The email message below with the subject: "You received this message due to Invalid information in your account," is a fake and a phishing scam. The email message claims that the recipients received the message because of invalid information on their accounts. But, the email message was not sent by PayPal and is a scam created by cyber-criminals to steal the recipients' PayPal usernames, passwords and credit card information. Once the scammers have the victims' information, they will use it to hijack their accounts and use their credit card information and PayPal accounts fraudulently.
The PayPal Phishing Email Message
Subject: You received this message due to Invalid information in your account
Notice of Policy Updates
Dear,
security measure, we detected suspicious information on your account.
You received this message due to Invalid information in your account.
Please update your information immediately so that you can continue to enjoy all the benefits of your PayPaI account. If you don't update your information, Your account will be Iimited.
We are sorry for the inconvenience, but we are working hard to maintain the confidentiality of your information.
Log in to update your account
If you follow the instruction in the phishing email message, you will be taken to a fake PayPal website and ask to sign-in with your PayPal username and password. You will then be asked to update your credit card information by entering it on the bogus PayPal page.
All the information entered on the bogus PayPal page, will be sent to the cybercriminals behind the scam. Once they have your PayPal credentials, they use it to hijack your account and use it for fraudulent purposes. This includes stealing money from your account, using your PayPal and credit card to make fraudulent purchases.
If you have already entered your PayPal user name,password and credit card information on the fake website, please change your PayPal password and contact your bank immediately.
Please note that PayPal will always address you by your name, and will never refer to you using the following:
- Dear [Email Address]
- Dear PayPal user
- Dear PayPal customer
- Dear Valued Customer
- Dear Member
- Dear User
- Dear Customer
To avoid getting tricked by these phishing scams, never click on a link in an email message to sign into your PayPal account. Always go to www.paypal.com and sign into your account from there. PayPal will display important messages or notifications to you once you have signed into your account.
This PayPal phishing scam is similar to the following: