Security issue - just be aware

[ShadowsDad]

Things like this always seem to happen when I'm pressed for time.

Today I woke up to an mail from PayPal that were issues with my account and that I should "click here" to log on and provide my proper address, SSN, All my bank accounts, Keys to my house, yada, yada. You get the picture. Just bend over and help the phishing scheme basically.

So not using the supplied "click here" I logged onto my acct and sure enough everything was fine.

I called PayPal to report it and the gent told me that these can be spotted by the lack of use of first and last name. However the one sent to me did use my correct first and last name. I was requested to forward the email to PayPals security center or whatever they call it.

Just be wary and don't load the robbers gun for them - don't be an accomplice in the demise of your own identity. Never click on anything requested unless you initiate the contact. Clicking on an email you receive is not initiating an action, it's responding to an action.

[Kyle76]

We are seeing more and more of this in the financial services industry. The phishers are getting very sophisticated in terms of making things look and sound authentic. Just clicking on the wrong link can put your computer at risk, if not your identity. Be very wary of any email that requests any financial or identifying information. As stated, initiate the action yourself rather than just clicking on a link.

[Squire]

Good advise.

[Nitrox]

A lot of these fake emails contain clickable links. I can spot many of them as fakes but like others said, sometimes some look pretty authentic.
What I do is hover over the link with the mouse but not click on the link.
99.99% of the time the link you see in the status bar has nothing to do with PayPal, ebay, etc.
Just another check to make if you're not too sure. Also, the grammar and spelling is pretty atrocious which is another giveaway.

[JayTrek]

Could not agree more.

I occasionally get snail mail telling me that I have won a trip and that I need to call a number to verify this and that. Ummm...NO!!!

[Squire]

They always tell us we won something but never send a check.

[brothers]

Common sense seems to go right out the window when someone gets an email that says you won or a total stranger asks for help. Or, a big company tells us something's broken and starts telling us to do something like accessing our accounts immediately.

[Squire]

The scams haven't changed just the technology.

[jww]

The scams haven't changed just the technology.

Indeed.

[DoughBoy68]

My mother-in-law got a phone call the other day informing her that her computer was being attacked by a virus. Really! She 93 years old and doesn't even own a computer. I guess someone just dialed the wrong number......Yea, right!!

[Squire]

Buy her some ear plugs and a loud piercing whistle so the next time they call she can let 'em have it.

[brothers]

I've known a number of wonderful women of this age, and unfortunately, none of them, upon answering the phone and listening until they understand it's a scam would have the time to find the earplugs, open the container, put them securely in their ears, find the whistle, and then inhale enough air to be able to blow it strong and long. By then the scammer would have given up and already dialing the next number. Bless them, I admit I couldn't do it either. It's a wonderful mental picture to ponder on, though.

[Squire]

An elderly client of mine kept her plugs and whistle by the phone.

[DoughBoy68]

If I receive a Spam phone call while in the shop working it ticks me off to have to stop to answer the phone. Sooo, I put the phone up next to my hand held belt sander and let them listen to its high pitched scream.................

[Mr. Pinchy]

For the phone scammers, if you have time, string them along for as long as possible.
Pretend you believe what they are saying.

I usually do as they say but make up the details I give them. Wasting their time is what hurts them the most, plus its actually a lot of fun.

the more time they spend chatting to me, the less time they have to find someone gullible

I doubt they really give a shit about a whistle or belt sander

[Squire]

Just keep feeding them useless information.

[JayTrek]

Truth

The scams haven't changed just the technology.