Unexpected PayPal Verification Text

[CHE]

At 4am this morning the landline apparently rang (I was out for the count, Mrs CHE heard it) and a message left which turned out to be a PayPal verification message, the one quoting a number to be input, etc. It sounded authentic but I hadn't bought anything while sleepwalking (!) nor was any auto-renewal debit expected.

I've checked my PayPal account and there is no unexpected payments, nor any messages suggesting someone tried to pay for something on my account from a different device (I only have two trusted devices). I also checked eBay and nothing odd on their either.

I changed the password on both eBay and PayPal twice this morning just in case but wanted to know if anyone else has had such an experience, or else any suggestions on what might have happened.

CHE

 

[kensalriser]

It was a scam/phishing call, simple as that.

 

[CHE]

It was a scam/phishing call, simple as that.

Well how does it work then ? I wasn't asked to input any numbers in to the phone, and it was via the BT text messaging service on a landline, so no way to link me to a virus/website.

CHE

 

[Darth Vader]

Well how does it work then ? I wasn't asked to input any numbers in to the phone, and it was via the BT text messaging service on a landline, so no way to link me to a virus/website.

CHE

You've already answered that question "the one quoting a number to be input, etc". Note the magic word input.

DV

 

[andrewd]

getting scam calls at 4am is another reason not to have a land line. I haven’t had one for 15 years.

 

[Bananahead]

You've already answered that question "the one quoting a number to be input, etc". Note the magic word input.

DV

??

 

[flutteringwow]

Sounds like someone was trying to login to your PP account, and required a verification text/call when the password was inputted incorrectly multiple times.

When this happens, PP call you you, and on the PP window on the computer being used will be a number. You enter this number into the call, and it verifies you and allows you to proceed.

You can call PayPal and they should be able to tell you if this was the case as there will be a record of a different IP/MAC address than your normal ones trying to log in at this time.

 

[CHE]

You've already answered that question "the one quoting a number to be input, etc". Note the magic word input.

DV

Er, you seem to have missed the word 'wasn't', as in 'I wasn't asked to input any numbers in to the phone'. Moving on...............

Sounds like someone was trying to login to your PP account, and required a verification text/call when the password was inputted incorrectly multiple times.

Thanks, that sounds more likely. I did some more research and it seems it isn't uncommon, just new to me.

I get the impression people are using some automated system that tries to login to PayPal using scraped e-mail addresses and maybe some associated passwords (I was hit by the Yahoo attack many years ago). Luckily my PayPal password is totally different to all the others I use.

Interestingly with some companies I get an e-mail saying 'You have just logged in using account/ISP, etc, etc' when first used. It would help if PayPal did the same thing.

CHE

 

[MJS]

If you haven't already then do enable 2 factor authentication on your PayPal account. It's as simple as downloading, say, the Google Authenticator app and pointing that at a QR code that PayPal will supply when you enable it.