PayPal Scam

[Spock]

I recently got an Email from someone purporting to be from PayPal saying my account was going to be terminated unless I responded to a specific URL. Since I know PayPal does not do such things and have heard of such scams before I knew to contact PayPal directly.

I am going to post the majority of the Email I got as well as the Reply I got from PayPal so you may have an idea how careful you must be on the internet. [:?]

Please note that the Scam link starts with "http://" and the real PayPal links start with "https://". That extra "s" is sometimes easy to miss. It6 indicates a Secure link.

[Spock]

Return-Path: <W.Elias016 @ paypal.com>
Delivered-To: spock
Received: (qmail 54229 invoked from network); 11 Apr 2005 01:08:48 -0000
Received: from unknown (HELO 66.235.211.87) (222.232.221.173)
by pctalkin.ipower.com with SMTP; 11 Apr 2005 01:08:48 -0000
Received: from mx.maria.tirana.com.cl (HELO 34-138.F.dial.o-tel-o.net)
by mx.maria.carpentry.com.cl (Estfix) with ESMTP id F32603BD55
for <W.Elias016@ paypal.com>; Mon, 11 Apr 2005 00:03:38 -0200
Date: Mon, 11 Apr 2005 05:09:38 +0300
From: "H.Augustine278@ paypal.com" <W.Elias016@ paypal.com>
Message-ID: <6D6A.A7EB.32.205@ dg.net>
To: ddraigcoch, spock
Subject: Your Paypal account is about to be suspended
X-Antivirus: AVG for E-mail 7.0.308 [266.9.5]
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

We regret to inform you that your paypal account could be suspended if
you don't resolve your billing issues. If your billing is not updated
your account will be put on hold.

If a hold should be placed on your account,you are prohibited from
using Paypal in any way. until billing is updated. This includes
registration of a new account. Please note that if your account is suspended any funds you have in your paypal account will be put on hold till this issue is resolved.

Please click on link below to update info:


http :// 203.162.1.205 /support/ support.asp


Best regards,
Safeharbor Department Paypal Inc.
The Paypal Team.



--
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
Version: 7.0.308 / Virus Database: 266.9.5 - Release Date: 4/7/2005

Note: All entries above in red have been changed from the original so they no longer act as actual links.

[Spock]

Return-Path: < mailto:spoof@paypal.com > (Note: This line contains a live link)
Delivered-To: spock
Received: (qmail 24862 invoked from network); 11 Apr 2005 06:31:17 -0000
Received: from unknown (HELO smtp2.nix.paypal.com) (64.4.240.75)
by pctalkin.ipower.com with SMTP; 11 Apr 2005 06:31:17 -0000
Received: from oma-kas-11.corp.ebay.com (unknown [10.248.50.39])
by smtp2.nix.paypal.com (Postfix) with SMTP id 5259818471
for <spock>; Sun, 10 Apr 2005 23:32:08 -0700 (PDT)
Date: Mon, 11 Apr 2005 01:33:54 -0500
To: Spock <spock>
Subject: RE: Q510 - Thank you for your email to PayPal (KMM9806132V1224L0KM)
From: "spoof@paypal.com" <spoof@ paypal.com>
Reply-To: "spoof@paypal.com" <spoof@paypal.com>
X-Mailer: KANA Response 7.0.1.142
Message-Id: <20050411063208.5259818471@ smtp2.nix.paypal.com>
X-Antivirus: AVG for E-mail 7.0.308 [266.9.5]
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Dear Spock,

Thank you for contacting PayPal.

We appreciate you bringing this suspicious email to our attention. We can confirm that the email you received was not sent to you by PayPal.

The website linked to this email is not a registered URL authorized or Please do not enter any personal or financial information into this website.

If you have surrendered any personal or financial information to this fraudulent website, you should immediately log into your PayPal Account and change your password and secret question and answer information. Any compromised financial information should be reported to the appropriate parties.

If you notice any unauthorized activity associated with your PayPal transaction history, please immediately report this to PayPal by following the instructions below:

1. Log in to your account at https://www.paypal.com/ by entering your email address and password into the Member Log In box (Note: This line contains a live link)

2. Click on Security Center at the bottom of the page

3. Click on the 'Unauthorized Transaction' link under the Report a Problem column

4. Please follow the instructions in order to access the appropriate form

If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us again.

Sincerely,
PayPal Account Review Department

************************************************************************
This email is sent to you by the contracting entity to your User Agreement, either PayPal Inc or PayPal (Europe) Limited. PayPal(Europe) Limited is authorized and regulated by the Financial Services Authority in the UK as an electronic money institution.

***********************************************************************
PayPal and its representatives will NEVER ask you to reveal your password. There are NO EXCEPTIONS to this policy. If anyone claiming to work for PayPal asks for your password under any circumstances, by email or by phone, please refuse and immediately contact us via webform at https://www.paypal.com/wf/f=3Dsa_pass . (Note: This line contains a live link)

***********************************************************************

Original Message Follows:
-------------------------

[ Attachment 1.2 Type: message/rfc822]
[ Attachment 1.3 Type: text/plain]

--
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
Version: 7.0.308 / Virus Database: 266.9.5 - Release Date: 4/7/2005