BS: is this a scam?

Subject: BS: is this a scam?
From: The Sandman
Date: 30 Nov 11 - 11:23 AM

Need information to comply with EU regulations

Hello ,

EU regulations require that we collect and confirm some of your account
information. Please complete this by 28/02/2012. If you don't do so in
time,
PayPal is required by law to limit access to your account.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

What should I do?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

The next time you log in to your PayPal account you'll be guided through
a process to collect the necessary information.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Why is this required?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

EU law requires financial services firms like PayPal to confirm the
identity
of all customers to provide a safer platform for its users and to help
prevent
the illegal use of its services. Thank you for your cooperation.

Sincerely,
PayPal

Subject: RE: BS: is this a scam?
From: Pete Jennings
Date: 30 Nov 11 - 11:36 AM

Sounds like a scam to me. Even if it isn't, fuck the EU! Interfering busybodies.

Subject: RE: BS: is this a scam?
From: theleveller
Date: 30 Nov 11 - 11:39 AM

It's a scam. If it was from PayPal you'd be addressed by your user name, not Hello. Also, all PayPal users would get the email - I haven't had one.

Subject: RE: BS: is this a scam?
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 30 Nov 11 - 11:43 AM

Dick
I haven't had this message.
Did you get this as a letter by post or by email or when you logged into paypal?

Subject: RE: BS: is this a scam?
From: TheSnail
Date: 30 Nov 11 - 11:48 AM

Hover the mouse pointer over any links but don't click. The real url behind it will display. You'll probably see that it is nothing to do with Paypal.

Subject: RE: BS: is this a scam?
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 30 Nov 11 - 11:49 AM

not a scam

see this

and from PaylPal community

Re: eu regulations
on Nov-19-2011 05:44 PM

Hi there kmb,

You will then need to select 'Individual' , this is for regular sellers on eBay.

To complete the 'Supply Additional Information' form you will need to:

Go to www.paypal.co.ukand log in to your account.
Click 'Profile' near the top of the page.
Click 'Update' in the 'Business information' section, then click 'Edit'.
Business Type — if you are not a Business you can select 'Individual' from the drop down menu. If you only use PayPal to make online payments please select 'I only send money or pay with PayPal', enter your date of birth and click 'Save'
Click 'Save' to finish the process

Subject: RE: BS: is this a scam?
From: theleveller
Date: 30 Nov 11 - 11:56 AM

I suppose if you actually have to log into your PayPal account first, it may be legit. Try it and see what happens.

Subject: RE: BS: is this a scam?
From: Jack Campin
Date: 30 Nov 11 - 11:58 AM

I just logged in to PayPal and it didn't ask me anything like that. Never has done.

Most likely the email gave you a link to click on, which would have sent you to a fake PayPal site.

The spammers probably have a whole product line of fake sites specially designed to trap ignorant xenophobes like Paul.

Subject: RE: BS: is this a scam?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 30 Nov 11 - 12:14 PM

Paul?

Subject: RE: BS: is this a scam?
From: Jack Campin
Date: 30 Nov 11 - 12:15 PM

I meant Pete.

Subject: RE: BS: is this a scam?
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 30 Nov 11 - 12:16 PM

I am quite certain that Dick would not be asking is there was a link in an email. He would know it was a scam. He ain't an idjit.

Subject: RE: BS: is this a scam?
From: GUEST,999
Date: 30 Nov 11 - 12:26 PM

Write to PayPal security and ask them. Access their security department from the page that opens when you normally access your PayPal account.

However, they are not slouches. They will be the first to tell you NOT to give out information.

Subject: RE: BS: is this a scam?
From: Pete Jennings
Date: 30 Nov 11 - 01:10 PM

Thread creep: Funnily enough, my old headmaster used to call me Paul. In seven years he never once got it right!

Subject: RE: BS: is this a scam?
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 30 Nov 11 - 01:34 PM

paypal support has a phone no if you want fast personalised contact..

In the last few years I've found the UK region phone no to be quite
effective with reasonable wait time before connection to support staff,
and they helped ok with account queries..

[if I remember correctly UK support no was based in Ireland ???]

Subject: RE: BS: is this a scam?
From: gnu
Date: 30 Nov 11 - 02:00 PM

I get email "from" PayPal and two Canuck banks re "unauthorized" access or security or whatever. I don't do business with any of them. I report them as spam without opening them. I don't open stuff if I don't know where it came from.

Of course, PayPal already has your particulars.

Subject: RE: BS: is this a scam?
From: GUEST,guestguest
Date: 30 Nov 11 - 02:39 PM

Don't even think about touching that. It is absolutely a scam and they will clean you out

Subject: RE: BS: is this a scam?
From: GUEST,guest__olddude
Date: 30 Nov 11 - 02:44 PM

Guest was me,
Paypal will never ask for any info via email .. if you answer that they will clean you out ... the only time paypal asks a question is when you log on ... please don't touch that email or you will have a mess on your hands. I know what I am talking about , happened to my friend

Dan

Subject: RE: BS: is this a scam?
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 30 Nov 11 - 02:58 PM

It's a scam.

Dave H

Subject: RE: BS: is this a scam?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 30 Nov 11 - 02:59 PM

It reeks of scam.

Never log in from requests like that. Only ever log in from the website itself.

Subject: RE: BS: is this a scam?
From: gnu
Date: 30 Nov 11 - 03:13 PM

Ahhh... scam, yeah... but what about spreading viruses? I would NEVER open such an email.

Subject: RE: BS: is this a scam?
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 30 Nov 11 - 03:34 PM

you can easily forward unopened dodgy looking emails to paypal/ebay
and wait maybe a day or 2 for an auto reply
informing if it's a genuine communication and safe to open
or malignant spam.

Subject: RE: BS: is this a scam?
From: The Sandman
Date: 30 Nov 11 - 05:58 PM

yes, thanks, but the giveaway to me is the badly set up framing eg
"EU law requires financial services firms like PayPal to confirm the
identity
of all customers to provide a safer platform for its users and to help
prevent
the illegal use of its services. Thank you for your cooperation"
    it is almost as bad as my typing

Subject: RE: BS: is this a scam?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 30 Nov 11 - 06:23 PM

I've received so many fraudulent e-mails purporting to be from PayPal, that I ignore all PayPal e-mail. Same for most financial institutions, and for e-mail providers. I wonder how they can get information to me if they need to.

I NEVER follow a link send by e-mail by any financial institution, and especially not from PayPal. If I need to check something out, I open a new tab and access the institution's Website through my normal procedures.

The scams are far more common that the legitimate communications, so it pays to be very careful. It used to be that the scamps were quite obvious fakes, and I often wondered how a scammer could be so stupid. Well, they're not stupid any more. The scams look exactly like the real thing, with graphics and icons, and correct spelling and grammar.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: is this a scam?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 30 Nov 11 - 06:32 PM

Hardly ever correct spelling and grammar - but alas that is the same in respectable newspaers nowadays.

Subject: RE: BS: is this a scam?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 30 Nov 11 - 06:33 PM

Newspapers!

Subject: RE: BS: is this a scam?
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 30 Nov 11 - 06:55 PM

""I wonder how they can get information to me if they need to.""

They always use your full name and ask you to log in to your account to receive any info.

I've used them for all internet transactions for years, for the simple reason that companies I buy from never are given my card details, but paid through my Paypal account.

Dick, they will be most grateful if you forward that E-Mail to them at [e-mail], and I'm certain they will tell you to delete immediately.

Both Paypal and Ebay follow up on scam mail quite vigorously.

Don T.

Subject: RE: BS: is this a scam?
From: Fossil
Date: 01 Dec 11 - 01:33 AM

Haven't read the thread. If you have to ask, then yes, it is!

Subject: RE: BS: is this a scam?
From: goatfell
Date: 01 Dec 11 - 07:41 AM

scam

Subject: RE: BS: is this a scam?
From: Edthefolkie
Date: 01 Dec 11 - 08:03 AM

Absolutely, a scam.

Don't even open them, forward them to the Paypal/Ebay/bank/whatever scam police.

Subject: RE: BS: is this a scam?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Dec 11 - 11:03 AM

VT's link illustrates the problem. No one there knew a real answer, except that the text posted had been picked up from the actual PayPal site and they'd had to fill out PayPal forms in the past.

A scam artist picking up the PayPal site text and pasting it into a fraud email will make it look like it might be real to someone who doesn't distinguish between the need to log into PayPal to take care of bookkeeping business and clicking on a link in a faux email to get to the right place.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: is this a scam?
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 01 Dec 11 - 12:45 PM

Absolutely SRS, which reinforces the message:

Never, but NEVER, click on a link in any E-Mail which purports to come from a Company asking for confirmation of ID or other personal data.

Always log in to the Company website,and if as is almost certain, the E-Mail is a scam, report it to the Company.

Some of these A***holes DO get stopped that way.

Don T.

Subject: RE: BS: is this a scam?
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 01 Dec 11 - 01:09 PM

A couple of times I HAVE clicked on links that appeared in suspicious emails.

Oh, I had been cautioned before and I knew enough to be suspicious. I was prepared to answer "no" if my computer asked me "Do you really want to download this?" And I certainly wasn't going to give them any information. But I was curious and I wanted to know what the bogus web site looked like.

Well, the web site had already been shut down.

Maybe it's a good thing that I get so little email that I don't bother to check it every day. The email could have been a couple of days old before I read it.