How do I dispute a false charge on Paypal?I'm kinda freaking out: I just got a receipt via email for an almost $500 purchase that I apparently made through Paypal to buy a cellphone from LWP Electronics, to be shipped to someone in Maine. But I didn't make the purchase and when I log in to my Paypal account, I don't see any trace of the transaction. What's going on? Kudos to you for recognizing that any time you get any email about Paypal or any other online commerce system, you should always log in to the site directly rather than clicking on any sort of link that might be embedded in the mail. Why? Because you have receive a "phishing" message from some malicious person who is trying to get your account and password so he (or she) can log in and send all your money to their own account. I'm betting you got the following message:  If you're familiar with Paypal messages, you'll immediately be suspcious about the convenient "if you need to dispute this charge" link on the bottom, as legit Paypal transaction receipts just end with "Thank you for using PayPal! The PayPal Team" and a PayPal Email ID. No small print, no links back to your account, nothing. Even if you're not familiar with Paypal email receipts, you should always be following the basic rule of Never click on embedded links that lead to log in pages! Many email programs will also show you on a status bar or as a tooltip or hover box the destination of a given clickable URL too. In Microsoft Entourage, for example, moving the cursor over "Dispute Transaction" shows:  It's a safe bet that Paypal isn't using a Russian site to channel disputes, so if there was any question about authenticity of the message, that should immediately end any worries! Be careful out there, everyone. There are smart phishers and hackers trying to get our money, bank account info, Paypal login, and much more, every day. And once gotten, it's sometimes impossible to fix or recover things, as I hear about every day with people who have been duped into revealing their Hotmail, Yahoo, AOL or other account information and passwords.
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Never miss another useful Q&A article again! Subscribe to AskDaveTaylor with Google Reader. I have been trying to contact PAYPAL b/c I, too, get the same BILL CHANG thing. But I can't get into paypal b/c it won't accept my password anymore AND when I click on forgot password, it says it has sent me something and I never receive it. BUT!!! I was so frustrated this morning that I put LWP ELECTRONICS in a search and came upon your site! I was shocked. Anyhow, I don't have a question or anything, just wanted to let you know that I was glad you had something out there to explain what BILL CHANG was al about ... especially since the email I sent to LWP at the address give was returned this morning! Thanks. Posted by: Jean at August 17, 2006 9:28 AMJust been phished by Chang. Made my hair, or lack thereof, stand on end. Thanks for your help. We owe you!! Posted by: Phil at August 25, 2006 11:45 AMThe biggest problem of them all is PayPal. They do not reveal a phone number that anyone can call and get instructions or to say "Stop Payment!" What this has done for me is make sure to never use E-Bay again. in fact, I am going to cancel all bids right now. E-Bay and PayPal hide behind a circle of canned replies. bill chang got me but no money cant you stop him. this is supposed to be a secure site sorry cant see it... i too as well as many of my friends and their friends are cancelling paypal and ebay.... this should never have to happen....to anyone...... Posted by: phyllis at August 28, 2006 9:23 AMLet me tell you, that I just expierenced the same problem. I got that dang letter. I clicked (like a dummy) the cancell link and couldn't even access my account. Not even using my personal id information that only I should know, to change password. Apparently it was all changed too. It was an old account. Never used anymore. So the idiots didn't get any money from me. However though it makes me very suspicious about my other account. Cancelling as I type this. Thanks everyone. Posted by: Nina at September 6, 2006 4:59 AMThey have increased the amount of their bogus purchases. To bad we can't track down these bastards. Please confirm payment to LWPELECTRONICS (sales@lwpelectronics.com) $2,829.00 USD using PayPal and your Shipping Information. This credit card payment will appear on your bill as "PAYPAL LWPELECTRONICS*".
Cart Subtotal: $2,799.00 USD
Shipping Info: Lynn Allen -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thank you for using PayPal!
The HTML graphics in this message have been displayed. [Edit Preferences - What's This?] DeleteReplyForwardSpamMove... Posted by: L.W. Roy at October 3, 2006 8:12 AM This email confirms that you have paid LWP ELECTRONICS (sales@lwpelectronics.com) $274.99 USD using PayPal. This credit card transaction will appear on your bill as "PAYPAL LWPELECTRONICS*".
Cart Subtotal: $254.99 USD
Shipping Info: Bill Chang -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thank you for using PayPal! I got one of these emails and knew immediately it was a fake. It does not address me by name. Biggest tip was the fact it came to my work address, which I do NOT use for my PayPal account. By this point, everyone should know to watch out for these scams and not assume anything. Always check. And never respond to requests for personal information. If you're not sure it's legit, forward it to eBay or PayPal and they'll tell you. There's no reason to stop using those sites and services just because some criminals are trying to rob people with these fake emails. Posted by: Brian at October 16, 2006 3:00 PMRe: Bill Chang, Saco, Maine, and the bogus PayPal/Cell phone purchase. The domain name LWPelectronics.com is owned by Chestertorton Holdings, 655 Flower St #254, Providence, CA 90017. Posted by: JG at October 26, 2006 1:09 PMI don't think that the 'holdings' company is at fault, since when you actually go to the site, it gives you one of those 'placeholder sites'. So I think that the scammer used a non-valid domain name, so that all 'complaints' would basically go to the bitbucket and be unanswered. Posted by: Jonathan Herr at October 26, 2006 2:32 PMI RECEIVED PAYPAL MEMBER E MAIL CONFIRMING PURCHASE FROM LWP ELECTRONICS THE SHIPPING INFORMATION WAS JOSHUA BARTON IN BENTON HARPER, MI PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS ANOTHER ONE. THANKS FOR POSTING THIS ALL I'M GOING TO SAY IS AS SOON AS I TRACK DOWN A LEAD, I AM GOING TO SHOW UP AT THEIR OFFICE OR HOME WITH A 44, SILENCER, AND HOLLOWED TIP BULLETS. THEN I WILL SAY "BYE BILL" Posted by: Koko at February 24, 2007 2:52 PMI received this email from ebay also! I clicked the link -panicked- though I did have a thought in the back of my mind that it was a fake email. I filled out the dispute w/credit card info (which thankfully is a card i had on paypal which has been cancelled and i don't think the info i gave was accurate anyway). Then i cancelled my account with paypal. They can't get in still and see my bank acct number that was on my paypal acct - can they? Posted by: R at March 16, 2007 8:38 AMthanks this helped a lot, I was in a panic, Typed in LWP electronics and came right to your page. Hello... what is up with this from paypal ? PayPal strongly discourages users from calling their credit card companies in order to obtain PayPal Expanded Use Number before receiving their monthly statement in the mail. If PayPal receives a complaint from your card issuer regarding a phone call to your credit card company to obtain the PayPal Expanded Use Number, your PayPal Account may be permanently closed Guys and gals, the EASIEST way (IMHO) to spot a scam email is that it won't be addressed to you PERSONALLY....i.e. it'll say something like 'Dear Paypal customer' INSTEAD of the name you have registered in your Paypal account! I have a lot to say, but ...
I do have a comment, now that you mention it!
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