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I know this has nothing to do with stamping, except you may be a person that has a Paypal account. My account was scammed this week for $400.00.I called paypal Tuesday and told them I wanted to close the paypal account, they said I couldn't do that while the "investigations" was going on and they assured me that it would be taken care of and that the $400.00 would NOT be deducted from my bank account. Well, guess what???!! Today, they deducted the $400.00. I called and was put on hold, transferred, told that if I stopped payment on the $400.00 they would take me to "collections"!!!!. I am soooo soooo upset, there are not words for it. Supposedly the money will be in my paypal account tomorrow and I'll be able to transfer it back to my bank account. They couldn't tell me what it was that I "PURCHASED"????(I didn't purchase anything!!) Just be aware, if you have a paypal account I would close it. I posted to another message board and this has happened to other people too.
It happened to me also - just 3 weeks ago, but they scammed me for $3,500+. It would have been more but I caught two of the transactions still in the pending stage and cancelled them. I had gotten some email "notifications" from paypal that were in gibberish and was checking the website to find where to send them for possible phishing investigation, when I found the activitiy on my account. I immediately began disputing the transactions in the Resolution section of the Paypal site.
At some point in the reporting process, I was required to change my password and security questions which I did. I also took the precaution of changing ALL other user names and passwords on all my online accounts the next day from my computer at work - it is better protected than my home computer.
I called Paypal the next day - twice - because of the activity and because I also got a threatening email from one of the sellers that I was disputing. The second call was after I got a phone call from the same seller! Apparently, my phone number and address was included in the receipt the seller got from the scammer because Paypal says they do not send that information to the seller.
It appears that the sellers were also victims in this scam and I don't know what was involved with them except that one transaction involved an online gaming site called "World of Warcraft" or something like that.
I guess because I had disputed the transactions through their website, Paypal credited my Paypal account with funds equal to those that were headed for my bank account - some were charged to my Paypal credit account. I was told I could transfer those funds to my bank to cover the charges but I didn't do that mainly because the transfer would arrive later than the charges and I had important payments coming out all within the same time period. I called my bank and they put stops on the individual amounts which when bounced back were deducted from the funds Paypal had advanced me. I haven't heard anything from Paypal that says that I am in trouble for doing that (knock on wood).
In the mean time, either the scammer tried again or because of the investigation, my account was placed on limited use - no $$ in or outand it can't be be closed until 3 steps are taken - I have taken care of 2 and will wait on the 3rd.
It took over a week before all disputes were resolved and the transactions were determined to be fraudulant. And I check my email twice a day now (if not more often)!
__________________ 'A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have..'- Thomas Jefferson
Guys: Thanks for the heads up. I have been expreiencing problems related to payments for auction items. Paypal will not let me pay by echeck, but only through the credit thingy. I called them a month ago....3x's no such luck. Also I emailed them and they said they would get the seller to accept an echeck. The seller never responded to me re: this issue. So, I think she was never contacted. I think eBay took them over. Maybe something happened to compromise their integrity. Oh, Lord!
But, thanks to you guys I will keep a sharp look out!
I read on SCS a couple of weeks or maybe even a month ago that paypal was being easily scammed so I closed my account--after reading these posts I am really glad that I did so!!
__________________ Valerie in SCN2/12-O14/10 J14/30M43/30A34/30M43/31F47/40J102/312014-293/365
I closed my business account and opened another one with limited access. I also signed up with paypal security code though they wouldn't get much from my checking account right now. Sorry this happened to you.
I hope you get all of your money back. I closed my Paypal acct a long time ago. I do not like Paypal at all. I now use a PRE-paid visa card for all of my on-line purchases. I only put on what I need to pay for something and then if anyone tries to scam it, they are out of luck.
There is a new security feature being added to Paypal and e-bay- it is a device that has an access code and it changes every 30 seconds- you have to enter it in addition to your password......they are $5.00 You choose whether or not to purchase it........ I did buy one.
Thanks. That just sounds like a mess to deal with, and I rarely use my paypal account so I closed it. Hope everything works out well for you! What a pain!
I took my bank account off of Paypal a couple of years ago, I didn't feel good about it being there. That being said, I do need paypal every now and then for ebay auctions that are paypal only so I only have a credit card tied to the account. That way I can always dispute charges through them if paypal doesn't come through, HTH
I have used PayPal for many years, and never had a problem. Their customer service was always helpful to me if I filed a claim for an item I did not receive. I think if you are careful about picking a difficult password for hackers to guess, make sure you NEVER click on links from emails/websites unless you specifically type PayPal.com into the address bar, never share your account information with anyone, you can expect to be as safe as any other CC or bank account. JMO.
The same thing happened to me (and several others ... see this thread) a month ago, and I have since closed my PayPal account.
I don't know if it's too late, but you need to contact your bank and put a stop payment on the PayPal transactions. My bank was very helpful and the money was returned by the next morning.
Good luck! Mine, too, involved purchases of World of Warcraft characters.
Did anyone who had this problem receive email notifications that money had just been "sent"? I always receive email notifications that money has been sent somewhere from my account. If I receive a notice that money has been sent that I did not authorize, I would know right away with the email notifications. Are you not getting these notifications when they are stealing from you accoung? I really would like to know so that I can close my account if notifications are not being sent.
Thanks, Sandy O
Did anyone who had this problem receive email notifications that money had just been "sent"?
Yes, that is what alerted me to the trouble. I had six or seven emails from PayPal saying my "payment has been sent," "payment has been reversed," or "account has been placed on hold."
Oh yes, I went to the bank this afternoon to try and put a stop payment on it but couldn't because it was already "gone".....I have now moved everything out of the account , but left the account open so "hopefully" they (Paypal) will put the money back into my account. I am just so upset!! Even if it is reversed, it will take 3 - 5 business days that I am without my $$$. These people that do this are just horrible horrible beings.
Thanks Sandy
Your post made me finally decide it is not a good idea to have paypal using my bank account. Even though I have had paypal for 5 years with no problems, I decided why take the chance of something happening and closed it.
So sorry this happened to you
A couple weeks ago my daughter had $300 taken out of her PayPal account. I thought it was an isolated problem, but it doesn't sound like it. I just used mine to pay for some rubber. I think maybe I'll close mine now, too.
Thanks and hope everyone gets their money back.
Janet
__________________ (My Avatar is my son in Iraq and his dog, Bodie -- note Bodie's haircut!)
Yes, that is what alerted me to the trouble. I had six or seven emails from PayPal saying my "payment has been sent," "payment has been reversed," or "account has been placed on hold."
I was victim of this too over 4th of July, to the tune of 3,750.00 I was lucky that I had set up my paypal's email address to go to my blackberry and I was watching a movie with the kids and i had gotten the transaction email and immediately got on the phone within an hour with them to get it all settled up, but it took me good 5 days to get it all settled and finally was able to close my account last week. It was a MESS. so now I'm no longer using paypal. I'll stick with old fashion of cash, checks or money order, thank you very much!!
I was victim of this too over 4th of July, to the tune of 3,750. So now I'm no longer using paypal. I'll stick with old fashion of cash, checks or money order, thank you very much!!
YIKES! That's a lot of $!!
I'm sure PayPal has lost a lot of accounts recently.
I, too, am going back to cash or check methods of payment.
Thanks for posting this. I had two accounts open, one I never used, but I closed it this morning after reading this. Boy, they ask you enough times if you are sure you want to close it...jeepers! I'm considering closing the other one, too, since I really don't use it that often.
Unfortunately many ebay sellers only take Paypal and many online stores only take Paypal. I signed up for Paypal security, 5.00 isn't too much to protect my account.
Unfortunately many ebay sellers only take Paypal and many online stores only take Paypal. I signed up for Paypal security, 5.00 isn't too much to protect my account.
I didn't know they had security you could buy. What does it cover?
__________________
~Dianne~One of Kota's KidsSU Demo
Every experience God gives us, every person He puts in our lives is preparation for a future that only He can see--Corrie ten Boom
Yikes! I've used Paypal for 7 years with no troubles. I just changed my password and questions and am going to be looking into this security. I don't have any money to give hackers! haha
I am trying to close my account but it isn't letting me.
I log in, go to profile, close account, a window comes up to confirm that I am the credit card holder by putting in the full account number. I click submit and a window comes up saying "click here to retry" or "go to homepage". Am I doing something wrong?
I just signed up for the Security Key. The only checking account attached to Paypal for me has $20 in it and I only add more when I'm going to use it. And the credit card has a really low limit... wait - they kept increasing it so it's time to change that too. But if I read much more about this sort of thing -- or ever see that someone with a Security Key has been robbed -- I'll be closing it and looking into the prepaid credit card idea.
Thanks to the OP for reminding everyone to monitor their accounts.
I didn't know they had security you could buy. What does it cover?
The Security Key is a little device that they send you that uses an algorithm specific to your account and displays a new 6-digit security key every 30 seconds and you use that to access your account. Interesting concept and I just ordered mine.
I cancelled my paypal account ages ago because of all the suspicious emails I was getting. Fortunately, they stop since cancelling my account. TFS this information. Hopefully, it will make others aware of the problem.
thanks for the heads up on the possible problems. I just joined paypal in January, but after reading this thread, I just now went in and closed my account. I do not need any financial problems LOL, as I am sure neither does anyone else, but before I have any I want to,hopefully, be ahead of the game. Thanks to the OP for alerting us.
__________________ Fan Club Member since 05/2006 When life hands you lemons, ask for sugar and call me over My Gallery My Stampin' UP! Site
Did anyone who had this problem receive email notifications that money had just been "sent"? I always receive email notifications that money has been sent somewhere from my account. If I receive a notice that money has been sent that I did not authorize, I would know right away with the email notifications. Are you not getting these notifications when they are stealing from you accoung? I really would like to know so that I can close my account if notifications are not being sent.
Thanks, Sandy O
Apparently that was what the emails I was reporting to Paypal were about . but who could tell? They looked like they were written in Chinese - I think it was the Wingbat font cuz everything was gibberish - the only legible parts of the body of the message was the seller email and a amount followed by USD. Since I had been contacted by the seller personally, and called in about the breach of security, Paypal supplied me with the security key at no charge. It just came in the mail a couple of days ago. But I am leaving my account in the limited status until I fully check out this security key thing. I only use Paypal to pay for stamps I buy from EBay and other online stamp vendors. The last transaction (legitamate one that is) was back in November when I purchased from PaperTrey. And I made that purchase from my work computer. But what I found curious was the Customer Service rep at Paypal knew all about World of Warcraft as she had been playing it for several months.
__________________ 'A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have..'- Thomas Jefferson
Yes, mine was "verified", linked ot my bank account. That's what they did!! Drew the $400.00 out of my checking account.....I DID get it back today. Well, it's not actually BACK in my checking account yet. It was in my Paypal account and I finally got them to transfer it back to my checking account. It will take 3 - 5 business days for it to actually be there though. :(
Paypal has security you can buy??? What are the fees for?
Ummm, shouldn't that be something that they just provide given the amount of money and sensitive information that goes through them?
PAYPAL SCAMMING BE AWARE
OMG!!!!!!!!!!!
