Protecting your privacy and security is more imporant than ever.
A recent study found that 33% of consumers globally have been victims of a data breach – that’s approximately 2.6 billion people around the world. That’s right, we said billion. Even with this shocking number, 82% of consumers continue to trust that online digital service providers will protect their personal data.
And that’s what PayPal is doing. PayPal is taking steps to protect your money and your sensitive personal and financial data.
You can help. To help protect yourself, friends and family, here are some ways you can identify and report scammers:
Suspicious Invoice
33% of consumers globally have been victims of a data breach – that’s approximately 2.6 billion people around the world
While these might come from a legitimate PayPal email, such as service@paypal.com, you might not recognize the name of the seller or the individual requesting money. You should closely check the details of the invoice, look at the name, and your payment history with that seller. Some might come with an alarming note claiming your account has been accessed fraudulently and that you may be liable for further charges and urge that you call a customer support number.
If you receive a suspicious invoice, don’t pay it. You can decline these invoices by logging in to the PayPal website or the PayPal app. Don’t call any phone numbers stated in the invoice note or open suspicious links.
Suspicious Money Request
82% of consumers continue to trust that online digital service providers will protect their personal data
If you receive a money request that seems suspicious, like from someone you don’t know, you can decline the request and report it to PayPal with just one click, either in the app or online. We’ll handle it from there and automatically block the user or seller and remove the activity from your account. Like with a suspicious invoice request, don’t contact any numbers in the request note, or click on any links.
Fake Email or Text
PayPal offers:
- Advanced encryption
- 24/7 fraud monitoring, Purchase Protection on eligible purchases
- Your financial information is never shared.
Phishing and spoof emails aim to obtain secure information, passwords, or account numbers, and will ask you to reply, call a phone number, open an attachment or click on a link to steal personal information. Scammers can also send messages to your phone via voice or SMS, aka smishing. You should look out for text messages with a bogus phone number or URL and a strong sense of urgency.
If you’re not sure whether a PayPal email or text is legitimate or not, don’t click on any link in the email or text, and don’t provide any information. Instead, go to PayPal.com or the app and log in. If there are any urgent messages for you, they will be in the message center. Furthermore, you can forward suspicious messages to phishing@paypal.com and delete them from your inbox or phone.
More tips and resources
By choosing PayPal, you can shop, sell, and send money with peace of mind knowing your transactions are being protected every step of the way with advanced encryption and 24/7 fraud monitoring, Purchase Protection on eligible purchases, and that your financial information is never shared.
We have more tips on how to keep scammers from gaining access to your PayPal account, how to spot fake PayPal emails, and how to stay safe when shopping online on our Newsroom. Additionally, our Help Center includes a list of common scams, how to spot them, and how to protect yourself.
PayPal will continue to work to keep your account safe so that you can shop and sell with confidence. Do you need to contact PayPal? Our Contact Us site has different ways to reach us, including our Customer Service number, 1-888-221-1161, or 1-402-935-2050 if calling from outside the U.S.