# PayPal question... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 20, 2014, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paypal-question/693590 "2014-07-20T06:50:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2014, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paypal-question/693590/1 "2014-07-20T06:50:34Z")
I just used PayPal to make a payment to someone. I have used PayPal to do this before, but I have never signed up for an account there; I simply used the person’s PayPal link button and entered my card info. I got an automated e-mail saying “You added a new email address to your PayPal account, but you’re not done yet. Take a minute to confirm this address so we know it belongs to you.” This has me a bit concerned, especially since I never got an e-mail like this during any of the previously mentioned uses (what makes this odder is that the payment confirmation e-mail seems to tacitly acknowledge that I don’t have an account by suggesting I sign up for one). Does this mean someone opened an account in my name? Is this an indication of some kind of fraud? How can I find out either way? ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2014, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paypal-question/693590/2 "2014-07-20T10:22:18Z")
Try hovering your mouse over the links in the email - especially the main one they want you to click on. The address should appear at the bottom of your browser. It should begin with [https://www.paypal.com/](https://www.paypal.com/) or something like that. Otherwise it is a “phishing” scam. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2014, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paypal-question/693590/3 "2014-07-20T11:01:05Z")
No, that’s not it; the mail came right at the same time as I made the Paypal payment (and the links did check out anyway, as did the buy now button I used, and I’ve dealt with this person twice already with no problems), so the two acts are directly connected. ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2014, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paypal-question/693590/4 "2014-07-20T11:13:34Z")
Just to be sure, forward it to [spoof@paypal.com](mailto:spoof@paypal.com). They’ll let you know if it’s legit or not. I wouldn’t do anything with it for now, especially since the payment seems to have gone through (assuming it has?). (Oh and be sure to _forward_ it, don’t copy/paste it.) ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2014, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paypal-question/693590/5 "2014-07-20T22:21:51Z")
So I did that, and I got an e-mail back three minutes later saying that it was a phishing attempt, but that leaves unanswered questions, like how the e-mail just _happened_ to get to me two seconds before I got my payment confirmation with PayPal, and how none of the links (confirmed by cutting and pasting) go anywhere besides [https://www.paypal.com](https://www.paypal.com) (and my browser history also confirms that my PayPal payment was made through the same URL, so I’m fairly sure by now that I made a payment through the “real” PayPal). I’m still suspicious that there’s an account out there with my name on it (at the least; I don’t know whether it’s in any way further connected to me, or if it’s just someone with my name). ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2014, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paypal-question/693590/6 "2014-07-21T19:39:47Z")
IIRC that’s a normal PP question when making payments especially if you do not have a fully activated PP account. If it only took 3 minutes to get a “that was phishing” reply I would think the response is automated and possibly a false positive if it’s database is not up to date. I would call paypal and talk with a rep. re the origin of the message.