Concerns over a Paypal 'scam' email

[Boac]

I occasionally help a few of the less able computer folk around me, and I have been contacted by an 'older' gentleman' who has fallen foul of the Paypal 'give us your details' email. He has now taken all the appropriate actions. That is by-the-by, but what bothers me is that he had bought something via PP and told me that within 3 minutes of completing the transaction the email arrived.

This means either he 'bought' via a false site OR there is a leak in PP.

I used to regularly run a virus check on his machine via Teamviewer but he now pays a 'computer specialist' to maintain his laptop.

Maybe I'm in the wrong job................

[rgbrock1]

I would strongly suggest that the "older gentleman" you refer to visit the security page of paypal and enable two-step authentication. I would also strongly suggest he change his paypal password FORTHWITH.

[Boac]

He has now taken all the appropriate actions.

The important question still remains - "3 minutes"?

[rgbrock1]

He has now taken all the appropriate actions.

The important question still remains - "3 minutes"?

Yes, the puzzle. So I guess the other question is: what was the site that he purchased from? Did it have a direct link to pp? And, was that link really to pp? I have bought loads of things from sites - legitimate sites - who link to paypal. And paypal does indeed send an email after the transaction is completed. But NEVER with a request for info, more of a statement of the transaction.

[Boac]

Unfortunately the "older gentleman" will not stand interrogation to that depth, so I leave it here as a caution. I suspect it was a spoofed purchase site but the 'elephant' question was - could it have been a Paypal 'leakage'?

[rgbrock1]

Unfortunately the "older gentleman" will not stand interrogation to that depth, so I leave it here as a caution. I suspect it was a spoofed purchase site but the 'elephant' question was - could it have been a Paypal 'leakage'?

I guess it could have been pp leakage but I suspect that, instead, the original site he purchased from was a fraud with an equally fraudulent link to "paypal".

[Bull at a Gate]

Boac, did the scam email address him by name? A genuine email from pp should start "Dear Bull,". A scam email will start "Dear PayPal user,". If the scam email addressed him by name them we have a bit to worry about.

[Boac]

Caveat emptor is the message. I cannot establish these answers (Post#5).