I got this message from paypal service today and I need your help in deciding whether to do what it says:
In the from field it says: service@paypal.com(service@paypal.com)
Subject is: Paypal service fraud warning!

looks quite legit, but all of these things are a bit risky. There should be away to tell if your account needs renewed. Try checking on ebay or something, it should say the expiry date.

not sure really, it takes you to the paypal site, but I would only update from the site it's self, not follow links, go to the paypal site, remember that rule

I don't use PayPal, but my instincts say that if you need to question its authenticity, that's a warning right there. I echo Ross when I say you should find out if there's another way to check this information.

I personally think it is a hoax. Firstly, the grammar is poorly formed; hardly the work of proffesionals. Secondly, why would you need to renew your account because of "inactive members spoof reports and frauds"? Surely they could just delete old unused names. I dunno, just my tuppence worths, but I would not follow that email.

EDIT: ALso I just noticed, proffesionals probably wouldnt put Fraud Warning! as a title; it seems too..... unproffesional.

[ 06-08-2004, 12:10 PM: Message edited by: drew_jarvie ]

Hmmm yeah, the link seems legit but the reason given for requiring an update is a bit unconvincing. I'd log into your account normally on the paypal site, following the links from www.paypal.com. If there is some notice given about updating when you log in (as is done by Natwest bank for example when I do online banking) then you should do it. Otherwise do nothing. At worst you'll have your account cancelled and you can set up a new one. They wouldn't want to lose a customer over a minor issue such as updating anyway.

And just because the link is to paypal site doesn't mean it's real. Fraudsters know that if the link WASN'T to the paypal site then even the dumbest of people will know it's fake. I'd do what I said above.

PHISHING. Look at the spelling of 'deletation'. And the whole thing looks amateurish.

Delete and ignore. If your concerned, log into your paypal account through normal means, if you need to update the account there should be some indication on site.

If you look through the source of the email you will probably find that after the www.paypal.com part of the address there is a high ASCII unprintable character and then another address. IE will show the first part of the address in every display -address bar, the link, the link properties, the status bar. But it will go to the second, and I'm pretty certain that that will be to someones personal server sending out a spoof paypal logon to grab your username and password.

I received an email from PayPal in the past few days saying there was a scam being run and to ignore such emails. Contact customer service from their site to report this email.

Fraud...the grammar is horrible and it's asking for your info something they just don't do.
Andrewas' post is dead on, in my estimation!

[ 06-08-2004, 01:56 PM: Message edited by: Cloudbringer ]

I have to say, that email is an english teachers worst nightmare. I've seen/heard/read worse, in highschool, but not by much.