PayPal is one of the most popular online payment platforms, and there is no denying that its success is attributed to high security. Still, frauds do happen and it’s important to know how to report PayPal fraud.
So, how do you report PayPal fraud? To report PayPal fraud, you should visit the PayPal website and go to the “Report a Problem” page. You can then select the type of problem you’re experiencing, and choose “Fraud” as the problem type. You will then be prompted to enter specific information about your situation, such as the amount of money that was stolen and the date on which it occurred. After you have entered this information, click on “Submit.”
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There Are Various Types of Recurring PayPal Scam Activity That Can Exploit Your Personal Information and Funds
As cybersecurity advances, so too does cybercrime follow at an identical pace. That is, unfortunately, the harsh reality of the internet, and online payment platforms are unfortunately often the main target of hackers and fraudsters.
You have to be aware of potential dangers if you are using this online payment service. Here are the most frequent signs that you are being scammed or that you are about to be scammed:
- A registered activity that has not been performed by the owner of the account,
- Transactions that have not been approved by the owner of the account,
- Suspicious emails and ads that pose as PayPal’s services,
- Items that have been bought but delivery has not been performed.
PayPal Site Has Devised a Simple Method to Report Any Credit Number, Account, or Email Address Fraud
The key is to act quickly in order to prevent any further fraudulent activity. The good news is that you will immediately get notified if something is happening on your account.
Before you begin the process of reporting fraudulent activity, change your password and all security questions first.
If you believe that your email has also been compromised, you must link the PayPal account to a new email as well. Here is what has to be done if an unauthorized transaction has been performed.
| Step 1 | Whatever the fraudulent activity might be, you have to go to the “Resolution Center” option, which is located at the bottom of the page |
| Step 2 | Press the “Report a Problem” option |
| Step 3 | After pressing this option, you will be provided with the list of all your transactions, and you should press on the one which is fraudulent |
| Step 4 | Press the option “I want to report unauthorized activity” |
| Step 5 | Finalize the complaint by providing any needed additional information about the fraudulent activity. |
If you haven’t received an item that you have purchased, everything should be done the same as in the table above. Just in step 4, you should click on “I didn’t receive an item I purchased” or “The item received was not as described.”
If You Get a Suspicious Email, Don’t Click on Anything
A suspicious email will usually have a link to download, or will ask you to run a certain program or redirect you to a certain site, or will usually try to get information from you by stating that there is a problem with the account that needs to be fixed.
All in all, under no circumstances should you click on anything, download, or accept any cookies. If the alleged PayPal email asks you for your personal information directly, that is a clear sign of fraudsters.
You should immediately forward this email to the official PayPal email address that deals with this issue. All official emails can be found on the PayPal website.
PayPal Business Debit Card Can Also Be Stolen
If you are using a PayPal business debit card or any other PayPal cash card and see some unauthorized transactions, you have to act immediately in order not to experience any further credit loss and protect your property.
Here is what has to be done.
| Step 1 | Select the option “PayPal debit card,” which is located under the option “PayPal balance” |
|---|---|
| Step 2 | Select the option “Manage my cards” and click on the card which has been stolen |
| Step 3 | Select the option “Report this card” |
| Step 4 | Select the option “Deactivate now” |
Alert All Other Authorities About the Fraudulent Activity
After you have finished reporting the fraud to the PayPal authorities, you have to inform other authorities as well since your PayPal account is directly connected to your bank accounts and credit cards. Here is what has to be done:
- First, you have to notify your bank and credit card issuer. These institutions have special departments designated to deal with financial frauds, and it is important to give them a full record of what has happened to your PayPal account. Most importantly, it’s vital to call the credit card issuer quickly. Their number is always present on the back of your credit card, but you can also notify them via the smartphone app.
- You should notify the Federal Trade Commission. This agency has been specifically established to promote customer protection, and they have a special department that deals with fraud. You just have to open your internet browser and open their website, press the “Report Fraud” option, and file the report.
- Finally, you should notify your local law enforcement agency. Cybercrime has become a serious issue, and every police station nowadays has a special department dealing with online fraudsters and hackers.
The Best Way to Secure Your PayPal Account Is to Be Careful
Truth be told, most of these scams happen because people act carelessly. Therefore, be extremely careful where you type in your information and passwords and to whom you give it.
Basically, everything should be performed on the official PayPal website.
Nevertheless, frauds happen, and hackers have their own devious methods, so anything suspicious should be reported immediately.