to them. It is even recommended that you make your paypal account password unique from all other passwords you use or have used in the past. And never give your paypal info to anyone.
Greetings, you may want to get another credit card that has a very small amount on it say no more than $1000 and only use that to set up your payplal account. That was the recommendation from my son who has bought and sold using Paypal for years with no problems.
We have two paypal accounts, one for myself and one for my husband. We use our debit cards and have for the past several years. We have never had a problem. The account that I use is a small checking account - I don't even have checks for the account. It usually carries a balance of around $10 in case I don't have enough in my paypal account. I'd say it is very, very safe as long as you're responsible with the information you give out.
Have any of your winners in the US or Canada experienced any problems with PayPal? Over charges, double charges, unauthorized pull outs? Thanks and I really love your daily updates, recipes, tips, and crafts!
I have been 'blocked' from my pay pal account since someone used my ID to do something less than correct with them. No amount of proof that I come up with is good enough for them. They say I owe $28.00 to them before I can collect any of ny earnings from other sites. I think this stinks.
I have delt with PayPal for atleast 4 years, I use them often. I have never had a Problem. Just make sure all your contact with them is directed by you. There are alot of crooks out there who email you stating they are PayPal and requesting information. PayPal never does that.b)
I also have dealt with PayPal around 4 years. Everything has been great!
Yes it does Lori. I am sorry about that. I have also had the same sort of problem just not online.
Typically I have no problems with PayPal. However, once someone decided to use paypal to pay themselves from my bank account, one which is not and never has been attached to PayPal. I filed a dispute with the bank, who investigated and found nothing on their end. I contacted PayPal, and by the time I was done with them, I had filed every kind of dispute they have, and they kept responding that they were not at fault. I informed them I would be reporting the incident to the FBI via www.ic3.gov, and after I reported them I received my money back within 48 hours. I still have my PayPal account and have not had a problem with them since that one incident. PayPal is a great idea, and I hope they continue; I also hope they improve their dispute methods.
I love Paypal. I have had no problems with them. I had some postage that did not print and I called Paypal customer service and they were more than friendly and solved my problem and the post office paid back for the unprinted postage with no problem. Thankfully, I have never had to deal with unauthorized people on my account.
I have been using Paypal for over 6 years and have never had even one problem with them. But beware of emails claiming to be from Paypal asking for your financial information. Paypal does not do this.
I also must say that I've dealt with PayPal for several years now, and they've been great. I've never had any problems at all (except like many others who got fraudlent emails pretending to be Paypal). As for Purrplekat, I'm glad you persisted & were able to succeed!
I wish I rememberd where I got the link, but I use ICONIX to let me know if my email is from PayPal and eBay. It works for me. If I can find where I downloaded this, I will let you folks know.
Just a follow up on ICONIX www.iconix.com to download this tool.
I bought something once from e-bay using PayPal and had nothing but problems with them. I searched high and low via their website for a phone number, was never able to find one, so after numerous e-mails they finally closed my account! I still get bogus e-mails but I just make sure I don't open them up.
Paypal does have a phone number on their website somewhere, you just have to search for it a bit. I've talked to them twice on the phone. Have never been overcharged. Always very courteous and helpful. There are bogus emails that go out looking like a paypal thing and those are the "phishing" things that you are supposed to ignore. If they start asking for private info that's not paypal. You can read on the website how to handle these bogus emails, because they want them forwarded to them to handle it.
I've used PayPal for years to both pay for items and to receive payments from customers through ebay, and have never personally had any problems with them. However, as with any financial transaction online, people must remember to not get impatient and click the 'pay' button more than once, or they may accidentally pay again. I've often refunded a customer's double payment before they even realized they had MADE a double payment, lol...
I recently started selling on eBay and signed up for PayPal. My first item got sold and I am now waiting for my payment. How do I get PayPal to deposit the payment in my checking account? I was told that the payment sits in PayPal account under my name until I spend it. What happens if I don't plan on purchasing anything on eBay yet I would like to receive the payment on what I sold? Can anyone help? I am new to this and I am hoping that someone can advise me. Thanks in advance for any info you can offer me.
Hi, I'm new to using ebay also and signed up for PayPal too. You can provide PayPal with a bank account number and transfer PayPal funds into this bank acount OR you can transfer funds from your bank account into your PayPal account. Transfer charge amounts may vary, I'm in Australia so I cannot transfer less than $15 from PayPal to the bank. Any amount between this and $150 (I think) will cost me $1 to transfer. Anything over $150 is free to transfer. There should be a toolbar on your PayPal account page with options to withdraw or transfer etc...there is also 'help' available. Hope this helps a little : )
Hi there you have to set up your account with your checking account #. Go to Paypal site & pick options or my account & then choose to enter bank info. You can also request a check from Paypal or keep the money in there & spend on stuff you buy on Ebay. Hope that helps
I have my savings acct on file with PayPal so that if I want to pay for an item w/o using my CC, funds can come from my savings. Also then I can have them transfer funds I earned to that savings acct. There is something to click at the PayPal site for them to do just that. It does take a few days tho for the funds to appear in whatever acct you authrorize.
once paypal has your bank/checking acct number just go to my account, there will be a withdraw option, it easy to transfer .
Click on the withdraw tab over at Paypal and choose if you want it electronically sent to your bank account or you want a check sent.
Electronic transfer is free.
In addition to transfering funds to your bank using the withdrawal option, I have signed up for a Paypal debit card. It has a Mastercard logo on it and I can use it as a credit card for free. I prefer to transfer the money over to my checking account but that can take a couple of days so having the Debit card has really helped me out when I really needed the funds now. Information on this is also on the withdrawal tab. Good luck!
