Protect Yourself and Report the Latest Frauds, Scams, Spams, Fakes, Identify Theft Hacks and Hoaxes
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Did you receive an email from PayPal, claiming your account has been suspended? Did they then instruct you to 'log in to your PayPal account and complete the steps required to re-secure your account.' or something similar?
Well, don't fall for it. It is a scam, and if you call them back or follow their instructions you will lose money and possibly your identity! Fake emails like this, also known as 'phishing' or 'spoof' emails, attempt to trick you into revealing personal or financial information such as bank account details, credit card details and passwords etc. These fake emails often link to fake (spoof) websites where your information can be collected if you type it.The people behind this are the worst kind of human scum; willing to do anything to scare, threaten, lie, cheat and steal money from anyone, including the elderly and poor. They usually operate out of Nigeria, China, Russia and even some developed western countries. Attachments typically include malware to infect your computer, tablet or phone and allow the scammer to capture your passwords. The "sign-in now" link does NOT go to PayPal; instead, it goes to sportsman.com. We do NOT recommend going to this website, as it may have been hacked.
The email address has paypI.com, note the misspelling. That should prove to you that this is a scam!
Here is an example of the scam email, seen in 2024:
your account has been suspended (ref - #14667120012)
From: service@paypI.com <sportsmanswarehouse@d.sportsmans.com>
Sent: Saturday, January 20, 2024 11:32 AM
To: jsssoanisx3@bellsouth.net; lpssitts@bellsouth.net; tenns3lam@bellsouth.net; rriplsey@bellsouth.net; flowersju@bellsouth.net; drosm2@bellsouth.net; tmcdson88@bellsouth.net; garsciaalex@bellsouth.net; torsken@bellsouth.net;
Subject: Your account has been suspended. (Reff # 98977267)
Importance: High
Please update your card information soon.
𝖸𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝖯𝖺𝗒𝖯𝖺𝗅 𝖺𝖼𝖼𝗈𝗎𝗇𝗍 𝗁𝖺𝗌 𝖻𝖾𝖾𝗇 𝗍𝖾𝗆𝗉𝗈𝗋𝖺𝗋𝗂𝗅𝗒 𝗋𝖾𝗌𝗍𝗋𝗂𝖼𝗍𝖾𝖽
𝖸𝗈𝗎 𝗐𝖾𝗋𝖾 𝗋𝖾𝖼𝖾𝗇𝗍𝗅𝗒 𝖺𝗌𝗄𝖾𝖽 𝗍𝗈 𝗍𝖺𝗄𝖾 𝖺𝗇 𝖺𝖼𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝗈𝗇 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝖺𝖼𝖼𝗈𝗎𝗇𝗍 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗂𝗍 𝗅𝗈𝗈𝗄𝗌 𝗅𝗂𝗄𝖾 𝗐𝖾 𝖽𝗂𝖽𝗇'𝗍 𝗋𝖾𝖼𝖾𝗂𝗏𝖾 𝖺 𝗋𝖾𝗊𝗎𝖾𝗌𝗍𝖾𝖽 𝗋𝖾𝗌𝗉𝗈𝗇𝗌𝖾.
𝖶𝗁𝗒 𝗂𝗌 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝖺𝖼𝖼𝗈𝗎𝗇𝗍 𝗋𝖾𝗌𝗍𝗋𝗂𝖼𝗍𝖾𝖽?
𝖶𝖾 𝗁𝖺𝗏𝖾 𝖿𝗈𝗎𝗇𝖽 𝗌𝗎𝗌𝗉𝗂𝖼𝗂𝗈𝗎𝗌 𝖺𝖼𝗍𝗂𝗏𝗂𝗍𝗒 𝗈𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖼𝗋𝖾𝖽𝗂𝗍 𝖼𝖺𝗋𝖽 𝗅𝗂𝗇𝗄𝖾𝖽 𝗍𝗈 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝖯𝖺𝗒𝖯𝖺𝗅 𝖺𝖼𝖼𝗈𝗎𝗇𝗍.
𝖸𝗈𝗎 𝗆𝗎𝗌𝗍 𝖼𝗈𝗇𝖿𝗂𝗋𝗆 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗂𝖽𝖾𝗇𝗍𝗂𝗍𝗒 𝗍𝗈 𝖼𝗈𝗇𝖿𝗂𝗋𝗆 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗈𝗐𝗇𝖾𝗋 𝗈𝖿 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖼𝗋𝖾𝖽𝗂𝗍 𝖼𝖺𝗋𝖽. 𝖳𝗈 𝗆𝖺𝗂𝗇𝗍𝖺𝗂𝗇 𝖺𝖼𝖼𝗈𝗎𝗇𝗍 𝗌𝖾𝖼𝗎𝗋𝗂𝗍𝗒, 𝗉𝗅𝖾𝖺𝗌𝖾 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝗏𝗂𝖽𝖾 𝖽𝗈𝖼𝗎𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍𝗌 𝖼𝗈𝗇𝖿𝗂𝗋𝗆𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗂𝖽𝖾𝗇𝗍𝗂𝗍𝗒. 𝖶𝖾'𝗏𝖾 𝖺𝗅𝗌𝗈 𝗂𝗆𝗉𝗈𝗌𝖾𝖽 𝗍𝖾𝗆𝗉𝗈𝗋𝖺𝗋𝗒 𝗅𝗂𝗆𝗂𝗍𝗌 𝗈𝗇 𝖼𝖾𝗋𝗍𝖺𝗂𝗇 𝖿𝖾𝖺𝗍𝗎𝗋𝖾𝗌 𝗈𝗇 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝖯𝖺𝗒𝖯𝖺𝗅 𝖺𝖼𝖼𝗈𝗎𝗇𝗍.
𝖠𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗍𝗂𝗆𝖾, 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗐𝗂𝗅𝗅 𝗇𝗈𝗍 𝖻𝖾 𝖺𝖻𝗅𝖾 𝗍𝗈:
- 𝖱𝖾𝖼𝖾𝗂𝗏𝖾 𝗉𝖺𝗒𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍𝗌
- 𝖲𝖾𝗇𝖽 𝗉𝖺𝗒𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍
- 𝖶𝗂𝗍𝗁𝖽𝗋𝖺𝗐 𝖿𝗎𝗇𝖽𝗌
W𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗍𝗈 𝖽𝗈 𝗇𝗈𝗐?
𝖫𝗈𝗀𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝗈 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝖯𝖺𝗒𝖯𝖺𝗅 𝖺𝖼𝖼𝗈𝗎𝗇𝗍 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗉𝖾𝗋𝖿𝗈𝗋𝗆 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗋𝖾𝗊𝗎𝗂𝗋𝖾𝖽 𝗌𝗍𝖾𝗉𝗌.𝖫𝗈𝗀𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝗈 𝖯𝖺𝗒𝖯𝖺𝗅 𝖭𝖾𝗑𝗍? 𝖮𝗇𝖼𝖾 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗁𝖺𝗏𝖾 𝖼𝗈𝗆𝗉𝗅𝖾𝗍𝖾𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗋𝖾𝗊𝗎𝖾𝗌𝗍𝖾𝖽 𝗍𝖺𝗌𝗄, 𝗐𝖾 𝗐𝗂𝗅𝗅 𝗋𝖾𝗏𝗂𝖾𝗐 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖺𝖼𝖼𝗈𝗎𝗇𝗍 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖼𝗈𝗇𝗍𝖺𝖼𝗍 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗋𝖾𝗀𝖺𝗋𝖽𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗂𝗍𝗌 𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗍𝗎𝗌 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇 𝟧 𝖻𝗎𝗌𝗂𝗇𝖾𝗌𝗌 𝖽𝖺𝗒𝗌. 𝖳𝗁𝖺𝗇𝗄 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝖺𝗍𝗍𝖾𝗇𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝗍𝗈 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗆𝖺𝗍𝗍𝖾𝗋. 𝖧𝖾𝗅𝗉 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖢𝗈𝗇𝗍𝖺𝖼𝗍 | 𝖲𝖾𝖼𝗎𝗋𝗂𝗍𝗒 | 𝖠𝗉𝗉𝗅𝗂𝖼𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝖣𝗈𝗇'𝗍 𝗋𝖾𝗉𝗅𝗒 𝗍𝗈 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝖾𝗆𝖺𝗂𝗅. 𝖳𝗈 𝖼𝗈𝗇𝗍𝖺𝖼𝗍 𝗎𝗌, 𝖼𝗅𝗂𝖼𝗄 𝖧𝖾𝗅𝗉 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖢𝗈𝗇𝗍𝖺𝖼𝗍. 𝖣𝗈𝗇'𝗍 𝗄𝗇𝗈𝗐 𝗐𝗁𝗒 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗋𝖾𝖼𝖾𝗂𝗏𝖾𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝖾𝗆𝖺𝗂𝗅? 𝖫𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗇 𝗆𝗈𝗋𝖾 𝖢𝗈𝗉𝗒𝗋𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍 𝟣𝟫𝟫𝟫-𝟤𝟢𝟤4 𝖯𝖺𝗒𝖯𝖺𝗅. 𝖢𝗈𝗉𝗒𝗋𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍 𝗂𝗌 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝗍𝖾𝖼𝗍𝖾𝖽 𝖻𝗒 𝗅𝖺𝗐. 𝖢𝗈𝗇𝗌𝗎𝗆𝖾𝗋 𝖺𝖽𝗏𝗂𝖼𝖾 - 𝖠𝗌 𝖺 𝗁𝗈𝗅𝖽𝖾𝗋 𝗈𝖿 𝖯𝖺𝗒𝖯𝖺𝗅'𝗌 𝗌𝗍𝗈𝗋𝖾𝖽 𝗏𝖺𝗅𝗎𝖾 𝖿𝖺𝖼𝗂𝗅𝗂𝗍𝗒, 𝖯𝖺𝗒𝖯𝖺𝗅 𝖯𝗍𝖾. 𝖫𝗍𝖽. 𝖽𝗈𝖾𝗌 𝗇𝗈𝗍 𝗋𝖾𝗊𝗎𝗂𝗋𝖾 𝖺𝗉𝗉𝗋𝗈𝗏𝖺𝗅 𝖿𝗋𝗈𝗆 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖬𝗈𝗇𝖾𝗍𝖺𝗋𝗒 𝖠𝗎𝗍𝗁𝗈𝗋𝗂𝗍𝗒 𝗈𝖿 𝖲𝗂𝗇𝗀𝖺𝗉𝗈𝗋𝖾. 𝖴𝗌𝖾𝗋𝗌 𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝖺𝖽𝗏𝗂𝗌𝖾𝖽 𝗍𝗈 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗆𝗌 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖼𝗈𝗇𝖽𝗂𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇𝗌 𝖼𝖺𝗋𝖾𝖿𝗎𝗅𝗅𝗒. 𝖯𝖺𝗒𝖯𝖺𝗅 𝖯𝖯𝖢𝟢𝟢𝟣𝟨𝟧𝟤:𝟣.𝟩:B63OETNR
Don't fall for it. It is a scam. Do not click on anything in the email.
If you think you've received a phishing email, forward it to phishing@paypal.com or in the UK, spoof@paypal.co.uk (so PayPal can investigate) and then delete the fake email from your mailbox. If you've responded to a fraudulent email and believe your PayPal account may now have been accessed, you should report the unauthorized access immediately.
Don't click any links in a text message that appears to be from PayPal, but doesn’t seem right.
Forward a copy to PayPal. Here's how:
Apple offers the following advice:
If you get a suspicious Email:
Scammers spoof phone numbers and use flattery and threats to pressure you into giving them information, money, and even iTunes gift cards. Always verify the caller's identity before you provide any personal information. If you get an unsolicited call from someone claiming to be from Apple, hang up and contact us directly.
Tech support scams are an industry-wide issue where scammers use scare tactics to trick you into paying for unnecessary technical support services that supposedly fix contrived device, platform, or software problems.
Scammers may call you directly on your phone and pretend to be representatives of a software company. They might even spoof the caller ID so that it displays a legitimate support phone number from a trusted company. They can then ask you to install applications that give them remote access to your device. Using remote access, these experienced scammers can misrepresent normal system output as signs of problems.
Cybercriminals don't just send fraudulent email messages and set up fake websites. They might also call you on the telephone and claim to be from Microsoft. They might offer to help solve your computer problems or sell you a software license. Once they have access to your computer, they can do the following:
Trick you into installing malicious software that could capture sensitive data, such as online banking user names and passwords. They might also then charge you to remove this software.
See these pages for guidance as applicable to your specific situation:
PayPal says, you'll know that an email is not from PayPal when:
It begins with a generic greeting like 'Dear user' or 'Hello, PayPal member.' We'll always begin with your first and last name or the business name on your PayPal account.
It asks for financial and other personal information. Our emails will never ask for your bank account number, debit or credit card number etc. We'll never ask for your full name, your account password, or the answers to your PayPal security questions in an email.
It asks you to provide the tracking number of a dispatched item, before you've received the payment into your PayPal account.
It includes a software update to install on your computer.
Even if a URL contains the word 'PayPal', it may not be a PayPal webpage.
When using PayPal, always ensure that the URL address listed at the top of the browser displays as https://www.paypal.com/.
The 's' in 'https' means the website is secure.
Look for the 'lock' symbol that appears in the address bar. This symbol indicates that the site
you're visiting is secure.
The following documents and websites can help you learn more about phishing and how to protect yourself against phishing attacks.
There are several websites that focus on reports of scam Emails.
The links below go to pages on these other websites were you can read reports about the scams associated with this phone number (PayPal, claiming your account has been suspended ):
* If the suspicious mail in question includes a file attachment, it is safer to simply highlight the message and forward it. Some configurations, especially in Windows environments, may allow the execution of arbitrary code upon opening and viewing a malicious email message.
There are several websites that focus on reports of scam Emails.
The links below go to pages on these other websites were you can read reports about the scams associated with this phone number (855-687-1444, claiming This is Microsoft. This call is to inform you that your Microsoft license key has expired):
There are a number of common telephone scams, such as:
and some new and as yet, uncommon scams.
For a comprehensive list of national and international agencies to report scams, see this page.