The PayPal Scam

Many people, including this author, like to use the reliable and honest company called PayPal to make purchases on the internet and receive payments from freelance writing sites, as well as other businesses.  I like the extra layer of protection that PayPal offers me, making it possible to do business transactions without giving out my bank or credit card information.  That is why I was alarmed to read about a new scam that criminals are using to try to trick people into giving out their PayPal information.

The way this scam works is to send you an email congratuating you on a large deposit that has been made to your PayPal account.  In this email, the phony PayPal company asks you to click on their website in order to accept the deposit.  As soon as you click on the site, a virus is loaded onto your computer and their computer hackers are able to take over your computer and retrieve anything they want from it.

Do not fall for this trick, or anything like it!  If you receive a suspicious email that suggests they are contacting you from PayPal, your bank or any other financial institution, remain skeptical.  Do NOT click on any links within an unexpected email.  Instead, use the normal URL you use to contact your financial institutions, or call them, if you want to check on any unusual activity in your accounts.  Just because a stranger tells you that they have made a large deposit into your account does not mean it is true.  Your financial institution is the best source of reliable information, not suspicious emails.

Far too many people are being fooled by these scams, which is why they persist.  Protect yourself and pass on this information so that your family and friends can protect themselves, too.

You may also be interested in reading:

Online Dating Scams
Credit Fraud and Identity Theft During Your Vacation
Computer Virus Scams
You Can Avoid Online Used Car Scams

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