Last Updated: Sep 2nd, 2008 - 20:13:33 

Spotting Spoof eBay and Paypal Websites By Cynthia Kirkeby Apr 20, 2008, 20:07

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Spoof sites and emails are getting harder to spot. I recently received an email that looked like a Paypal receipt. I hadn't ordered anything, and I definitely hadn't ordered the speakers that were marked on the receipt. Towards the bottom of the receipt, it said "If you did not order this item, please click here." The link would have taken me to a Paypal knock off site, where it would have logged anything that I typed in. Very Dangerous! By typing in my account and password, the bad guys would have instant access to my entire account. Not good!

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If you get an email like this, please forward it to PayPal at spoof@paypal.com. They'll let you know whether it was valid or whether it's a fraululent email and site. If you have ANY question at all about whether or not something is real, please forward it to PayPal. They're very quick to respond.

This is what they recommend:

If you notice any unauthorized activity on your PayPal account, please report it to us by following the instructions below:

1. Log in to your account only from the PayPal website. Do not use links provided in any email.
2. Click on the Security Center link at the bottom of the page.
3. Click on the 'Unauthorized Transaction' link under the Report a Problem column.
4. Follow the instructions on this page in order to access the appropriate form.

Finally, they recommend taking a few steps to protect yourself from identity theft:

• Download the SafetyBar, a toolbar for Outlook and Outlook Express, which identifies known spoof emails.
• Get eBay Toolbar with Account Guard which warns you when you're on apotentially fraudulent (spoof) Web site.
• Frequently monitor your account for suspicious activity.
• For additional tips please visit the PayPal Security Center at http://www.paypal.com/security.
  
  

Have fun on the Internet, but be cautious. When in doubt, check it out.

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