Check this idiot out

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July 26th, 2003, 02:34 PM
DocPC

Check this idiot out

Dear PayPal Customer

This e-mail is the notification of recent innovations taken by PayPal to detect inactive customers and non-functioning mailboxes.

The inactive customers are subject to restriction and removal in the next 3 months.

Please confirm your email address and credit card information by logging in to your PayPal account using the form below:

Email Address:
Password:
Full Name:
Credit Card #:
Exp.Date(mm/yyyy):
ATM PIN (For Bank Verification) #:

This notification expires September 31, 2003

Thanks for using PayPal!

This PayPal notification was sent to your mailbox. Your PayPal account is set up to receive the PayPal Periodical newsletter and product updates when you create your account. To modify your notification preferences and unsubscribe, go to https://www.paypal.com/PREFS-NOTI and log in to your account. Changes to your preferences may take several days to be reflected in our mailings. Replies to this email will not be processed.

Copyright© 2003 PayPal Inc. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks and brands are the property of their respective owners.

Ok, the email had the proper logos, disclamers, and looked official enough.

BUT, here's the reply to address if I chose to reply rather than provide the info asked for.....:[email protected], [email protected].

Here's where it REALLY came from: [email protected]

I bored, greedy student, or someone has taken over a school account........

Duly reported to the proper authorities.....

Anyone get one of these?
July 26th, 2003, 02:36 PM
NooNoo

Ouch, well spotted Doc!
July 26th, 2003, 02:41 PM
Stalemate

Never got one.

Score 1 for the good guys. :thumbs:
July 26th, 2003, 02:46 PM
DocPC

After further poking around, the .edu was just a bounce.....It originates in Matsuyama, Japan......but is registered to someone in Queensland, AU......

Anyone need his PO box?.........:p
July 26th, 2003, 03:24 PM
Matridom

bored Doc?
July 26th, 2003, 03:45 PM
DocPC

Quote:

Originally posted by Matridom
bored Doc?

No, but how many people got this and responded with their information? :(
July 26th, 2003, 03:51 PM
Matridom

Quote:

Originally posted by DocPC
No, but how many people got this and responded with their information? :(

true, but i heard about that issue somewhere else also, where they are using what apears to be a new subdomain for paypal to forward people to. What you SHOULD do is forward all info to paypal and have them use there resources to track these people down.
July 26th, 2003, 04:55 PM
gazzak

This was featured on a program over in the UK called watchdog about 3 weeks ago. Never received anything myself though. I can guarantee that they will be getting lots of replies, even 1 in 500 would a nice payback for them!
July 26th, 2003, 05:21 PM
DocPC

Quote:

Originally posted by Matridom
What you SHOULD do is forward all info to paypal and have them use there resources to track these people down.

That was the first thing I did before doing my own research.
July 26th, 2003, 05:24 PM
Matridom

Quote:

Originally posted by DocPC
That was the first thing I did before doing my own research.

LOL.... same thing i would have done.. if i received that.
July 26th, 2003, 05:43 PM
Orangeman

Hi Doc,

Yep, I get those kinds of notices from Paypal all the time. You're right, they use the same logo, same language, same everything. They are INDISTINGUISHABLE FROM THE REAL THING.

The only tip-off is they ask for the password. When I first joined paypal I got an email just like that. I almost sent in my info but I remembered AOL was having problems like this and they said they would never ask for your password. I decided to check it out to see if Paypal worked the same.

So I CALLED paypal, long-distance on my own dime and got the straight skinny. Yep its a hoax, but I'm sure a lot of less savvy folks fell for it.

Good for you.

Orangeman:D

PS. This is one of the reasons I don't use Paypal anymore.:flame:
July 26th, 2003, 08:17 PM
rgharper

Quote:

Originally posted by DocPC
After further poking around, the .edu was just a bounce.....It originates in Matsuyama, Japan......but is registered to someone in Queensland, AU......

Anyone need his PO box?.........:p

I wonder if this is related to the stories I've heard about (SoBig-I think?) being used to hijack PCs and turn them into spam relay points? Seems like I recently read a story about this scam but they're having so much trouble tracking down the miscreants responsible because they're hijacking PCs and using them to send these messages out rather than an account they actually own.
July 26th, 2003, 08:24 PM
DocPC

Quote:

Originally posted by rgharper
I wonder if this is related to the stories I've heard about (SoBig-I think?) being used to hijack PCs and turn them into spam relay points? Seems like I recently read a story about this scam but they're having so much trouble tracking down the miscreants responsible because they're hijacking PCs and using them to send these messages out rather than an account they actually own.

Hmmmmm....what they wanted was this:

Email Address:
Password:
Full Name:
Credit Card #:
Exp.Date(mm/yyyy):
ATM PIN (For Bank Verification) #:

Dunno?!?!?!?!
July 26th, 2003, 09:02 PM
DocPC

Ok....if I put info in the fields, it sends the info you entered to a LOOOOOOOONG IP, then hits a re-director that takes you to PayPal......

$hit........Anyone else wanna try? PM me your email addy.
July 27th, 2003, 08:17 AM
NooNoo

Quote:

Originally posted by DocPC
Hmmmmm....what they wanted was this:

Email Address:
Password:
Full Name:
Credit Card #:
Exp.Date(mm/yyyy):
ATM PIN (For Bank Verification) #:

Dunno?!?!?!?!

hahahahah not even your bank will ask you for your ATM number... unfortunately this will hit the people who least deserve it, as usual.... :rolleyes:
July 27th, 2003, 10:39 AM
craigmodius

Quote:

Originally posted by NooNoo
unfortunately this will hit the people who least deserve it, as usual

How do you figure it's the people who least deserve it???

Sounds like CyberDarwinism to me. ( am i the first to coin that? lemme run to the patent office:) )

Too many people stampede wallet first thru the world and if they get ripped off in the process then I'm not gonna lose a wink of sleep. Maybe they'll learn a lesson and be more carefull next time and spend 5 minutes reading up on the security info that Paypal SHOUTS at them when they sign up.

The same is true for any other field out there. I lock my car and park in a well lit area. I know my car has a passive anti-theft system, and I know what that is because I took the time to ask or skim the owner's manual.

I'm no financial security guru, but I've read a few things on protecting my bank cards when I'm in the real world and cyberworld and asked my bank things like why they tell me to always use my debit card as a credit card. (because I have 90 days to dispute a charge)

And the list goes on, do I run under a tree in a lightning storm? Do I take candy from strangers? My house is locked.

Sure there are certain security measures that only PC enthusiasts are going to be aware of or happen across in their daily reading, but there is also Common Sense, which of course isn't that common, so if some people get robbed in the process then great, the herd gets thinned out and the rest of us get a cushy job protecting the rest of the cattle. And other people get a job improving security measures in general.
July 27th, 2003, 01:52 PM
Major Kong

Whew!!! I thought what has Doc caught me doing now! ;)
July 29th, 2003, 11:05 PM
Pinnacle

I did not get that e-mail, but about a month ago I got one that was supposed to be from Ebay that ran along the same theme. I forwarded it to them, and they replied back saying that I was one of many that received it and they were after the person that was sending them.
July 30th, 2003, 08:08 AM
PeLiGrOsO

damn scammers, i say we lynch them mofogers.
that why i never reply to messages that i get from any company wanting any of my info, specially from pay pay.
fortunate enough i didnt get a message like that one.
good looking out Doc
July 30th, 2003, 09:18 AM
DocPC

Update:

Well, after sending 7 emails, talking to 3 jackasses, 4 monkeys, and 1 chimp who kind of accused me of authoring the damn thing, I finally got their attention.

They have sent out a new warning letter because of this and claim they have the idiot that tried the scam "under surveillance"

Right.........But hey, I did my bit.
July 31st, 2003, 08:12 AM
Camaro80z

I just recieved the letter from paypal describing these fradulent emails. The only thing that I do not like is how they call it "spoof" emails. It makes it sound too much like a prank for my taste.

Here is the email:

What's in this email?
Protecting Your Account
Forget Your Password? We can help!
PayPal and eBay Anything Points

Protecting Your Account

Many users have recently reported receiving emails that appear to be from PayPal, eBay, or other popular websites that ask the user to enter their password or other private information either directly in the email or by clicking a link. These "spoof" emails are designed to capture private information from unsuspecting users, and are not sent by PayPal.

Stay safe; don't respond to emails asking for any of the following:
Your password and email address combination
Credit card numbers
Bank account numbers
Social security numbers
First and Last Names
Other online safety tips:

Always log in to the PayPal site
PayPal will only ask for information AFTER you have securely logged in.

Keep your password safe
Use a unique password for your PayPal account, and don't use it on any other site or for any other service.

Read your email carefully
PayPal will always address you by your first and last name or business name when we send you an email

Report Suspicious emails
Help us keep the community safe for everyone. If you receive a suspicious email, please report it to us at [email][email protected][/email
July 31st, 2003, 08:42 AM
Platypus

Quote:

Originally posted by CAMARO80Z
The only thing that I do not like is how they call it "spoof" emails. It makes it sound too much like a prank for my taste.

Spoof is the term generally used to describe a communication that has been "doctored" so as to appear to come from a different source.

They could have made this clearer. As you say, to many people a spoof would imply a joke or prank.