PayPal payment request scam warning

We have been informed of a fake payment request scam being sent through PayPal.

The emails, which do come from PayPal, exploit a feature where you can request money from other users through the website.

These requests have the option to add a note, which scammers are using to create a message to pressure the recipient into sending an amount for money for a completely random service.

Fraud Protect Officer Tammy Barnes warned, “If you check the details of who these emails have been sent from, it will appear as the official PayPal address as the emails are sent by the system.

“If you’re not expecting a request for payment, we would advise ignoring these emails and if you think the email may be genuine you should always verify the request via a trusted contact method before making payment.

“This is also a timely reminder to make sure your online accounts are secure by using unique, strong passwords and enabling two-factor authentication ahead of the busy online shopping season.”

Further tips for shopping safely online can be found on the National Cyber Security Centre.

If you do receive an email that you think is suspicious, you can forward it to [email protected].

If you think you have been scammed, please report this to Action Fraud.