I've Just Had My Paypal Account Hacked And They Have Bought A $1600 Cpu!

[lovelyhead]

I have just received a paypal receipt saying I have just bought a $1600 CPU! The person who bought it wants it to be shipped to Norway. I live in Scotland and have never even been to Norway. I've contacted paypal and they are investigating. I also contacted my bank and they were of little use. If I get any charges from going overdrawn then they said I would have to take it up with paypal to get them refunded! I've changed my passwords now though. I don't understand how this could have happened?

[Limpet]

I have just received a paypal receipt saying I have just bought a $1600 CPU! The person who bought it wants it to be shipped to Norway. I live in Scotland and have never even been to Norway. I've contacted paypal and they are investigating. I also contacted my bank and they were of little use. If I get any charges from going overdrawn then they said I would have to take it up with paypal to get them refunded! I've changed my passwords now though. I don't understand how this could have happened?

To try and avoid this sort of thing I have an account with the Natwest that only ever has a couple of hundred quid in at the most.

I use this account whenever possible when buying stuff off the internet. In theory I can only be robbed by £200 quid at the most. This is the card that is registered with Paypal, Amazon etc.

I never use the Debit card that is attached to my main Current Account and only occasionally use a credit card.

[Eric Blair]

To try and avoid this sort of thing I have an account with the Natwest that only ever has a couple of hundred quid in at the most.

I use this account whenever possible when buying stuff off the internet. In theory I can only be robbed by £200 quid at the most. This is the card that is registered with Paypal, Amazon etc.

I never use the Debit card that is attached to my main Current Account and only occasionally use a credit card.

what do you do if you want to buy a $1600 cpu?

[lovelyhead]

To try and avoid this sort of thing I have an account with the Natwest that only ever has a couple of hundred quid in at the most.

I use this account whenever possible when buying stuff off the internet. In theory I can only be robbed by £200 quid at the most. This is the card that is registered with Paypal, Amazon etc.

I never use the Debit card that is attached to my main Current Account and only occasionally use a credit card.

If someone used your Paypal account the way they have used mine, would you not be made overdrawn and liable for charges?

[cells]

paypal are shit

Never use them again

[lovelyhead]

paypal are shit

Never use them again

You don't have a choice if you use eBay to sell unfortunately.

[tiggerthetiger]

I have just received a paypal receipt saying I have just bought a $1600 CPU! The person who bought it wants it to be shipped to Norway. I live in Scotland and have never even been to Norway. I've contacted paypal and they are investigating. I also contacted my bank and they were of little use. If I get any charges from going overdrawn then they said I would have to take it up with paypal to get them refunded! I've changed my passwords now though. I don't understand how this could have happened?

Too late if Paypal have taken it from your bank account. Paypal have enormous power to dip into your bank account as and when they choose.

However if your paypal account is over drawn and they have not accessed your own bank account, I suggest you cancel any DD`s with paypal and also be aware they can and will access your account via your e bay account if they deem necessary.

If you want to take control then cancel all DD`s via your bank as Paypal will NOT allow you too until one month is up or they are happy they have not been ripped off. They would rather take your money than lose their own.

I told my bank I had lost my Debit card once so as to get a new number and to stop Paypal stealing my cash...I was the victim of fraud and at the time vowed never to use paypal again. I have since begrudgingly used them but am much more aware of their power and I use with great caution...

If you choose to follow their advice it may all be rosy, but it can just as well end in tears and you end up short by many ££`s through no fault of your own. I suggest you take control and not let the system control you.....just in case...

[wild card]

This happened to me about 5 years ago the night before we went on holiday. Took about 3 weeks for paypal to investigate but all money was returned.Paypal were not very forthcoming with information tho. Same senario. Delivery to somewhere in Europe even though the item bought stated uk shipping only.

Bank (Nationwide) asked for a phonecall before the card was used otherwise it was blocked. Then after the holiday the card was changed. Now only use a paypal debit card with limited funds on it. The bank account for paypal is only for paypal and has nothing in it until needed.

I have found Paypal a lot worse to deal with now than then. Worst company to communicate with that I have ever experienced.

Hope you get sorted soon.

[lovelyhead]

Make sure you contact the seller and tell them not to send the CPU. Should be easy enough to arrange a refund then.

I think the seller is in cahoots with the "buyer". They may even be the same person.

[tiggerthetiger]

I have found Paypal a lot worse to deal with now than then. Worst company to communicate with that I have ever experienced.

.

So true....they will not tell you anything..you are nearly always left in the dark and totally frustrated.

[deflation]

You don't have a choice if you use eBay to sell unfortunately.

If you are selling a car, you can insist on cash. I'm not sure but I think vehicles are the only section where you can deselect paypal as a method of payment. Probably due to the amount of fraud.

I use an account with only a few quid in it as well, with no o/d facility. If you want to buy an expensive item, you can usually transfer money into it online before buying.

On the OP, there's usually 48 hours delay before your a/c is debited. As a last resort, you could close it immediately.

[Mal Volio]

I have just received a paypal receipt saying I have just bought a $1600 CPU! The person who bought it wants it to be shipped to Norway. I live in Scotland and have never even been to Norway. I've contacted paypal and they are investigating. I also contacted my bank and they were of little use. If I get any charges from going overdrawn then they said I would have to take it up with paypal to get them refunded! I've changed my passwords now though. I don't understand how this could have happened?

Sure it's real ?

I got an ebay notification the other day telling me I'd had a successful bid on an iPad. Phishing.

[lovelyhead]

Sure it's real ?

I got an ebay notification the other day telling me I'd had a successful bid on an iPad. Phishing.

Yeah that was my first thought too. However I logged in to my Paypal account (Not using the link in the email just in case) and sure enough -$1650. Hopefully paypal managed to stop it before their system requested money from my bank. I do not relish the thought of trying to get any overdraft charges refunded. It turns out it was a high spec laptop and not a CPU.

[@contradevian]

Paypal are becoming a very dangerous menace. Sadly I have to use them as so many online providers only use/accept "Paypal" as the payment provider.

So its case of prepaid debit cards and a limited funds/no overdraft current account, unless you want to get robbed blind.

[I_Claudius]

Paypal are becoming a very dangerous menace. Sadly I have to use them as so many online providers only use/accept "Paypal" as the payment provider.

So its case of prepaid debit cards and a limited funds/no overdraft current account, unless you want to get robbed blind.

I run a smallish ecom site as sideline and had a fair few problems with credit card fraud and people exploiting the 3D secure system etc etc, to the point where HSBC got their fraud adviser to pay me a visit; he was an ex policeman and said he could not believe the sums of money that were being made by some fraudsters and how quickly internet credit card fraud was rising, pretty much unchecked by credit card companies.

He did say that Paypal has a fraction of the fraudulent transactions that credit card providers do; I've only had one single fraudulent paypal transaction in over 6 years.

[lovelyhead]

I run a smallish ecom site as sideline and had a fair few problems with credit card fraud and people exploiting the 3D secure system etc etc, to the point where HSBC got their fraud adviser to pay me a visit; he was an ex policeman and said he could not believe the sums of money that were being made by some fraudsters and how quickly internet credit card fraud was rising, pretty much unchecked by credit card companies.

He did say that Paypal has a fraction of the fraudulent transactions that credit card providers do; I've only had one single fraudulent paypal transaction in over 6 years.

I have also been trading online using Paypal for around 6 years. This is the first time it has happened.

[rolf]

You've "contacted" them. What does that mean?

They are notoriously sh1t by email but by phone apparently they are good. I'd call them, tell em its fraud and demand your account be credited immediately.

oh yeah, I suggest using either an SMS key or a keyfob thing:

https://www.paypal.com/securitykey

[lovelyhead]

You've "contacted" them. What does that mean?

They are notoriously sh1t by email but by phone apparently they are good. I'd call them, tell em its fraud and demand your account be credited immediately.

oh yeah, I suggest using either an SMS key or a keyfob thing:

https://www.paypal.com/securitykey

I phoned and emailed them. They seemed quite helpful. I got through quite quickly too. I'll have to wait and see how effective they are at sorting it out though.

Thanks for the link about the keyfob thing. I will probably get one.

[lovelyhead]

Cheers for that - this thread was making me rather paranoid!

Well, just to update you. I have just received an email from Paypal saying that have found in my favour (that's nice of them) and the payment will be blocked. I just hope that they managed to stop the payment from going to my bank.

I've ordered one of those key generator things (thanks rolf). Hopefully that will stop this happening again.

[Ruffneck]

scan your computer for malware , spyware and keyloggers

malwarebytes anti-malware is a good one

[rolf]

Nice to hear it turned out well.

[lovelyhead]

I phoned and emailed them. They seemed quite helpful. I got through quite quickly too. I'll have to wait and see how effective they are at sorting it out though.

Thanks for the link about the keyfob thing. I will probably get one.

OK I take what I said above back. I checked my bank account today and I am down over £1000 putting me into my overdraft. I phoned Paypal and they said it would take about 5 days for them to refund the money to my paypal account. I will then have to transfer the money to my bank account which will take another 4 - 5 days.

I thought it was perfectly reasonable to ask for a £10 credit from Paypal as a goodwill gesture to cover any overdraft charges I would get. Point blank refusal and was told that they never refund bank charges. I spend at least £50 a week with them. Basterds. If it was anyone else I would immediately close my account but I need to use them. I'm am scunnered.

Any way I could enact revenge? Or should I just let it go?

[@contradevian]

OK I take what I said above back. I checked my bank account today and I am down over £1000 putting me into my overdraft. I phoned Paypal and they said it would take about 5 days for them to refund the money to my paypal account. I will then have to transfer the money to my bank account which will take another 4 - 5 days.

I thought it was perfectly reasonable to ask for a £10 credit from Paypal as a goodwill gesture to cover any overdraft charges I would get. Point blank refusal and was told that they never refund bank charges. I spend at least £50 a week with them. Basterds. If it was anyone else I would immediately close my account but I need to use them. I'm am scunnered.

Any way I could enact revenge? Or should I just let it go?

You can transfer money from Paypal to your bank in a day, using their fast transfer option. Its costs a fiver IIRC (without logging into my account and checking).

[Frank Hovis]

I don't buy over the net unless I genuinely have to buy something and there is no alternative route. It has happened once for a particular computer cable that I could not obtain anywhere else.

If it's a reputable (ok, open to interpretation) site that I have found by google then I will look for what I want but actually buy by phoning up and speaking to soembody.

A friend has a speciifc credit card for internet purchases with a £100 limit, seems fairly safe as well.

[right_freds_dead]

Sure it's real ?

I got an ebay notification the other day telling me I'd had a successful bid on an iPad. Phishing.

yeah. theres a host of these around. a lot say things like 'we have suspended your account' and when you go to it to check it out, you go to a criminal site that looks like paypal and enter your name and password.

if you do need to check this kind of thing out. do not follow the links provided.

go to your browser and login manually as normal.

banks, paypal etc have a policy of not providing links.