# Online scam? What to do? (Paypal)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-scam-what-to-do-paypal/102328>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 7, 2002, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-scam-what-to-do-paypal/102328 "2002-04-07T16:54:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\
**Post date:** [April 7, 2002, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-scam-what-to-do-paypal/102328/1 "2002-04-07T16:54:47Z")

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So I get an email which looks like a scam even before I read it:

> [@](#):
>
> Dear Sir,
> 
> We regret to inform you that due to system failure we have lost our backups of all accounts, so most of accounts are on HOLD status, including yours, if you want to continue our service without any trouble, then you are advised to please go to following [Paypal.com](http://Paypal.com) page and enter your information, so that we can update your account information.
> 
> Please go to: [http://www.paypalhelp.net](http://www.paypalhelp.net) (New window will open)
> 
> If you do not want to enter information, then your account will be automatically DELETED after 8th April 2002
> 
> We really appreciate your help in this mater.
> 
> Regards,
> 
> David John  
> Head Customer Support Department  
> [Paypal.com](http://Paypal.com)

So I try contact Paypal but they do not list an email address where I can send them this information. (I guess they do not want customers and other undesirables bothering them).

So I go to the mentioned website to see who hosts it and maybe notify the hoster but I am redirected somewhere and now I am lost:

> [@](#):
>
> \<head\>  
> \<title\>paypalhelp.net\</title\>  
> \<meta name=“GENERATOR” content=“[http://noc.townusa.com/meta\_create.html](http://noc.townusa.com/meta_create.html)”\>  
> \<META NAME=“Author” CONTENT=“[URL-FORWARDING.COM](http://URL-FORWARDING.COM),[Free-Registration.Com](http://Free-Registration.Com),[Name-Secure.com](http://Name-Secure.com), [http://hosting.townusa.com](http://hosting.townusa.com),email by [http://mail.town.com](http://mail.town.com),complete web site service & promotion by [biz-consulting.com](http://biz-consulting.com),e-commerce & credit cards by [merchant-cards.net](http://merchant-cards.net)”\>  
> \<META NAME=“revisit-after” CONTENT=“31 days”\>  
> \</head\>  
> \<frameset framespacing=“0” border=“false” frameborder=“0” rows=“0,\*”\>  
> \<frame name=“header” scrolling=“no” noresize target=“main” marginwidth=“0”  
> marginheight=“0”\>  
> \<frame name=“main” src=“[http://www30.brinkster.com/eblasterpk/welcome.htm](http://www30.brinkster.com/eblasterpk/welcome.htm)” scrolling=“auto” marginwidth=“0” marginheight=“0”  
> noresize\>  
> \<noframes\>

So, anyone think this is worth pursuing? What should I do next? I haven’t a clue.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\
**Post date:** [April 7, 2002, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-scam-what-to-do-paypal/102328/2 "2002-04-07T17:02:19Z")

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Maybe the following bit of information from [this whois page](http://www.netsol.com/cgi-bin/whois/whois) might help:

> [@](#):
>
> Registrant:  
> Rossi Roberto  
> 98/B Area 3  
> Delhi, International 12001  
> IN
> 
> Domain Name: [PAYPALHELP.NET](http://PAYPALHELP.NET)
> 
> Administrative Contact:  
> Roberto, Rossi [eblasterpk@yahoo.com](mailto:eblasterpk@yahoo.com)  
> 98/B Area 3  
> Delhi, International 12001  
> IN  
> +1.0215843223
> 
> Technical Contact:  
> [free-registration.com](http://free-registration.com), Customer Service Support Center [sales@biz-consulting.com](mailto:sales@biz-consulting.com)  
> PO Box 436  
> Tolland, CT 06084  
> US  
> 860 871 0422
> 
> Billing Contact:  
> Roberto, Rossi [eblasterpk@yahoo.com](mailto:eblasterpk@yahoo.com)  
> 98/B Area 3  
> Delhi, International 12001  
> IN  
> +1.0215843223
> 
> Registration Service Provider:  
> Internet Business Consulting, Inc., [sales@biz-consulting.com](mailto:sales@biz-consulting.com)  
> 860 871 0422  
> Record last updated on 03-Apr-2002.  
> Record expires on 03-Apr-2003.  
> Record Created on 03-Apr-2002.
> 
> Domain servers in listed order:  
> [NS3.TOWNUSA.ORG](http://NS3.TOWNUSA.ORG) 216.226.30.5  
> [NS4.TOWNUSA.ORG](http://NS4.TOWNUSA.ORG) 216.226.30.6
> 
> The previous information has been obtained either directly from the  
> registrant or a registrar of the domain name other than Network Solutions.  
> Network Solutions, therefore, does not guarantee its accuracy or  
> completeness.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![AndrewL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@AndrewL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AndrewL)\
**Post date:** [April 7, 2002, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-scam-what-to-do-paypal/102328/3 "2002-04-07T17:05:36Z")

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[www.paypalhelp.net](http://www.paypalhelp.net) brings up a “HTTP/1.1 404 Object Not Found” message now, and the real paypal site says nothing about a system failure. Looks like it was a scam, and it got shut down pretty fast.

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**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\
**Post date:** [April 7, 2002, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-scam-what-to-do-paypal/102328/4 "2002-04-07T17:22:20Z")

</div>

> [@](#):
>
> We regret to inform you that due to system failure we have lost our backups of all accounts, so most of accounts are on HOLD status, including yours, if you want to continue our service without any trouble, then you are advised to please go to following [Paypal.com](http://Paypal.com) page and enter your information, so that we can update your account information.

I doubt such a poorly constructed, rambling sentence would come from a legit business site.

I hope most people this scammer contacted are skeptical like you.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\
**Post date:** [April 7, 2002, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-scam-what-to-do-paypal/102328/5 "2002-04-07T18:26:45Z")

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\>\> Looks like it was a scam, and it got shut down pretty fast.

Shoot, how frustrating, I was hoping to become the hero who shut it down and was cheered by millions around the world as having been the savior of their life’s savings… \<sigh\>

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**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\
**Post date:** [April 7, 2002, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-scam-what-to-do-paypal/102328/6 "2002-04-07T18:27:50Z")

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I have gotten similiar e-mails about AOL service with pretty much the same lines. I went to the page given in the e-mail and, what a surprise, it has a field asking for my AOL password.

Definitely a scam.

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**Author:** ![Ariadne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/71c47a/32.png) [@Ariadne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ariadne)\
**Post date:** [April 7, 2002, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-scam-what-to-do-paypal/102328/7 "2002-04-07T23:29:35Z")

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I got something similiar from “Bank of America” yesterday. I couldn’t find the appropriate email address to forward it to on the real Bank of America site, so I sent them a question about it on their questions page. I just got a form letter in response and am trying to decide what to do next.

The scam email was particularly authentic-looking (had copyright notices and lots of small print at the bottom), and it offered free money management software if you went to the website it mentioned and entered your account info. I’d like the real bank to do something to prevent their customers from being scammed, but what can I do if they’re going to hide behind form letters and auto-response email programs? _sigh_

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Doug\_Bowe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df788c/32.png) [@Doug\_Bowe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_Bowe)\
**Post date:** [April 8, 2002, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-scam-what-to-do-paypal/102328/8 "2002-04-08T05:08:53Z")

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Hey, Ariadne. You got your scam message on a Saturday and the bank hasn’t got back to you on a Sunday?  
Wait until a real human reads it on Monday.

By the way, I’ve been warned to be suspicious of emails offering things like Norton antivirus at 90% off.