A Phishing Email. Yeah, Bite Me.
By Siduri
@msiduri (5687)
United States
May 17, 2017 2:57pm CST
I just received a phishing email pretending to come from PayPay. It said someone in the UK tried to log into my account from an unrecognized device. For shame! Those Brits! Just can’t trust them.
I must validate my account immediately. Click here. Failure to do so could close my account permanently.
Oh, shaking in my boots.
A public service announcement to anyone who may get some sort of notice like this: It is from a thief. Always. It is never from PayPal or your bank or any other institution it may be claiming to be from. It may look like it's coming from the institution is claims to be from, but it’s not. Legitimate institutions do not operate this way (not even the IRS). When I moused over the “PayPal” logo, the address read, in part, “loveporno.”
It does not address me personally. There is no contact info for PayPal other than the link. The poor grammar is also a dead giveaway. Red flags scream all over this page.
Most people are aware of this by now I think, but it only takes once. This was how the breach was achieved into the Democratic Nation Congress database. Someone responded to a phishing notice like this.
I’ve reported phishing notices like this in the past to the places they’re trying to imitate, (that is, in this case, sending a copy of this to PayPal) but frankly, I’ve gotten little response, so I don’t know if they do any good.
Image is mine
7 people like this
7 responses
@Mike197602 (15487)
• United Kingdom
17 May 17
I doubt it came from the UK as we are all honest here
...most likely was Nigerian in origin as you can't trust those Nigerians
...most likely was Nigerian in origin as you can't trust those Nigerians5 people like this
@msiduri (5687)
• United States
17 May 17
There was no attempted log-on from an unrecognized device. The email itself could have come from anywhere. Russia seems to be a big player in the last couple of years, but never doubt the entrepreneurship of the Chinese.
I hope you realize I was being sarcastic when I said you can't trust Brits.
1 person likes this
@Mike197602 (15487)
• United Kingdom
17 May 17
@msiduri I have the ability to recognise sarcasm
I, in turn, was sarcastic about Nigerians...well, somewhat sarcastic
I, in turn, was sarcastic about Nigerians...well, somewhat sarcastic1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
18 May 17
I love getting them from "banks" with which I've never done any business.
3 people like this
@FourWalls (61967)
• United States
17 May 17
The weirdest one I ever received was a notification from PayPal that my account was locked due to the "suspicious activity" of my having paid my bill. However, this was not an e-mail, this was regular "snail mail" with my address, name, account number, etc. on it!! Yes, PayPal considered my on-time payment "suspicious activity" and really, honestly, truly locked my account.
What the fire truck?????
2 people like this
@FourWalls (61967)
• United States
17 May 17
@msiduri -- it was. I went to PayPal's web site and used the phone number listed there to call them. And, sure enough, they told me they'd flagged my account for paying the bill. I'm hoping someone hit the wrong button on the computer. (Wonder what will happen if I pay my $300 balance off in one fell swoop? 
)
)1 person likes this
@msiduri (5687)
• United States
17 May 17
@FourWalls I shudder to think. Good luck with them.
1 person likes this
@msiduri (5687)
• United States
20 May 17
@shshiju Yes. I don't know if you read the story I told JudyEv above. A former coworker of my husband's, a guy in his late 60s, who's been showing signs of dementia, but who has not been diagnosed, recently let the "Windows" people load a Trojan onto his machine. These are the type of people who are victimized and why I have nothing but contempt for people.
1 person likes this
@JESSY3236 (18885)
• United States
19 May 17
Yeah If I ever get papal email, I usually go to the actual website and not through the email.
1 person likes this
