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6. Another PayPal Spam Scam
This scammer is warning you about unsafe practices while trying to steal your identity.
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On December 29, 2003 we received this letter from PayPal advising of a system problem and requesting that we verify our personal information.

Apparently someone who creates these scams has been reading the articles on our pages, those of PC Magazine, and those of a number of other resources because this time they have addressed some of the security concerns raised in those articles. There is just enough truth in what they are saying that you might want to trust them this time. Do not do so.

If you have not read our prior PayPal Scam page please do so now. The explanations you will find there will help you understand this page better.

From payPal.com This looks like an official letter from PayPal, although it seems odd their name would not be in Upper Case (payPal vs PayPal).
Date Monday, December 29, 2003 12:26 PM
To < our e-mail address >
Subject PayPal Account Update

 

URGENT: PayPal System Problems

Dear PayPal User,

Today we had some trouble with one of our computer systems. While the trouble appears to be minor, we are not taking any chances. We decided to take the troubled system offline and replace it with a new system. Unfortunately this caused us to lose some member data. Please follow the link below and log into your account to make sure your information is not affected. Account balances have not been affected.

Because of the inconvenience this causes we are giving all users that repair their missing data their next two incoming transfers for free! You will pay no fees for your next two incoming transfers*.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr/?cmd=_login-run
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Thank you for using PayPal!

* - If fees would normally apply, you will not pay anything for the next two incoming transfers you receive.

PayPal Security

PROTECT YOUR PASSWORD
NEVER give your password to anyone and ONLY log in at PayPal's website. If anyone asks for your password, please follow the Security Tips instructions on the PayPal website.

Please do not reply to this e-mail. Mail sent to this address cannot be answered. For assistance, log in to your PayPal account and choose the "Help" link in the footer of any page.


The security reminder above is designed to reassure you that it is safe to furnish the requested information.

If you click on the link to the Website you will see a form that allows you to re-enter your personal information. Don't do it!

The Web link that you click on is at a secure site at PayPal, however, when you click on it you are taken to a different, non-secured HTTP:// page with an IP address, not a recognizable name.

If you furnish this information you have given away everything needed to make your life miserable for the next 5-10 years: Name, Social Security number, driver's license, credit card, and checking account.

For all of this information you will receive two free incoming transfers at no charge, assuming there would be a charge in the first place. Enjoy the savings. You will need it to help pay for the lawyer required to straighten out the mess with your stolen identity.

The Web page reproduced below was pieced together from several graphic images we captured.

It may take a little time to load on a dial-up connection because several of the files are large.


 

If you click on any of the tabs on this bogus PayPal page you will be taken to legitimate sections of the PayPal site. The addresses of these links are shown in the table below.

Note that the main difference in the address is the prefix of https:// for the scam page and http:// for the other pages. We found that altering the address of any tab to be https:// brought us to the correct page, complete with the padlock in the lower right corner of the screen.

Once you click on a tab you will not be able to get back to the page with the IP address. Thus, it would appear someone has hijacked PayPal's Website. The Web page announces that This notice expires January 6, 2004. Perhaps that is the date by which they figure someone at PayPal will fix the problem!

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr/?cmd=_login-run Link to scam page
http://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_home Tab: Welcome
http://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=p/ema/index-outside Tab: Send Money
http://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=p/req/index-outside Tab: Request Money
http://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_merchant-outside Tab: Merchant Tools
http://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=p/auc/index-outside Tab: Auction Tools

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