Never click on links embedded in emails - at least unless you check 'em out first. Your email agent or virus software may flag it as a "scam" - or not - but be wary anyway. Just hover your mouse over any suspect link to disclose the real address that you are clicking through to... and if it looks unlike what you'd expect (just an IP address or a long and somewhat bizarre suddomain+domain address) then don't click. Most reputable businesses don't send out "click here if you think this is in error" messages anyway, so that's a clue worth noting. More than likely if it sounds like a fake transaction then it probably is. But if you do click through you'll simply expose yourself to nasty tricks and people that you really don't want to mess with.
Here's an example of one such phishing expedition (it's all fake):
You sent a payment of $79.3 AUD to eBay International AG (AU-AdCommerce-EOM@ebay.com)
It may take a few moments for this transaction to appear in the Recent Activity list in your Account Overview.
Issues with this transaction?
If you belive this is an error please follow the link below to login to your paypal account.
On the next page, please complete the required details, then press the 'Cancel Payment' button to confirm. Your payment will be cancelled and the funds returned to your PayPal account.
(That's then followed with a fake address that masks a real but presumably nasty IP address. Just don't click.)
Some links to discussion on this topic:
Fake PayPal phishing emails.: Trading on eBay: Community
Here's an example of one such phishing expedition (it's all fake):
You sent a payment of $79.3 AUD to eBay International AG (AU-AdCommerce-EOM@ebay.com)
It may take a few moments for this transaction to appear in the Recent Activity list in your Account Overview.
| Merchant eBay International AG AU-AdCommerce-EOM@ebay.com +61 61282880000 | Instructions to merchant You haven't entered any instructions. |
Issues with this transaction?
If you belive this is an error please follow the link below to login to your paypal account.
On the next page, please complete the required details, then press the 'Cancel Payment' button to confirm. Your payment will be cancelled and the funds returned to your PayPal account.
(That's then followed with a fake address that masks a real but presumably nasty IP address. Just don't click.)
Some links to discussion on this topic:
Fake PayPal phishing emails.: Trading on eBay: Community
Fake PayPal phishing emailsAnother PayPal/ebay scam email .......... - quicksales Forum
Another PayPal/ebay scam email ..........
I have been receiving these e mails since I started using PayPal again to pay for items. They say it's a receipt for your payment but the amount & seller are not who you think. Then they give a link saying to click to cancel payment. DO NOT click the link, send the e mail to your spam folder & delete. The latest one I just got said I had paid $79.30 to AU-AdCommerce-EOM@ebay.com. If you think any e mail is suspicious just delete.
