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BOSTON — The Better Business Bureau is warning those with PayPal accounts, and reminding all computer users, to keep an eye out for a phishing scame that can allow con artists to invade accounts with malware.
The scam involves emailed fake payment confirmations containing links that, when clicked on, allow the malware in, the Better Business Bureau serving northern New England said.
Phishing scams look like legitimate emails, and they are getting more sophisticated every day, according to the news release. What these con artists are really after is your banking and financial information. And they won’t mind destroying your computer to get it.
Here’s how the scam works: You get an email claiming to be from PayPal. The message informs you that you have recently sent a payment through your PayPal account. Since the payment will sound foreign to you, there is an option to “cancel the order” if the transaction wasn’t made by you.
By clicking that button, you are allowing the scam artist complete access to your computer and all the files and information stored on it.
“Allowing a scammer to access your computer can open you up to the risk of identity theft,” said Paula Fleming, spokeswoman for the BBB. “Scam artists can install malware that records passwords or hunts for personal information, such as bank account numbers, on your computer.”
To protect yourself, call before you click. If something sounds suspicious, confirm it by calling the company or checking the company website. Type the URL directly into your browser or do a web search. Don’t click on any links in unexpected messages — from any source.
Look for misspellings. Look out for spelling and grammar mistakes when dealing with a suspicious-looking email claiming to come from well-known companies. Additionally, check the copyright at the bottom of the email. If it looks even slightly different, then it is most likely a fake.
Be cautious of generic emails. Scammers try to cast a wide net by including little or no specific information in their fake emails. Always be wary of messages that don’t contain your name, last digits of your account number or other personalized information.
Learn more about how to spot fake emails from PayPal by visiting PayPal’s Online Help Center.
If you suspect you’ve received a fake email confirmation from PayPal, forward the email to spoof@paypal.com and report the scam to BBB Scam Tracker.
For more information on scams and how to protect yourself, visit bbb.org.
