adamak
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 7, 2000
- Messages
- 1,747
I just post in Budget forum regarding recent PayPal / EBay email scam. That got me thinking about ways to protect your electronic self. I worked in IT, and I got increasing # of calls from users who had fallen for similiar scams.
This particular scam involves getting email from PayPal and Ebay saying your account is inactive. Ask you to reply with your username and password to 'activate' the account. I got 2 of these email recently. The look of the email looks legit, with PP and Ebay's banner on top and bottom. When you click on it, it does send you to the real site. It may not be easy to tell that's a scam.
Here is what I always tell my users and friends to distinguish between legit email and scams online ...
1. Look at the sender email address. A big company will not use AOL or RoadRunner or Hotmail as email host. Companies have their own (e.g. xxxx@Microsoft.com). They almost never use personal email address for business use.
2. Legit companies always include their business contact info which you can call to verify.
3. They will NEVER ask you to send them both username and password. They have those info on their system. Never, ever send them anything through text email. If they want to verify your account, they will send you a link to their website, and you authenticate through their sites.
4. Never open any email attachment if you don't expect one from the sender. *Even if* it's from your friend.
5. Never send bank info / SSN over email , or phone. Ask for a phone number, and call them back to verify.
6. Have multiple email addresses. One for work, 2nd for friends, 3rd for internet 'junk' use. That way, if you get email from friends to your 'junk' account asking your home address, you know something is up.
7. Legit business email normally hides their recipients. You should not see who's cc: on. The scam email I got has everyone listed alphabetically starting from A to Z. That's not professional.
8. Get credit reports, esp those who buy online. Check your bank statement / credit card bill monthly, esp if you have auto-payment.
Let's share your tips. The more we know, the better equipped we are.
This particular scam involves getting email from PayPal and Ebay saying your account is inactive. Ask you to reply with your username and password to 'activate' the account. I got 2 of these email recently. The look of the email looks legit, with PP and Ebay's banner on top and bottom. When you click on it, it does send you to the real site. It may not be easy to tell that's a scam.
Here is what I always tell my users and friends to distinguish between legit email and scams online ...
1. Look at the sender email address. A big company will not use AOL or RoadRunner or Hotmail as email host. Companies have their own (e.g. xxxx@Microsoft.com). They almost never use personal email address for business use.
2. Legit companies always include their business contact info which you can call to verify.
3. They will NEVER ask you to send them both username and password. They have those info on their system. Never, ever send them anything through text email. If they want to verify your account, they will send you a link to their website, and you authenticate through their sites.
4. Never open any email attachment if you don't expect one from the sender. *Even if* it's from your friend.
5. Never send bank info / SSN over email , or phone. Ask for a phone number, and call them back to verify.
6. Have multiple email addresses. One for work, 2nd for friends, 3rd for internet 'junk' use. That way, if you get email from friends to your 'junk' account asking your home address, you know something is up.
7. Legit business email normally hides their recipients. You should not see who's cc: on. The scam email I got has everyone listed alphabetically starting from A to Z. That's not professional.
8. Get credit reports, esp those who buy online. Check your bank statement / credit card bill monthly, esp if you have auto-payment.
Let's share your tips. The more we know, the better equipped we are.
