Those urgent emails from MetaMask and PayPal are phishing scams (2024)

FAQs

Those urgent emails from MetaMask and PayPal are phishing scams? ›

They're phishing scams. The MetaMask fake says your cryptocurrency wallet is blocked. And, if you don't act fast, click a link, and update your wallet, they say your crypto will be lost. The phony PayPal message says BNC Billing cancelled your payment to Binance — and it gives you a phone number to reach PayPal…

For example, they'll send an email that says they've paid you $500.00 USD for a camera you listed at $300.00 USD. The sender asks you to ship the camera in addition to the extra $200.00 USD you were “paid” by mistake. The fraudster wants your camera AND your payment but hasn't actually paid you at all.

Phishing

Opening an infected attachment can have serious consequences. It may launch a keylogger which steals personal information such as usernames and passwords, takes periodic screenshots, grabs sent emails or harvests credit card numbers and bank details.

If you receive a suspicious email, FORWARD it to phishing@paypal.com. Our security experts can take a look to determine if it's a fake.

One risk is that scammers may use your PayPal email address to send you phishing emails or overpayment scams. If you click on a link in one of these emails or send money back to a scammer, you could lose your money. Another risk is that your PayPal email address could be used to hack into your PayPal account.

Check the Email Address Format:Legitimate email addresses typically follow a standard format with a username followed by the "@" symbol and a domain name. Be wary of email addresses with unusual or suspicious formats. Verify the Domain:Check the domain of the email address to see if i.

Here are some ways to recognize a phishing email: Urgent call to action or threats - Be suspicious of emails and Teams messages that claim you must click, call, or open an attachment immediately. Often, they'll claim you have to act now to claim a reward or avoid a penalty.

While scammers may use various tricks to deceive their victims, there are some common red flags that can give them away. These include suspicious links, poor grammar and spelling, and urgent demands. On the other hand, a professional and informative tone of voice is not a suspicious characteristic at all.

Do spammers know if you open their email? ›

Scammers will be able to tell that you opened an email if you download any attachments or click on any links (which you should never do), or if your email client automatically loads any images that are embedded in the message.

The only way you can get hacked through an email is by interacting with the contents of the email, such as clicking on a malicious link or attachment. Continue reading to learn more about malicious emails and how to avoid getting hacked through them.

If you clicked on a phishing link that took you to a spoofed page entered personal information or credentials, then you'll need to change your passwords and contact your security team for further advice. Another danger is that attackers usually know whether or not you clicked on the link.

If you got an email that seems to be from MetaMask or PayPal, stop. They're phishing scams. The MetaMask fake says your cryptocurrency wallet is blocked. And, if you don't act fast, click a link, and update your wallet, they say your crypto will be lost.

MetaMask representatives will only ever contact you via:

Email, concerning open tickets, from the domains @metamask.io or @metamask.zendesk.com. If you haven't already given us your email to create a support ticket, we do not have it — remember MetaMask does not ask for your email to create a wallet.

Forward suspicious email to our team

When you aren't sure if a message that appears to be from PayPal is really from us, don't click on any links, call any listed phone numbers, or download attachments. Forward the entire email to phishing@paypal.com and delete it from your inbox.

The most accurate and popular PayPal's email format is first [1 letter] + last (ex. JSmith@paypal.com).

Scam invoices can appear authentic because they're sent through their official payment request system. That means paying attention to details like invoice number, billing address, writing errors, and abuse of the seller note section.