COLUMN: How to recognise an email scam - and what to do if you click on the link

And so, we kick off the New Year with a new scam.
Pay pal scam imagePay pal scam image
Pay pal scam image

I was checking my email today and came across this lovely little one disguised as PayPal.

I must give them kudos for making it look pretty realistic.

To the untrained eye, it looks legit. The logo is as it should be, accept for the fact that they address you as PayPal User.

Emails from PayPal will always address you with a first and last name.

Also, the email sender’s address was PayPal Pte. Ltd. [email protected] and the fact I have never seen an email from PayPal threatening to close my account if I did not click a link also gave me a red flag.

The legitimate PayPal is PayPal Inc.

What do you do if you get this email?

Firstly, do not open or click anything in it. Delete it. If you have opened it, please be sure to do a virus scan on your PC. If you have clicked on it, please make sure that this has not affected your banking.

Get in touch with the bank your PayPal account is connected with and alert them of what has happened.

Turn your computer off and get it serviced by a professional.

Let them know exactly what happened.

- Chips Computers are based on Heywood Street in Brimington, Chesterfield. They can be contacted via 01246 200214 or online at www.CHIPSPC.co.uk or www.WeFixAnyComputer.com.

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