Unusual request by Paypal

[Ian J]

I have both a personal and business Paypal accounts and this morning I received an email from them saying that they were concerned over unusual activity in my business account and asked me to upload ID in the form of a scan of my passport or driving licence in order to help them sort out any problems.

I uploaded a scan of my passport and ten minutes later received another email from Paypal saying that I could now resume using my account.

I checked out the recent transactions to find nothing out of the ordinary at all with just a couple of entries for hosting and domain renewals so I don't really know what the fuss was all about.

I did Google the problem and found it has happened to quite a few others who all seem to think that it's someone at Paypal trying to steal our identities.

Anyone here had anything similar happen to them?

Incidentally I have never had this problem with my personal account which often has thousands going out of it as I use it to rent overseas holiday villas

 

[Ashley_Price]

I know this is a dumb question... but it was definitely PayPal you were dealing with a not scammers wanting to get a scan of passport for ID theft?

I almost fell for a Paypal scam once, when the scam email just happen to come in within minutes of my having done a PP transaction. Thankfully, I stopped before entering any details, and when through the normal site to find no problems at all.

 

[ADW]

Paypal accounts can be quite a delicate thing. Could have been a customer having a moan about something to them on a purchase and one or two keywords would flag you.

Like Ashley mentions, endless scam emails going on but don't think Ian would be one to fall for that....... surely not

 

[Clinton]

Use a safe way of getting to Paypal.com rather than following any link in the email that looks like it's taking you to Paypal.com and takes you to a site that looks like it's Paypal.com (heck, it's even got paypal.com in the address bar!)

It's an easy mistake to make if you happen to be in a hurry. Ian, you sure it was the Paypal site?

 

[Chris Ashdown]

Sorry Ian but I think you have been done over and the information on a passport gives them so much proof that they are you
Make sure you keep a copy of the email and I would contact both paypal and if not from them then action fraud they might be able to trace the email link but probably wont do anything

 

[fisicx]

If you have to upload any documents to paypal it's only ever done within your account. Any other method is a scam.

 

[ADW]

Still got faith in Ian that he hasn't been caught.

He checked his transactions which wouldn't have been on a fake site. I have assumed he uploaded passport through the site though.

 

[Ashley_Price]

He checked his transactions which wouldn't have been on a fake site. I have assumed he uploaded passport through the site though.

But from the way it was written, it sounds like he checked the transactions after he had supplied the scan of his passport and when he had been told he could resume using his account.

We don't know if he tried to access his account in the normal way before providing the passport scan.

 

[james_firmsites]

Assuming it was not a fake site and you checked you were actually on the real paypal.com site it is most likely just a random ID check.

Periodically paypal has been known to re-verify accounts to check they are not being used for laundering or criminal activity. I've had one ask to re-id after years of use.

 

[Ian J]

Still got faith in Ian that he hasn't been caught.

Thank you

I've been around the internet long enough not to make elementary mistakes. Having read the email I logged onto Paypal directly where they asked me for verification and uploaded a copy of my passport directly on to their site and ten minutes later received an email from paypal saying that all was now well.

The following is the exact wording of the email:-

Dear Ian Johnston,

We need your help resolving an issue with your PayPal account. Until you help us resolve this issue, we've temporarily limited what you can do with your account.

What's going on?

We noticed some unusual activity on your PayPal account and are concerned about potential unauthorized account access.

What to do next

Please log in to your PayPal account and complete the steps to confirm your identity and your recent account activity. To help protect your account, your account will remain limited until you complete the necessary steps.

The security of your PayPal account is a top priority for us and we want to work together to help protect it.

The issue appears to have been resolved by my uploading a scan of my passport but I can't for the life of me think of any potential issue that could be solved that way, especially in tend minutes at 7:30am and am now wondering if a photograph of my dog would have sufficed

If you need help or have any questions, call us for free on 0800 358 7911. We're open from 8am to 9pm Monday to Friday, from 8am to 9pm on Saturday and from 9am to 9pm on Sunday.

Yours sincerely,

PayPal

 

[Ian J]

.

Periodically paypal has been known to re-verify accounts to check they are not being used for laundering or criminal activity. I've had one ask to re-id after years of use.

I can't be much of a master criminal then as I have never received any monies into my Paypal account and had no outgoing transactions in November, one in October for £28.76 to a hosting company and two in September totalling £45

 

[paulears]

What did they say when you called them?

 

[james_firmsites]

I can't be much of a master criminal then as I have never received any monies into my Paypal account and had no outgoing transactions in November, one in October for £28.76 to a hosting company and two in September totalling £45

Its probably because your name appeared so many times in the paradise papers then

 

[Chris Ashdown]

If you place your pointer over the email link you used from the initial email, what is the full address that comes up

 

[Ian J]

If you place your pointer over the email link you used from the initial email, what is the full address that comes up

[email protected]

 

[Paul Norman]

Paypal, like so many organisations, is totally run by algorithm. If the computer say upload Ian's passport then a passport must be uploaded. They cannot circumnavigate their own systems.

That is what paypal is. And from time to time it makes seemingly random requests.

Annoying, isn't it? Well, for the few moments whilst you are faffing around on the random task it is.

 

[Nochexman]

Paypal, like so many organisations, is totally run by algorithm.

Paul is right. Sounds like you crossed a threshold and computer said "no".

 

[Deleted member 59730]

I haven't touched Paypal for a few years and I get these all the time. About once a month.

I have been very, very wary of any request from these large companies ever since an employee of Lovefilm, owned by Amazon, tried to take £2,000 from my bank account.

 

[Noah]

wondering if a photograph of my dog would have sufficed

I really wish you had taken the opportunity to do this - would have been edifying at least.

 

[Noah]

Lovefilm

"lovefilm", eh? Is that what the kids are calling it these days?

 

[Chris Ashdown]

The address looks genuine
I wonder what security they have with such valuable material, presumably they are outside our data protection rules

 

[michaelgore11]

Paypal asked me to do this after I exceeded my annual limit.

 

[Ian J]

Paypal asked me to do this after I exceeded my annual limit.

I can understand that but as I said I never used my Paypal account to receive money, only to pay it out, and even that in only a small way

 

[Gecko001]

I remember once being asked to send paypal a copy of my passport. I cannot remember what particular reason they gave for doing this as it was a several years ago. I assumed it was just them increasing their security procedures.

 

[Chris Ashdown]

To me giving copies of passport is going to far, any breach in their security and its giving far more information than simple card and address so easy to clone

 

[Honey Blinds]

Some of Paypal's requests are totally random, The system is set up so the the algorythm generates totally random requests, I guess this makes them more 'human'

 

[Mr D]

To me giving copies of passport is going to far, any breach in their security and its giving far more information than simple card and address so easy to clone

Then you need to find alternate ways of proving ID when a company asks for it.
Past 15 years or so every employer I've had has requested passport. Amazon and paypal have both done so too.
Even mortgage lender wanted it.

 

[Nochexman]

I can understand that but as I said I never used my Paypal account to receive money, only to pay it out, and even that in only a small way

Sounds like they think your account might be being used for money laundering.

 

[Ian J]

Sounds like they think your account might be being used for money laundering.

I can't be much of a master criminal then as I average two transactions a month for about £15 each

 

[Mr D]

I can't be much of a master criminal then as I average two transactions a month for about £15 each

Every master criminal started off small. With the exception of people who started off by killing thousands....

 

[Nochexman]

I can't be much of a master criminal then as I average two transactions a month for about £15 each

Clearly PayPal know the true master criminal M.O.

 

[Mohamed IBrahim]

I notice you said all the contact came from their side...I would pick up the phone and call PayPal and investigate it further

 

[Dimo]

If you get any requests from online accounts you hold all you need do is log in direct as usual, never from a link in an email.