Don’t Be Fooled By E-mail Scams

If the following letter came to your e-mail inbox, would you suspect that it might be a fraud?

Dear [e-mail address],

   We recently reviewed your account, and suspect that your PayPal account may have been accessed by an unauthorized third party. Protecting the security of your account and of the PayPal network is our primary concern.
Therefore, as a preventative measure, we have temporarily limited access to sensitive PayPal account features.
Click below in order to regain access to your account:  [Web address]. 
 
  We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, and appreciate your assistance in helping us maintain the integrity of the entire PayPal system. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.
 
 Sincerely,
 The PayPal Team

Be a skeptic - always

The tip-off that the above letter is a fake is that the letter is addressed “Dear” plus the recipient’s e-mail address.

The user who received this e-mail uses the PayPal service to pay for purchases made on e-Bay.  She found it suspicious that the e-mail wasn’t addressed using her first and last names. 

So, she opened a new Web browser and typed PayPal’s Web address.  There, she read:

Recently PayPal members have reported suspicious-looking emails and fake websites.  These fraudulent emails may address you with the salutation “Dear PayPal User” or “Dear PayPal Member.”

These emails are not from PayPal.  PayPal will only address you by your first and last name, or the business name associated with the account.

What would you have done?

If you would have clicked the link in the e-mail, we need to talk.

As your ISP, we want to ensure that you have a safe experience online.  But you need to do your part by being a bit of a skeptic and becoming aware of Internet fraud.

Your online safety is your responsibility, but we’re here to help. 

Get up-to-speed and surf safely

Start protecting yourself by using these online resources:

• The Federal Bureau of Investigation's Internet Fraud Complaint Center
  
  
• The National Consumer League's Internet Fraud Tips
  
  
• The Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) Consumer Information site has a wealth of information about online payments, chain e-mails and other safe surfing topics.
  
  
• If you dial into the Internet, read the FTC's guide Dialing Up to the Internet: How to Stay Safe Online.
  
  
• If you connect using a broadband or high-speed connection, read Safe at Any Speed.