If you have a PayPal account, cybersecurity experts want you to beware of a new scam that could wipe out your bank account. The way it works is scammers will email you a fake £500 Tesco Clubcard voucher through your Paypal account. The dubious email contains a link which if clicked could give the con-artists access to your PayPal, making it possible for them to withdraw any money you might have in there, Daily Express writes.
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Be alert
According to payment provider Dojo who issued the warning, scammers are becoming craftier in their trade, thus the need for users to be extra vigilant. In the case of the fake Tesco voucher scam, they target unsuspecting users to gain access to their personal information including banking details as well as debit/credit card information from their PayPal account. Naveed Islam, chief Information Security Officer said:
With the rise in e-commerce accelerated by the global pandemic, seasoned fraudsters are seizing the opportunity to exploit the vulnerable and less-tech savvy. For the many people adopting technologies such as online banking and shopping for the first time during COVID-19, these frauds are incredibly convincing and traumatic.
The group found that this new scam works similarly as last year’s 'Royal Mail' Scam.
How to protect yourself
As has been shown, these con artists are becoming more sophisticated in their operations and so you should aim to be several steps ahead. However, the team at Dojo outlined some tips to bear in bear if you receive such an email:
- Check for poor spelling and grammar, or mistakes to the company's name
Although some fraudulent emails are highly sophisticated, many of them can be poorly worded and there are some tell-tale signs they're not legitimate.
- Be on the lookout for the formatting of the email.
This is because a lot of companies send legitimate emails from a templated third-party system which ‘can be difficult for scammers to replicate’.
Read more:
⋙ Tesco increasing 'security presence’ as shoplifting expected to surge due to cost-of-living crisis
⋙ Tesco: How to save £12 and more with their Christmas Clubcard deal
⋙ Facebook Marketplace warning: There's a new costly scam you should be aware of
