The tell-tale sign of a scam email
Lisa Du is director of ReadyTechGo, a service that helps people gain the confidence and skills to embrace modern technology.
I really enjoy online shopping, and the convenience of buying things through the click of a button. I recently purchased an item off eBay, and used PayPal to pay for the item.
A few days later, I received an email that looked like this:
I knew I didn't order a Double Screen Waterproof Camera, but the PayPal email looked very similar to the original PayPal email that I had received for my legitimate eBay purchase.
In most cases, the instant reaction is to click through on the links in that email, and dispute the purchase but this is exactly what the scammers want you to do!
We've covered this topic previously, but these types of emails are becoming increasingly popular, so it doesn't hurt to revisit this security topic.
Spot the difference:
When you hover/mouse over the links (which will usually direct you to the website), note the website is not PayPal. It will be the website that the scammer wants you to click through to.
If you are suspicious of your PayPal activity, don't click through to your PayPal account via any emails.
If in doubt, always open a new browser tab, and go directly to https://www.paypal.com and check your account.
You can also forward those spam emails to spoof@paypal.com and report those emails.
You can definitely enjoy online shopping, but be vigilant and think before you click!
Do you have any tips about spotting scam emails? Let us know in the comments below.