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PayPal scam, nearly caught out. Read if you use PayPal, might save you some hassle

  • 10-04-2024 10:23PM
    #1
    NIMAN
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 36,518 ✭✭✭✭


    I am usually fairly savvy when it comes to scams, but this has got me thinking. And not sure if it's genuine or not, so any advice would be welcome.

    OH is selling something on FB Marketplace. €100.

    Someone in Cork has contacted her and wants it. I told her to tell buyer to pay money to my PayPal account.

    She says that PayPal is asking her to enter a 6 digit code to make sure she is sending it to the right person, and I did receive a code on my SMS messages that I usually receive messages from PayPal on.

    Thing that stood out for me is that PayPal called it my password reset code. Surely it wasn't a password reset code.

    I'm thinking if she has that and my email address, she could log in to my PayPal.

    Needless to say, I've sent her nothing and I am thinking of telling her to forget about it, not comfortable proceeding.

    I have tried googling but can't find anything outside of general stuff about 6 digit codes.

    Post edited by NIMAN on
    Tagged:


Comments

  • #2
    Spear
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Help & Feedback Category Moderators Posts: 26,622 CMod ✭✭✭✭Spear


    It's a scam. You don't need to exchange any codes like that.



  • #3
    ItHurtsWhenIP
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 2,308 ✭✭✭ItHurtsWhenIP


    For what it may be worth, you should report the account as a fraudster to FB. They may not do anything, but they might surprise everyone and do the right thing … for once.



  • #4
    NIMAN
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 36,518 ✭✭✭✭NIMAN


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122003655#Comment_122003655

    I don't know who they are though. I only gave them my PayPal address.



  • #5
    NIMAN
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 36,518 ✭✭✭✭NIMAN


    It's elaborate, how did they get PayPal to send me a password reset code to my phone, coming in on the same number that PayPal officially use to message me?



  • #6
    Princess Calla
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,537 ✭✭✭Princess Calla


    Would you not contact PayPal directly and see what they have to say?

    If it's a scam that is elaborate, pretty certain they will want to know about it.



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  • #7
    bennyx_o
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,810 ✭✭✭bennyx_o


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122003855#Comment_122003855

    It could be as simple as them entering your email to log in, then clicking 'Forgotten Password' on the next screen which in turn triggers the text message to ensure it's actually you who's trying to reset your password.



  • #8
    NIMAN
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 36,518 ✭✭✭✭NIMAN


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122003979#Comment_122003979

    Yeah that sounds like what has happened. It was a rookie mistake to actually give out my email address, should have given them my @username instead.

    I woke this morning to an email from PayPal saying there was a login from a new device around that time. That must have been when they generated the 6 digit code text to me. They even sent an authentic looking screenshot to me showing a PayPal screen with 6 little boxes and text above it saying "ask seller to give you 6 digit code to authorise payment " or something along those lines.

    Luckily I got suspicious at that point. And added a passkey to my account. I checked my PayPal this morning and no activity and all as it was, so looks like they didn't gain access. Changed password this morning.

    As I said, I'm usually asking myself "could this be a scam", but this one could easily work on less suspicious users



  • #9
    NIMAN
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 36,518 ✭✭✭✭NIMAN


    Called PayPal and spoke to them (in Dundalk), as the links on the app are a bit useless.

    Had a good chat to them and offered plenty of ways to be more careful in the future! As said, kinda a little disappointed I nearly fell for such a scam, but I'd be a regular PayPal user and I could see how it would easily work on many others.



  • #10
    NIMAN
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 36,518 ✭✭✭✭NIMAN


    I have edited thread title to perhaps make some people read it, might save them falling for same scam.



  • #11
    bennyx_o
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,810 ✭✭✭bennyx_o


    Goes to show how easy it can be to fall for them, and on another day where you may have had more going on and not spotted the 'Password Reset' in the email and it could have ended a lot different



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  • #12
    Hotblack Desiato
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 40,099 ✭✭✭✭Hotblack Desiato


    This is why PayPal put "never share this code with anyone" on their texts!

    Very easy to see how people would fall for it though.

    They send a "someone is trying to log into your account, is this you" email in this scenario, but by the time you check your email and see that it could well be too late…

    I'm partial to your abracadabra
    I'm raptured by the joy of it all



  • #13
    greenspurs
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,604 ✭✭✭✭greenspurs


    Just as a sidenote…..

    Dont fall for the "make it a friends and family" payment , or it could delay the tickets/gifts/whatever…

    If you are suckered…

    You DO NOT have come back from Paypal, as i found out recently to the tune of €340 …… 😫

    247469249_2017413731748359_7675802031635703098_n.jpg

    "Bright lights and Thunder .................... " #NoPopcorn



  • #14
    Hotblack Desiato
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 40,099 ✭✭✭✭Hotblack Desiato


    That's what every seller on adverts seems to want…

    I'm partial to your abracadabra
    I'm raptured by the joy of it all



  • #15
    blackbox
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 5,450 ✭✭✭blackbox


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122606348#Comment_122606348

    Sellers like it because it avoids any fees.

    Doesn't necessarily mean they are scammers, but I would only chance it for small payments.



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