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This week we’ve detected another set of deceptive PayPal-based invoice scams. Like the examples before it (available here and here), these scams are particularly well disguised because they’re sent from a legitimate PayPal email address — but all is not as it seems. Read on to learn more.
This scam misuses the brand name of MikroTik, a Latvian network equipment manufacturer. In this scam, and just like all the other examples mentioned in this article, the scammers send would-be victims fake PayPal invoices under the name of the impersonated company. Here’s what the content of this MikroTik LLC PayPal invoice scam looks like:
The invoice is not real. Scammers get ahold of people’s email addresses and send them fake invoices via PayPal to try to scare them into calling the included phone number (redacted above). Once they’ve got a victim scared and on the phone, they will do their best to trick that victim into sharing their personal and/or financial information — which the scammers can use to commit any number of other crimes (in the victim’s name!).
Here’s another example of this scam — this time misusing the name of a different company: Ravoltek LLC.
Source: Facebook
As you can see, the content of the message is the same as the first example, but note one thing: the generic greeting at the top of the message — “Hello, PayPal Client.” PayPal will never send you an email with a generic greeting. It will always be your first and last name or, in the case of business accounts, the business name.
In this final example, the scammers are impersonating Coinbase, the cryptocurrency exchange platform.
Source: Reddit
Although the message content is different, the tactics are the same: to get people to dial the phone number included in the email (obscured above) and trick them into sharing their personal data. Watch out!
If you’re wondering how the scammers were even able to get your email address in the first place, you’re not alone. They will most often get it from underground internet forums or the dark web — two places that are hotbeds for stolen/leaked data.
If you want a way to check if your personal data — email addresses, bank account numbers, Social Security number, passport number, and more — have been leaked online, consider checking out Trend Micro ID Security. The app will scan the internet and the dark web 24/7 for your data so if it’s ever leaked, you’ll know about it! Click the button below to learn more and claim your 30-day free trial today!
This article was published in collaboration with Trend Micro
