Pay Pal

As a super busy parent and business owner I have used Pay Pal, my husband has, and I’ve received payment from a number of clients through this vehicle. So, because of that, I want to protect you from responding to the spam messages that come into your inbox and appear to be legitimate messages from Pay Pal. I had a couple emails that said a new email account was added and then today I received one that looked so real and had me so alarmed that I almost immediately responded.

I received a spoof that confirmed a transaction of $379.12 USD for an item I never purchased. My first thought was that maybe my husband purchased it and forgot to tell me. My instincts told me to log in directly to Pay Pal and check it out. When I didn’t see it appear in my history I had my suspicions. When I went to the Help section of Pay Pal one of the Top Questions was how to tell the difference between a real PayPal email and a fake one.

Here’s the answer direct from the official Pay Pal site: “The term spoofing and phishing have been used to describe the act of collecting personal information using a fake email in order to commit identity theft, credit card, and Internet fraud. If you click on a link included in an email you’re not sure is from PayPal, make sure the address at the top of the browser window you’re brought to reads exactly www.paypal.com. PayPal emails will address you by first name, last name, or business name, and NOT by Dear PayPal User or Dear PayPal Member. If you are ever uncertain about the validity of the email or the email links, open a new web browser window and type in www.paypal.com. If you think you have received a fraudulent email, forward the entire email to spoof@paypal.com and then delete it from your email account.”

I did send an email to the address they indicated for fraudulent email reporting. I also wanted to alert you of the potential danger so that you can make wise decisions to protect your self. Beware and watch out for these email messages in your inbox because replying will be a waste of your valuable time in your super busy life as will correcting any transactions that fraudulently occur. Be proactive here and safe guard your info!

Yours truly,

Coach Natalie

P. S. Be sure to check out www.wahara.com for a community of mom coaches I have joined together with to bring moms valuable and helpful information. You’ll find my blog, “Strategies for Super Busy Parents” and my profile in the Motherhood section.