Paypal email - is this kosher?

[Trefor]

Dear valued PayPal® member:

It has come to our attention that your PayPal® account information needs to be
updated as part of our continuing commitment to protect your account and to
reduce the instance of fraud on our website. If you could please take 5-10 minutes
out of your online experience and update your personal records you will not run into
any future problems with the online service.


However, failure to update your records will result in account suspension.
Please update your records on or before May 30, 2004.

Once you have updated your account records, your PayPal® session will not be
interrupted and will continue as normal.

To update your PayPal® records click on the following link:
www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_login-run



Thank You.
PayPal® UPDATE TEAM

Accounts Management As outlined in our User Agreement, PayPal® will
periodically send you information about site changes and enhancements.

Visit our Privacy Policy and User Agreement if you have any questions.
www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=p/gen/ua/policy_privacy-outside

[UpTheIron]

Almost certainly not.

1. www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_login-run requires https:// in front of it to work on the PayPal site.

2. PayPal would simply ask you to go to their homepage and log in normally - not to follow a specific link.

3. Click the link, or hover over it in your mail program (assuming MS Outlook here) and you will see it is actually a link to a site by IP address, and not www.paypal.com.

You can report spoof websites here: https://www.paypal.com/ewf/f=sa_fake or by following the link in 'Security Center' on the PayPal site.

[warmfuzzies]

If you view the complete header etc in teh email, I'm absolutely sure you will see lots of pretty stupid text that's hidden.
I do this now and again just to see what's behind the face of it, there's usually some dat comments the authors make......phishing for stuff.

As above, use ONLY your proper login.....

k.

[julianhj]

Been a few Ebay & PayPal scams doing the rounds. I think it's important to remember that these firms will never send you an email asking you to confirm sensitive info.

[Tafia]

I had the same e-mail.

A definite scam.

T

[zumbruk]

Absolutely not. These emails purporting to be from financial institutions are *never* what they appear. The technique is called "phishing" - a Google search will provide plenty more information. No reputable financial institution will ever request information like this by email.

[JonRB]

Of course it's not kosher. How could you think it was?

[MattNM3E36]

Easy John!

Everyone has to learn, and if you give him abuse now, it'll stop him asking for important advice in the future

[JonRB]

MattNM3E36 said:

Easy John! Everyone has to learn, and if you give him abuse now, it'll stop him asking for important advice in the future

Whilst my comments were not in any way intended to be 'abuse', I do acknowledge that perhaps they were a little blunt. So for that I apologise.

[Trefor]

I did think it was fraudulent, but wanted the opinions of those on here. You've confirmed it. Hey, I'm no PC numpty you know!

[meeja]

Trefor said:

I did think it was fraudulent, but wanted the opinions of those on here. You've confirmed it. Hey, I'm no PC numpty you know!

You don't have to be a numptie to get sucked in occasionally..... just ask the IT manager at my old office(!)

Had his eBay account hijacked once!