PayPal users who have received email messages like the one below, which claim unusual sign-in activities have been detected on their accounts are asked not to click on the link in the email message. This is because the link or button in the fake email messages go to a phishing website looking similar to PayPal's website, where visitors will be asked to sign into with their PayPal account. But, any attempts to sign into the fake PayPal website will send the visitors' PayPal credentials to the cybercriminals behind the phishing scam, who will hijack the accounts and use them fraudulently.
The "PayPal Unusual Sign-in Activity" Phishing Scam
Subject: Alert! Unusual Sign-in Activity
Date: Mon 17/07/2017 19:10
From: Paypal
We recently noticed potentially suspicious activities on your account and need to confirm that you authourize all the recently changes.
Please confirm your details now to help protect your Paypal account from unauthourized access. We have restricted your online access, which will remain in effect.
In order to safeguard your account, we require that you confirm your banking details. To help speed up this process, please access the following link so we can complete the verification.
Click here to Confirm
Sincerely,
PayPal Team
This is why it is important that PayPal users remember never to click on a link to sign into their accounts. They should always go directly to www.paypal.com and sign-in from there instead. Once they have signed into their accounts will be notified of changes and other important updates if there is any.This will prevent them from becoming victims of phishing scams, where cyber criminals steal their credentials, hijack their accounts, steal their money, and use their accounts fraudulently.
PayPal users who have already been tricked by a phishing scam, are asked to change their passwords and contact PayPal immediately for help.