Phishing Scam Alert: PayPal Email with Suspicious Links

In summary, the conversation discusses an email supposedly from PayPal about a payment being made, but the recipient has never opened a PayPal account. The email also has a link to dispute the payment, which upon closer inspection, leads to a questionable website. The conversation also mentions how the scammers have attempted to imitate the PayPal name to deceive recipients. It is advised to forward the email to PayPal's fraud department.
  • #1
jtbell
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Today my wife received an e-mail, apparently from PayPal, notifying her that a payment was being made from her PayPal account for a purchase of about $30, and with a link to click if she wanted to dispute it. But... she's never opened a PayPal account.

She was using iOS Mail on her iPad. As far as I can tell (I use iOS Mail on my iPhone, too), there's no option to view the source of a message so as to inspect the links. I had her forward the message to me, so I could open it in Gmail's web interface on my desktop Mac. As soon as I did so, I burst out laughing.

The "From" header, which on iOS mail showed only "From: PayPal", in Gmail read "From: PayPal <receipt@palepal.com>". :cool:

Choosing "view original" showed that the link to the "Resolution Center" pointed to employeeportal.net-login.com. Uh... I don't think so. :rolleyes:
 
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  • #2
Cash and carry. Cash and carry. Cash and carry.

You can't carry enough cash? You don't need it.
 
  • #3
I love how they carefully mangle the PayPal name to palepal. That’s classic. Sometimes they write PayPal.com.xx where who knows where it really is.
 
  • #4
Paypal probably has a fraud department. They would appreciate it if you forward the email to them.
 

What is a phishing scam?

A phishing scam is a type of cyber attack where a scammer pretends to be a legitimate organization or person in order to obtain sensitive information, such as passwords or credit card numbers, from a victim.

Is this PayPal email with suspicious links a phishing scam?

It is highly likely that this email is a phishing scam. PayPal will never send emails with suspicious links, request personal information, or threaten to close your account if you do not take action.

How can I protect myself from falling victim to a phishing scam?

There are several ways to protect yourself from phishing scams. First, always be cautious when clicking on links or providing personal information in emails, even if they appear to be from a legitimate source. It is also important to regularly update your passwords and use strong, unique passwords for each account. Additionally, enable two-factor authentication whenever possible.

What should I do if I receive a suspicious email like this PayPal phishing scam?

If you receive a suspicious email claiming to be from PayPal, do not click on any links or provide any personal information. Instead, you can report the email to PayPal by forwarding it to spoof@paypal.com and then delete it from your inbox.

What are some red flags to look out for in a phishing email?

There are several red flags that may indicate an email is a phishing scam. These include urgent or threatening language, misspellings or grammatical errors, requests for personal information, and suspicious links or attachments. If you are unsure about the legitimacy of an email, it is best to err on the side of caution and not click on any links or provide any information.

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