7 Ways to Spot a PayPal Scam E-Mail

Paypal is a great site and is used by many to send and receive money. Unfortunately some dishonest people are using the Popularity of Paypal to line their own pockets with gold at the expense of unsuspecting Pay Pal members. These paypal Scam Artists will try to get your Paypal ID and password so they can Login then Clean out your Paypal Account of all funds. Paypal is fully aware of this problem and is doing everything possible to stop this. Unfortunately if someone logs into an account with a valid Id and Password it is very hard for Paypal or any other secure site for that matter to stop it. As a Consumer you need to be educated so you can protect yourself.

A Typical Paypal Scam Artist will send you an e-mail requesting that you update your account. Often this request to update your account is made under some false pretence like it is suspended or has been suspected of Fraudulent use. Here is a Copy of a recent Paypal Scam E-mail I received http://ewguru.com/hbiz/scam.html. You will notice the Pay Pal Link on this page looks real. Don't click it. You can however do a right click properties and notice that it is in fact a phony link.

Paypal has an excellent online Article about how to spot Fake E_mails. Much of the Material in this article is derived from the paypal site http://www.paypal.com/ us/cgi-bin/abuser?cmd=kept/general/SecuritySpoof

Here are 7 ways to spot a Pay Pal Scam E-mail and Protect Yourself from Identity Theft

1 - Wrong E-Mail Address

Any E-mail Sent to an E-mail Address that is Not Your Primary Pay Pal E-mail Account is more then likely a scam.

2 - Fake links

After you click on the Link if it doesn't Start https://www.paypal.com then it is a Fake Link. Even if it says Paypal in it somewhere it is a Fake Link. The term "https" should always precede any website address where you enter personal information. The "s" stands for secure. If you don't see "https," you're not in a secure web session, and you should not enter data. (This goes for any payment Processor including your online Bank Accounts)

3 - Subject Lines

Subject like Please Restore Your Account Access.

4 - Generic greetings

Lot's of emails begin with a Greeting, such as: "Dear PayPal member. Paypal knows the name you used when you registered your account

5 - Action Required Now

Many Fake emails try to trick you with the threat that your account is in jeopardy if you don't sign in and fix it NOW!

6 - HTML Emails

Emails that appear to be websites. Some emails will look like a website in order to get you to enter personal information. PayPal never asks for personal information in an e-mail.

7. Misspellings and bad grammar

Fake emails may contain misspellings, incorrect grammar, missing words. Many Times these are used to trick the E-mail Filters

A quick review

If you receive an E-mail with a Link requesting you to click on the link and sign in to your Pay Pal account, Don't Do It!

If you receive an E-mail with what looks like a Paypal Sign in Form, Don't Sign in!

If you are unsure if the e-mail is Real or fake forward it to spoof@paypal.com and request assistance.

If you absolutely must login to your pay pal account then I would highly recommend you do the Following. Close all open Browser sessions. Run a Spyware check on your computer You can get a free Spyware program here (http://www.download.com/Spywa re-Doctor/3641-8022_4-9063584.html) then type in https://www.paypal.com/ directly into your Browser window do not click on any links.

Mike Makler has been Marketing Online Since 2001, When he built his first Sales organization of over 100,000 Members.

About The Author:
Mike Makler has been Marketing Online Since 2001 When he Built an Organization of over 100,000 Members

Get Mike's Newsletter:
http://ewguru.com/newsletter

More Articles by Mike:
http://ewguru.com/tips

Copyright © 2005-2006 Mike Makler the Coolest Guy in the Universe

[You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated getarticles At Ewguru .Com]

---

Viruses and Worms, Protection from Disaster

Virus damage estimated at $55 billion in 2003. "SINGAPORE -... Read More

The Important Steps To Protect Your Kids on the Internet

Internet is the ocean of knowledge. In this ocean you... Read More

6 Ways To Prevent Identity Theft

These six ways to prevent identity theft offer you valuable... Read More

Is My PC Vulnerable on the Internet?

No longer are viruses the only threat on the internet.... Read More

Is Adware - Spyware Putting Your Privacy at Risk

Do you sometimes notice your computer running slower. Is your... Read More

Can I Guess Your Password?

We all know that it's dangerous to use the same... Read More

Another Fine Mess!

I'm in the Anti-Spyware business, and I'm doing a lot... Read More

Anti-Spyware Protection: Behind How-To Tips

There is no doubt that "how-to articles" have become a... Read More

Wireless Network Security

Working from home has its advantages, including no commute, a... Read More

What Can Be Done About Spyware And Adware

Having a good Spyware eliminator on your computer is vital... Read More

Phishing ? Its Signs and Your Options

Phishing is the act of some individual sending an email... Read More

Personal Firewalls - Secure Your Computer

There has not been a time in the history of... Read More

What is Hacking? Are You a Hacker?

WHAT IS HACKING?Hacking, sometimes known as "computer crime" has only... Read More

Hacking the Body Via PDA Wireless Device

First I would like to stress I am condoning the... Read More

The Never Ending Spyware Story

It's been with us since 1993, it's gotten more intrusive,... Read More

Securing Your Accounts With Well-Crafted Passwords

In the past I've never really paid much attention to... Read More

The Top Twelve Threats No Computer User Should Ignore

The internet is undoubtedly a fantastic resource for families and... Read More

The 5 Critical Steps to Protecting Your Computer on the Internet

Spyware, viruses and worms... oh my!If you are connected to... Read More

Dialing Up a Scam: Avoiding the Auto-Dialer Virus

For many, the daily walk to the mailbox evokes mixed... Read More

Lottery Scam, What It is and how to Avoid It?

Internet scams and frauds are on the rise! The quantity... Read More

The Importance of Protecting Your PC from Viruses and Spam

Today the internet is a mine field of malicious code... Read More

SCAMS ? Be Aware ? And Report When Necessary

The Internet is a vast International Network of people and... Read More

Breaking Into Your PC: News...

You'd better learn news from media, not from emails, security... Read More

New CipherSend Online Security Service Thwarts Email Address Theft And Soothes Password Fatigue

In 1997, I decided after 15 years as a practicing... Read More

Just Whos Computer is this Anyway?

Well, this is an article I never thought I would... Read More

Personal Firewalls for Home Users

What is a Firewall?The term "firewall" illustrates a system that... Read More

Behavior to Stay Safer Online

1. Importance of a Virus Scanner: A Antivirus program can... Read More

Data Security; Are Your Company Assets Really Secure?

Is your data secure? Think again. Securing data is unlike... Read More

Do You Know What your Kids Are Doing Online?

It's a sad statistic, but hundreds of unsuspecting kids are... Read More

Wells Fargo Report Phishing Scam

First off I should explain what phishing is. Phishing is... Read More

Firewall Protection - Does Your Firewall Do This?

The first thing people think about when defending their computers... Read More

Is That Free Stuff Like An iPod Or Desktop Computer Really Free?

Have you seen the web site, www.freestuff.com? Or have you... Read More

Computer Viruses - How to Remove a Computer Virus from Your Computer

Computer viruses infect millions of computers every day. Viruses can... Read More