@_@ is someone trying to rip me off?

I just got this in my junk mail

Quote:

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Dear Valued PayPal® Member:


Recently, our Account Review Team identified some unusual activity in your
account. In accordance with PayPal's User Agreement and to ensure that your
account has not been compromised, access to your account was limited. Your
account access will remain limited until this issue has been resolved. This
is a fraud prevention measure meant to ensure that your account is not
compromised.

In order to secure your account and quickly restore full access, we may
require some specific information from you for the following reason:

We would like to ensure that your account was not accessed by an
unauthorized third party. Because protecting the security of your account
is our primary concern, we have limited access to sensitive PayPal account
features. We understand that this may be an inconvenience but please
understand that this temporary limitation is for your protection.

Case ID Number: PP-248-551-918

We encourage you to log in and restore full access as soon as possible.
Should access to your account remain limited for an extended period of
time, it may result in further limitations on the use of your account.

However, failure to restore your records will result in account suspension.
Please update your records on or before December 30, 2004.

Once you have updated your account records, your PayPal session will not be
interrupted and will continue as normal.

To update your Paypal records click on the following link:
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_login-run

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. Please understand that
this is a security measure meant to help protect you and your account. We
apologize for any inconvenience.


Sincerely,
PayPal® Account Review Department



PayPal Email ID PP519

Accounts Management As outlined in our User Agreement, PayPal will
periodically send you information about site changes and enhancements.

Visit our Privacy Policy and User Agreement if you have any questions.
http://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr...rivacy-outside

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The thing is, when I go to the url

I get an url address with 216.117.157.186 in it.

This is a scam right?

Looks like it. I'd go to the real contact page and report that shit right away.

How about just checking your account through the real paypal site instead of clicking on some link in a possible spam email?

I don't know if its a scam as I dont use paypal, but if I would ever get any mail from my bank I know that I would NEVER click on any link in the email and just go straight into my bank website and check out my account myself.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by raystorm

How about just checking your account through the real paypal site instead of clicking on some link in a possible spam email?

I don't know if its a scam as I dont use paypal, but if I would ever get any mail from my bank I know that I would NEVER click on any link in the email and just go straight into my bank website and check out my account myself.

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I don't see how clicking on the link is going to hurt me. It isn't like I logged in through that thing.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by IronPlant

I don't see how clicking on the link is going to hurt me. It isn't like I logged in through that thing.

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Are you sure? Look outside your front door, are you sure there's not a bunch of Latvian heavies waiting for you?



Anyway, I did a WHOIS search on that IP; It's registered under Advanced Internet Technologies, Inc. and looks as dodgy as a back alley in Beirut.

I've been getting those about PayPal and ebay for the past two months. I reported both, and nothing happened. Now, I just ignore them. I suggest you do the same. Neither of my accounts have been erased.

HA! There. I hate posting on TNL at TrialSword's house. I never remember to log him out...

I reported it. Untill they email me, telling me exactly what this stuff is that I'm doing wrong, I'm going to ignore the email.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by IronPlant

I just got this in my junk mail



The thing is, when I go to the url

I get an url address with 216.117.157.186 in it.

This is a scam right?

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Right off the bat its a scam. ONLY go to URLs that have the actual link to it. Even tho when you view it..it shows the actual http://www.paypal.com, but when you click on it, you get a completely different one, its OK to click on it. So as long you dont enter your information. I entered a fake email and password and I dont remember what it did. There will also be fake links that look real such as http://www.paypal.is3.com or http://www.paypal.com.ws341 or something that looks like that. NEVER go to them.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by IronPlant

I reported it. Untill they email me, telling me exactly what this stuff is that I'm doing wrong, I'm going to ignore the email.

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Also, usually if there was something wrong with your paypal account such as you having a complaint from a buyer (thats if you sell on ebay), when you log on to your paypal account, on the right side, you'll should see in a pinkish red box that says COMPLAINTS/DISPUTES/CASES or something like that. Thats when you know the email is legit. If you're really unsure..just forward to spoof@paypal.com and they'll tell you if its real or not.

FYI, ebays is spoof@ebay.com

Yep, as you've no doubt figured out by now, it's a scam. I get that crap all the time actually and have reported it every time. Just use common sense: if you didn't order something, obviously there's no way for you to not have paid for it, etc. And naturally, if an e-mail tells you to log in and provides a link, you're better off just typing in the URL yourself.

Isn't this the reason why ebay has its own mailing system now so people won't fall for scam emails?