21 replies to this topic

[Wickeycolumbus]

I got this email today:



I'm sure most of would know this is a scam, but I thought I'd warn all of you. I don't even have a PayPal account associated with that email address and the link goes to an exact replica of the PayPal site (though it is not the actual site).

[tjb]

Thanks for the heads up. I used to get similar emails fairly often. It was usually painfully obvious that it was a poor attempt at phishing (i.e. misspelled words). You can forward such emails to spoof@paypal.com.


tjb

[Albert]

This is very common, I see these ALL the time. First clue is they don't use your real name in the email. Second clue is some type of link they want you to click. Third clue (and often the most obvious) is various spelling and grammatical errors. These emails would be more believable if they'd find a native English speaker to compose them. As always with emails of this nature, the safest thing to do is login directly to your account with a link you've saved or by typing the URL. Never by clicking the link. Most email clients will also display the URL of the link if you hover over them (or you can often right-click the link and then copy the URL to view it in a text editor or browser before visiting it).

..Al

[Bryan]

Who wouldn't be drawn in by the chance to "Activer" your account?

[toptenmaterial]

Only a matter of time before the spelling and grammer will get better

[OldSchoolRetroGamer]

SECURITY ALERT ACTIVATION REQUIRED!

Yeah that was the first indication it was a scam lol!

[Stan]

Just like anything you get that looks like this for Paypal, eBay, whatever, always delete it and then go directly to the site by typing the address in instead of clicking on any links or what not. Then you'll see if it's actually legit, which it usually isn't.

[OldSchoolRetroGamer]

Even if I was stupid enough to click the link from a scam Email (I am not lol!) I use RoboForm to store and fill in all my site logins and it knows if the site does not match the proper URL for the matching username/password login and I have tested that it works very well.

[Rex Dart]

Albert, on Sun Jul 24, 2011 11:32 AM, said:

Third clue (and often the most obvious) is various spelling and grammatical errors. These emails would be more believable if they'd find a native English speaker to compose them.

Maybe they did
If only you guys could see the garbage that I see daily, written by "professionals" trying to sound business-like, but really just dropping necessary words & confusing the meanings of other words.

Edited by Rex Dart, Mon Jul 25, 2011 10:17 AM.

[NE146]

I click these links all the time (usually on a crap box or VM). Then when I'm at the site I just try and log in with fabricated-on-the-spot Paypal credentials (which it usually "takes"). If it comes up with an information form, I fill it up with info including randomly generated credit card information..

Name: Walker Varsha
DOB: 08-17-1967
SS: 578-23-7261
Visa: 6658-1579-2816-2164 (716)

..repeat until bored.

[Stan]

You can also check the header. That's usually a dead giveaway if you can read through the numbers.

[nopaybob]

Watch out for This Ebay scam I received 2 days ago!

I forwarded this to spoof@Ebay.com and they replied that it was indeed a scam.
I have removed my email address and my name from this snag pic.

This was not a registered member and this email originated from member@Eboy.com

Edited by nopaybob, Mon Jul 25, 2011 12:47 PM.

[toptenmaterial]

Anyone up for a good old fashioned spam writing contest?

[Jr. Pac]

This ebaY who is telling everyone tis.
Dear beloved Member,
ERROR! Ebay has lost you account credentials. Please click the link to activer you acct.

ACTIVER

Sincerely,
Evay team
© 2011 ebay Team

(seriously, click the link. There's no virus or fake eBay website. It's a surprise.)

Edited by Jr. Pac, Wed Jul 27, 2011 10:27 PM.

[atarinut76]

I hate to say people fall to this everyday. mostly people with new Ebay and Paypal accounts. thanks for the post and heads up Wickey. You just may have helped out a new AA member/collector from getting scammed!!

[Jr. Pac]

I got one saying my American Express had a problem and asked for tons of personal info. I don't even have an Amerecan Express, I'm only 10. Same with a Chase card. Occasionally, I check my Spam folder for these and look at them for fun.

[Uzumaki]

I've gotten a lot of pishing email from Paypal and eBay and from Warcraft spamming my 3 regular email accounts. The funny thing is none of that 3 email accounts are used for paypal, ebay, or warcraft. The one email account I do use for those has never gotten a single scam attempt.

[nopaybob]

nopaybob, on Mon Jul 25, 2011 11:04 AM, said:

Watch out for This Ebay scam I received 2 days ago!

I forwarded this to spoof@Ebay.com and they replied that it was indeed a scam.
I have removed my email address and my name from this snag pic.

This was not a registered member and this email originated from member@Eboy.com

I thought this scam here was rather creative. No mispellings other than originating from member@eboy.com, I almost clicked on the respond button since I do sell a few items on ebay. At first I assumed it was a customer that had me confused with another seller. I guessing if I would have clicked on the respond button it would have went to a relogin page for ebay, So they can steal my user and password??? I dunno really just guessing

[CPUWIZ]

Click on the link and login with hundreds of fake usernames and passwords.

[Jr. Pac]

I'm serious. Click the olink on my post. I can't help ut notice in that spoof email, it says at the bottom:
Learn More to protect yourself from spoof (fake) emails.
I wonder where it takes you! Click it and tell us please!

[nopaybob]

I ain't clickin $h1T

[Jr. Pac]

nopaybob, on Sun Jul 31, 2011 7:37 PM, said:

I ain't clickin $h1T

It's epic! One hint: BIT RICK