Now PayPal tricksters go phishing by phone

10 Jul 2006

A new type of phishong email can trick users of PayPal into calling a phone number and parting with credit card details, experts warned yesterday.

The message, claiming to come from the online payment company, says the person’s account has been ‘the subject of fraudulent activity’.

Unlike other phishing emails, there is no Internet link or response address. Instead, the victim is asked to make a phone call and will be greeted with an automated voice asking for their card number.

Experts at SophosLabs believe the scam is in response to Internet users getting used to and ignoring phishing emails. PayPal, part of the eBay empire, is an electronic alternative to traditional payment methods such as cheques and money orders.

print this article