Weird PayPal fraud: OUCH!

[stratoskier]

Hi,
Well, here's a weird one. I just got back from a trip and thought I'd check my bank balance from all the debits I did on the trip. When I checked, there were 7 mysterious ATM withdrawals to PayPal. Right -- makes no sense-- it shows ATM withdrawals to PayPal *weirdname. Where "name" is actually "Lo Kim Wa," "Lordseraphi", or "Revamped". Then in the space where it usually gives the location, is the correct PayPal phone number (AC 402 something).

So far, I'm out around $700 just from 9/11 -9/12. So I expect when the last 3 days of the business week show up, there are apt to be thousands more direct withdrawals to these PayPal accounts or people or whatever they are. I haven't done any PayPal business in a month or so. But this IS the bank account that is linked to my two PayPal accounts. So it seems like somehow someone was able to get my account numbers through PayPal's database, or ???

The fine folks at PayPal are clueless and show no usernames like the above names. I can't figure out what happened here. It sort of looks like someone forged my ATM card (mine was never lost), but then why does my bank show PayPal as the recipient?

I am, uh, a little worried. Anybody seen/heard/experienced anything like this before?

Bert

[Rich]

If the bank is showing the withdraws to Paypal, then that's where they're going. But the big mistake was having your Paypal account linked to ANY bank account you actually keep money in. Mine is linked to an account I keep $139.39 in, and withdraw any payments to that account immediately.

[Distantshore]

Originally Posted by Rich

If the bank is showing the withdraws to Paypal, then that's where they're going. But the big mistake was having your Paypal account linked to ANY bank account you actually keep money in. Mine is linked to an account I keep $139.39 in, and withdraw any payments to that account immediately.

I do the same thing with my Auto Insurance payment.I have automatic withdrawl. Just deposit enough (maybe a few dollars extra) into that account each month to pay the premium. Sounds silly, but I'd rather be safe than sorry.

[stratoskier]

You're right of course, but it's a little late to fix that particular problem. Originally, it was just as you suggested, but then I had problems with the other account and moved the PayPal business to this account.

But the ATM withdrawal to "PayPal *Lo Kim Wa" makes no sense to me. An ATM withdrawal requires an ATM card linked to this account. OK, that could conceivably be forged. But anything going through PayPal would proceed via my account to PayPal to other account, not via an ATM (which typically dispenses cash). What am I missing here?

Bert

[stratoskier]

Still wondering if anyone has any idea how a scam like this could be conducted through an ATM. I just can't figure it out!!?

[slugman]

You can search Google for PayPal horror stories. If I were you I'd surely get a new account and freeze the current one.

My own PayPal experience: I sent $600 to my friend for a guitar; it said the transfer failed, but the next day I get a call from my bank that $1200 was withdrawn by PayPal. PayPal customer support is useless. You can't remove the link to your bank account either. Luckily my money appeared back in the account a week later. Nice one week interest free loan for PayPal. I was really sweating that week because I only had $1500 in my account back then. Motherf'ers...

[stratoskier]

Update: PayPal says they found the culprit -- an "authorized user with stolen financials." The transactions were initiated from Hong Kong, but involved purchases from US sellers (not sure if they were auction purchases or what). They said the money would be refunded to my bank account within 24 hours. By all indications, the scam had nothing to do with MY PayPal accounts. The guy obtained my VISA ATM/Debit card number and PIN and was providing those to sellers.

Hmm... Alls well that ends well?

[fettouhi]

Originally Posted by stratoskier

Update: PayPal says they found the culprit -- an "authorized user with stolen financials." The transactions were initiated from Hong Kong, but involved purchases from US sellers (not sure if they were auction purchases or what). They said the money would be refunded to my bank account within 24 hours. By all indications, the scam had nothing to do with MY PayPal accounts. The guy obtained my VISA ATM/Debit card number and PIN and was providing those to sellers.

Hmm... Alls well that ends well?

How the hell did get your PIN, or do you mean the 3 digit control number?

Regards

André

[jim777]

That is a scary story! I think everryone should take Rich's advice and if you have Paypal linked to your main account, create a second just for PayPal.

[stratoskier]

I still have no idea how he obtained any of my information. Although the bank said he must have obtained my PIN, upon further reflection I kind of doubt that. PayPal lets you use any credit/debit card to make purchases. If he was using my ATM/debit/VISA card, all he really needed was the numbers on the card, right? So maybe the scam was far simpler than what I thought -- he just started using the card numbers to make PayPal purchases. I suppose he could have done the same thing making any type of internet purchase, but for some reason he was using PayPal. So in the final analysis, this may have had nothing whatsoever to do with MY PayPal account or the fact that this account was the one I use for PayPal. Coincidence? No telling... Regardless, I'm still taking Rich's advice, though.

But to commemorate this business, I'm definitely naming my next band "Lord Seraphi" in honor of one of the folks whose name appeared on my bank statement.