Paypal is a virtual payment processor which has really become popular these days. Internet users now prefer paypal over other processors for their online transactions.
The Reason? Obviously, it is easier and safer to process payment with a merchant website like paypal.
You can also use credit cards for electronic payments via paypal. But, despite all the security and flexibility, unfortunately, scams do happen with a website like paypal.
So, if you are using a paypal account, then you must take proper care of your account. The only thing you need for this is to remain constantly alert to the threat of identity theft, which is becoming more and more common place these days.
You can easily identify any scam with a little information and some common sense.
Here are 7 warning signs of scams that are more likely to happen online:
Warning sign 1
Quite often you may get emails from paypal asking you to verify your account or, asking you to provide some personal information. This is the first warning signal of Identity theft scam. Never, ever provide any information, because paypal will never request for any personal information from you.
Warning sign 2
The email for account verification, which you get in the name of paypal, will be sent to an email ID which is not in the paypal files.
Warning sign 3
The email uses forged headers. Forged headers are not easy to detect. Check if your email provider has options for blocking forged headers. If not, then ask them if its possible to do so.
Warning sign 4
Paypal will never greet you with ‘Dear Paypal Member’ or ‘Dear Paypal User’. It will always greet you with your name that is registered on the paypal account.
Warning sign 5
The fifth warning sign is the threatening email which might be informing you that paypal is going to suspend your account.
Warning sign 6
Do not click on a link that leads to a non-secure page, with no https and no secured browser, without a padlock in its lower left hand corner.
Warning sign 7
The seventh sign is bad English. Paypal will never use a bad english for communication.
If you observe any of these signs, then beware. It’s quite possible it’s a scam. If you have any kind of suspicion, then contact paypal for assistance.
The only person who you can balme for identity theft is yourself, so make sure that you are “street wise” in terms of online fraud and identity theft.