PayPal scam?

Yesterday I successfully changed my old PayPal main mail address in the new one I have. That is not straight forward because to change one address you must have 2 registered mail addresses, both checked with your mobile phone number. This evening I received a "PayPal" message on my old mail address to check my account. If you click on the login link in the mail you are directed to a page that looks like the PayPal homepage and if you then go the login you are directed to a very weird looking login page, nowhere close to the genuine one.

Your old mail address already entered, that of your password vacant, that was the moment I stopped. Niko

Don't ever log in to Paypal etc from a link in an email. It is the method of most email scams.

Go directly to your Paypal account by putting the correct address in your browser and log in. Then look for any instructions there, if there are any.

I had a scam the Christmas before last, totalling over 9 grand. It was all sorted & I lost nothing. Now when I log in to pay for an item, it sends a code to my phone.

Then I can pay for the item. Paypal recommended this to me only after I was scammed.

Why not before I was scammed.

Steve.

Why not before I was scammed.

Likely because they didn’t know you needed it before that?

I did have windows 10 security running & somehow. They got all my details to get into the paypal system. The guy who I spoke to at paypal fraud dept recommended this way of logging on. This was several days after the event. On previous calls to paypal about this scam, No one mentioned this method of logging on. The guy also recommended Bitdefender total security to me. I have that running all the time now, both on the pc & my Android phone. Strange, every time I make a ebay payment with my Paypal it comes up with. Do you want to remember your details for instant log on in future. Not on your Nelly.

Steve.

... and there is no "Do not ask me again" selection. Seems that Paypal hopes you'll select instant logon eventually, either by mistake or out of frustration to make it go away.

Makes you wonder who the enemy is.

+1

How do you set that up. I have '2-factor authentication' on my bank, tax and CC accounts.

Although what you do if you lose your phone...?

.

Just go through the PayPal account log-in ... until you reach this page: **LINK**

https://www.paypal.com/signin/phone-confirmation/addPhone?intent=postLoginPhoneConfirmation

... I just say NO, but it may suit you.

MichaelG.

Whilst I don't know what kind of scam you had to deal with, if it was identity fraud then a useful tip is to maintain a special bank account to back up the PP account with.

My bank was very happy to create a second account for this purpose. All of my salary and other payments goes into the 'real' account. The Paypal-backing account never has more then £50 in it as a float (for rail tickets etc). When I make a non-trivial purchase on PP, I use online banking to move the money over first - with my bank its instant. That way, if a fraudster gains full access to my PP account they can't steal much. It's a blunt instrument, I admit.

Adrian

Adrian

That's exactly what I do as well, I also use a separate email address purely for online transactions and nothing else.

Phil

I never use my current account or my debit card for online payments, I either use a credit card or Paypal which is linked to the credit card, not ideal but it seems to work ok for me, I stopped using my debit card for the majority of my purchasing after my card was cloned in a garage and the fraudsters took £1700 from my current account. The bank were great the money was put back into my account as soon as I contacted them.
Dave W

The way it works for anyone who does not know is. Say I do a purchase from ebay. It goes to the payment page. I select delivery options etc.

Then I select pay with paypal at the top of the list of options. That takes me to my paypal to sign in. 1st line e-mail address , 2nd line password. of which I use quite a long one now. Then login.

This takes you to another page that says send me a code for verification. Which I click. Then it sends me a 6 digit code by txt message, to my phone. I then input that No on the p.c & it takes me back to ebay to finish the payment. I feel more secure using this method now. Not had any further instances. When it happened there were something like 12 payments went out. From things like a iPhone & other stuff to a address in Glasgow. Then 3 separate Hotel bookings to 5 star hotels in London. It is a very heart sinking when something like this happens. Especially when we all think it will not happen to me. I have the latest Windows with all the updates,,, what could go wrong. ?????. Hmn forgot about Sods law.