Paypal "bogus" email

[OleBoy]

I was checking my email on my smartphone today, and found a suspicious one. What tipped me off first was the appearance was all centered in the middle. Another clue, there were missing fonts that were displayed as squares where the letter should have been. Some dirtbag fishing for fools. Surprisingly it made it past the "junk" filters.

The active link goes to hxxp://www.websplines.com/pharmix-labs/redire.php

Right-click. view image
http://i.imgur.com/4CtZLOW.jpg

[glh]

There'a also another one going around. I came home to find the following on my answering machine:

Some dirtbag named Adam Scott phones you claiming to be an IRS agent and there is a matter that requires your immediate attention. You (or your designated attorney) are to call him back at 716-262-2307 immediately. If you don't get in touch with him, he is not going to be responsible for the catastrophic financial circumstances that will befall you.

Google the phone number -- it's a scam.

[Ickie]

what get me is the fact that no legal action will be done to the criminals sending these and the website which you are re directed to.
they need to arrest these thief's and hang them in public.

[Tako_Kichi]

Don you should forward that entire email to PayPal using the following instructions:

https://www.paypal.com/ca/webapps/mpp/security/report-problem#report_suspicious_activity

I ALWAYS report any phishing attempts and PayPal usually respond with a thank you email and details of any follow-up. They can't stop the scammers if they don't know about them.

Of course you should never click on any links in those emails either.

[OleBoy]

Don you should forward that entire email to PayPal

That was done prior to my posting. I never click on links in emails. In my earlier years I was adventurous and managed all sorts of foolishness from clicking on things. Even pictures will ZAP you from embedded script.

[stansdds]

what get me is the fact that no legal action will be done to the criminals sending these and the website which you are re directed to.
they need to arrest these thief's and hang them in public.

That would be hard to do if the scam is originating in countries like China and North Korea. I understand the sentiment, but the only course of action is to report the bogus calls and messages and never click on an unknown link and never give out personal information. Now if you would excuse me, I've just been notified that I won the European Lottery and I need to transfer some funds to pay the taxes and transfer fees on my winnings. :biggrin-new:

[OleBoy]

I received two more emails today that appeared to be the same format and sender. Also sent to spoof@paypalcom. The person sending them is bouncing the emails off the hotmail servers or something. They can not be blocked. When I attempt to block the sender, it shows I will be blocking my own email address. What's one to do in a situation like this?

[Navy Chief]

I recently got a very official-looking email from my bank (or so I thought). It was a phishing email, and I sent it to the security section of my bank. NC

[KellyB]

Slightly off topic, but recently I have gotten a couple of phone calls from "Microsoft" telling me that my computer has sent them an error message that I must take care of immediately.

Oh, sure, sez I on the first one, then got somewhat more emphatic on the second one.

I plan to string the next one along for awhile, so as to waste as much of his day as mine. Sometimes it's fun; they're really not very bright for the most part.

What's sad is that there are folks who get suckered by these scams, especially folks who are afraid of the IRS, for example.

[Navy Chief]

Slightly off topic, but recently I have gotten a couple of phone calls from "Microsoft" telling me that my computer has sent them an error message that I must take care of immediately.

Oh, sure, sez I on the first one, then got somewhat more emphatic on the second one.

I plan to string the next one along for awhile, so as to waste as much of his day as mine. Sometimes it's fun; they're really not very bright for the most part.

What's sad is that there are folks who get suckered by these scams, especially folks who are afraid of the IRS, for example.

I am not so much in fear of the IRS, but I definitely hate them:very_drunk:. NC

[rdaniell]

Slightly off topic, but recently I have gotten a couple of phone calls from "Microsoft" telling me that my computer has sent them an error message that I must take care of immediately.

Oh, sure, sez I on the first one, then got somewhat more emphatic on the second one.

I plan to string the next one along for awhile, so as to waste as much of his day as mine. Sometimes it's fun; they're really not very bright for the most part.

What's sad is that there are folks who get suckered by these scams, especially folks who are afraid of the IRS, for example.

KellyB, continuing with your slightly off topic....I got a similar phone call. I told the guy on the other end that I was really glad that he called since my windows hadn't been washed in quite a long time. I asked him what time could they send someone over to clean them....There was a pause and then....click.

RD

[Paul Anderson]

Got an email from Canada Revenue Agency (don't think the real guys would be sending from a hotmail account)
saying based on my 2014 tax info (2014 not over yet, be a few months before getting taxes done) I am entitled to
four hundred and some odd dollars refund.

All I have to do is click the link, identify myself, and give them my bank info so they know where to deposit the money.

Sure sounds legit, right?

[stansdds]

Absolutely legit! And once you get that refund, I'd like to sell you some ocean front property in South Dakota!

[Ickie]

Microsoft takes on tech support scammers
http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-30548029

[KellyB]

So he gets a four month suspended sentence?:banghead: Hang him, dammit! Leave him hanging as an example to others.

Won't do any good in prevention, but I'll feel better...:untroubled:

[brad kaste]

Clear out of the blue, a couple of weeks ago I get a phone call from some guy saying that there's a lot of mal-ware and viruses out there and he'd like to take over my computer to check it out!!! Can you imagine that? I could tell the call was probably from India with the guy's sing-song voice...plus a lot of hub-bub back ground noise going on. Now,..I know any legit outfit never has a boiler-room atmosphere when getting back to you. It's totally quiet when one talks to a legit techie,... as when I have a talk to a bank security person or ATn't techie, and so forth.
These dirt bags of course will install a virus or mal-ware that they will THEN you have to pay them a tidy sum to then take it out. This happened to a friend of mine. Yes,..it's sad these creeps can't be prosecuted to the full strength of the law. But I know that's impossible.

I thought of stringing this guy along the awhile but then gave it a 2nd thought and just hung up on him.

[stansdds]

Another scam going around is an email or text message stating "your account has been suspended". Just more phishing.

[Dumonceau]

I had a so called Microsoft tecchie call me as well. (in a decidedly indian sounding English) Since these things have been in the news for quite a while, I just replied/lied: "ah, that's great, I work for Microsoft as well. You do realise that I'm connected through Direct Access on the company network?"

Sadly he hung up then... I should've thought of something else and have some more fun with him... :biggrin-new:

Still, these thugs can do a lot of damage, especially with senior citizens who're not always computer savvy...

Dumonceau

[Wayland]

I found an email this morning in my inbox purporting to be from the FBI. "Bureau" was spelled "Beuroue". Deciding it was mis-routed, I forwarded it to the real FBI. I read somewhere that an Intelligence IT person got an email from a phisher, but the next day his boss made him give their bank back.

Steve