Paypal Email Should I Be Suspicious?

[themorrigan]

I've had an email from paypal, with my full name on it. It says there has been suspicious account activity on my account and to go check it. When I go on and sign in its blocked my account, is asking for my full credit card number and then to change my password -all this before I can check the 'suspicious' activity on the account. Should i be suspicious or is this normal?

[sandyRoe]

Are you using a link in the e-mail to try and access the paypal account? That would be dodgy, I think.

[Old_Geezer]

I trust you typed the paypal address in and didn't click on any link they sent you.

No, asking for such details is not normal. Type the address in, go to the account, change any security you have, and if you have entered any card details contact your bank and tell them.

[factor-fiction]

If you have definitely signed into the official paypal site (and not just clicked on a link in a phishing email) then it would seem genuine to me

[RATTER15]

I get loads of these, make sure you go to paypal by your usual route, definitely not via a link in the email.

If in doubt just phone them instead.

[amjobra]

paypal should already have your details
this sounds suspicious to me
the best idea will be to contact paypal by telephone
personally i would not enter my credit card number or change password until paypal have been contacted

[RATTER15]

use this link. https://www.paypal.co.uk/ppc/sign-up/?campaign=true&mpch=ads&type=SEA&mplx=3484-147350-8030-0

[Canary42]

A scam. Do NOT click any links, forward it to www.PayPal.spoof then delete it.

[factor-fiction]

If it's the official paypal site why would it be suspicious? If you can't trust the official paypal site I'm not sure how you can trust what they say on the phone.

[themorrigan]

8 responses! wow that was quick! As I have a credit card linked to the account with enough credit on it to buy a small car I thought it best to give PP a call. Just finished call to customer support. The email WAS from PP -they put a hold on my account because someone (me) accessed it yesterday from a different source than usual and it flagged up. Panic over but really looked suspicious when I went on and it asked to change all these details. nice to know that PP is on the ball though and it was really easy to get through to an obviously european based help centre. Thank you for such quick replies, much appreciated.

[Old_Geezer]

Glad to hear all is ok, but I think Paypal should review how they deal with this sort of suspicion though. What is one to think if, out of the blue, one is asked for payment card details ?

[themorrigan]

totally agree Old_Geezer, it really panicked me , but better safe than sorry I guess. :-)

[factor-fiction]

I don't think it was the email though, Old _Geezer that asked for the credit card number- I think it was a question she was asked after she had logged into Paypal. I think they wondered whether her account had already been compromised (ie had someone used her ID and password on another device) so they needed to ask another security question.

[themorrigan]

factor -they did not require me to answer any security question when i first went on the site. following reading the email from them, I signed in as normal from my book marked page, it accepted my log on details then asked me for my credit card number, gave me a box to change my email address, a box to change my password , and box to change my security questions -all looked a bit fishy but sorted now.

[dzug2]

==all looked a bit fishy but sorted now==

So HOW was it sorted - that's vital in understanding what happened. Was it fishy or real?

[Sparkles62]

BE VERY SUSPICIOUS.
Dont contact them via any links in this e-mail.
Contact them yourself if you need to, but personally I wouldn't bother, I get about 4 or 5 of these a week from paypal, all scams. X

[themorrigan]

Dzug -read my reply 08.50am

[TheOtherHalf]

I had one like this not so long ago, I reported it to Paypal who thanked me. Not had any trouble using Paypal then or since so it must have been a scam

[themorrigan]

It wasn't a scam -as i reported in my follow up post at 8.50am this morning.

[rowanwitch]

I had similar.... triggered by an unusual purchase series.... three pc games in 24 hours it was abnormal they reacted I phoned them

I was impressed

[Canary42]

So glad it wasn't a scam - nevertheless I will continue my policy of forwarding to spoof@paypal and deleting untouched - have done in past with genuine ones and PayPal happily respond without rancour.