'PayPal - You Authorised A Payment' Scam
This deceiving letter, purporting to be from PayPal regarding a supposed purchase, has been reviewed by cybersecurity researchers and determined to be part of a blatant scheme. The perpetrators of this tactic are attempting to acquire money or personal information from unsuspecting recipients. It is advised that those who receive this email should not respond in any way and ignore it completely.
The Fake Claims Made by the 'PayPal - You Authorised A Payment' Scam
This email is part of a tactic that claims to be from PayPal. It states that a payment of $649.99 was made to 'tanyacaliff@comcast.net' for the purchase of a 43' Class Q60A QLED 4K Smart TV (2022) with order number 87462155. The email encourages recipients to contact PayPal at +1-808-210-2736 if the payment wasn't authorized by them. The high price of the supposed purchase aims to create a sense of urgency in users and get them to quickly follow the provided instructions to cancel it.
The fraudsters behind this email are likely trying to get recipients to provide sensitive information, such as login credentials, ID card information, and credit card details or transfer money. This information can then be used by con artists to collect online account details, make fraudulent purchases and transactions, collect sensitive personal details, and perform other unsafe activities. They also may ask for remote access to computers to access personal files, inject malware and more.
Typical Signs of a Scam Email
When dealing with email communication, especially with unexpected messages, it is crucial to pay attention to the sender's email address, as it is often one of the most straightforward ways to tell if an email is a scheme. If you receive an email from someone who is not on your contact list, then this should be a red flag and a cause for further investigation before clicking any links or responding.
Another tip-off that you might have received an email that contains harmful intentions is the language used throughout the body of the message itself. Phrases such as 'act now' and 'hurry before it's too late' should put you on alert as fraudsters often use high-pressure tactics to encourage victims into handing over information.
