Paypal phishing.. by name?

[Sideshow Spock]

I received an email from Paypal today that informed me that my account access had been limited due to a security issue. The email provided links to clik on to take me to paypal so I could log-in and address the issue.

Obviously just another phishing scam, right? Except for the email came to my main paypal email addy and used my first and last NAME. Correctly. No dear sir or user or any BS like that.

Anyway.. I go to Paypal directly (no link used) and there are no issues with my account. I had just used it a couple days ago, and everything looks perfectly normal. Paypal says my account is just fine. Status quo.

So, obviously, it WAS phishing. But has anyone here ever gotten a paypal phish that actually used your name? That's pretty troubling to me. And I assume it has to be connected to my recent transaction, as it's never happened to me before.

[YANOULI]

I've had the dear paypal user one but never one using my name.

Send it straight to the spoof email address, they'll tell you if it's genuine or not.

[starsky]

yeah, if they got your first and last name then that's pretty sneaky!

[Marvelmania]

Not only sneaky but scary. Good thing you didn't use the link. The phishing scams get better and better each time.

[domino]

They are getting good with the scams. Earlier this year I had some credit card info stolen. Well I got that all taken care of. A week later I get a email from "paypal" saying that due to my recent credit card fraud my paypal account access has been limited due to the security issue. I needed to click on the link to restore my account. A red flag went up right away, the credit that was stolen was never used on my paypal account. I forwarded the email to paypal and within a few hours they wrote back telling me it was a scam.

[mego73]

I've had a few that go by name too. If they are able to get email lists and the names that go with them they can create some algorithm that applies the correct name to each email sent.

[thunderbolt]

Just forward those emails to spoof@paypal.com. They will let you know if its BS.

[MegoMark71]

I used to get them all the time and i would forward every one to spoof . I never had one use my real name however.

[JPkempo]

Had it happen to me. I bought cheep video cables on e-bay, they where able to sell them so cheep because they where steeling acount info.
At the time I haddent bought anything in months I get 2 cables from 2 users auctions looked the same right down to price. I did get the cables but also 2 e-mail with my name and info saying my paypal account had problems with a link. Went to paypal and there was no problem. It had to be the seller but I had no proof, and the cables where great.

[Sideshow Spock]

Another phish came in today, also using my full name. This time tho it was supposedly from my credit card bank.. the one that is tied to my Paypal acct. Same routine.. sign in using the links to fix an issue. *&%@ idiots.

I did send the paypal one to paypal, but no response yet, being the weekend. I know it's a phish, so I just expect a form response.

I can't think of any explanation for why this is suddenly happening (with my full name and knowing my credit card bank), other than perhaps the seller's computer (whom I just bought from) is infected with an army of trojans that culled and reported my info.

It just seems coincidental that it's never happened before, then suddenly I'm getting nailed after a transaction.

[mego73]

Still might juts be a case of email lists that include the name associated with the emails.

In any case, just ignore them

Or you can do what I did when I got one of these when I checked hotmail at my library computer (not the home one so they can have log your IP address)

I clicked on it and when they asked for my id and pass word I gave them:

user id: bitemeyou

password: phishinglooser


But I only did that because I was feeling brave and ornery.

[saildog]

You know, there are tell-tale signs when you get something like that. When you hover over the link in the email, does it show the actual Paypal URL? I know when you click on the link the resultant page may look legit, but was the URL displayed in the address bar the actual Paypal site?

[domino]

I just checked my junk folder and it sounds like I received the same email you did. It uses my name and wants me to click on the link to restore my paypal access. Keep your eyes out, its not just paypal phishing going on right now either. I also received a email yesterday telling me there is suspicious activity on my citibank account and need to click the link and input my information. Funny thing is, I dont have a citibank account. So, looks like the crooks are out in force.

[Sideshow Spock]

You know, there are tell-tale signs when you get something like that. When you hover over the link in the email, does it show the actual Paypal URL?
My ISP had stuck the email in my junk folder (it alerted their spam detection), and had removed the html aspects for security. So I wouldn't have been able to clik on the links even if I'd wanted to. Or hover over them to see anything.

derekdavis, sure sounds like you got hit by the same round of crap that I did. Actually makes me feel somewhat better.. :grin:

In the next couple days, I'll be killing the email addy this was all asscociated with. Thanks to all for your help! :yes:

[vulcan2074]

I've never had them use my name before but I've had my fair share of scam emails. Thats a scary thing to happen though. I HATE Scammers.
Sammy