Greetings on Monday I got an alert from PayPal email of a deposit from a person in a parachute Colorado for the amount of one cent deposited into my PayPal account. I after the fact googled the address and it appeared to be at a military base in a mobile home
I went to my PayPal account and it showed a deposit of one cent into my account. I read the email with the concern to contact an 800 number if I wish to challenge this deposit. It look totally legitimate I didn't foresee any difficulties so I did call the 800 number is mistake in the conversation the the Middle Eastern individual directed me to a WhatsApp site mistake number two again thinking this was a legitimate communication from PayPal but immediately set up red flags as soon as I was requested to go to Whatsapp . The individual could see what deposits I received into One bank accounts he went into well to make a long story short somebody according to this individual was trying to buy something for $600 and some dollars two days prior to Monday of course I freaked out. I proceeded to question their authenticity and requested verification of the person they were I requested this verification at least 10 times the individual proceeded to get very annoyed with me odd questions are asked of me if I was located on my property and if I had access to my laptop or desk computer red flag number three at least I was then asked to load a site called remitty or something like that I refused and proceeded to call the number that I was called on on the WhatsApp from a different phone while having a conversation with this individual this individual heard me dialing the number and his tone immediately changed after I refuse to go any further in providing any information to him. I proceeded to question the communication from PayPal and his intensity of insistence heightened. And with my numerous requests for identity location he got very upset and nasty he further insisted that he was there to assist me to correct the situation scam alert number one after he heard me dialing a phone number his change tone heightened. I questioned him why I got unable to receive a pickup on the phone number that I was on the WhatsApp with him... After refusing a number of his requests for PayPal information regarding my accounts he heightened his insistence that he was PayPal which he could not verify. He assured me that he could correct the situation within 24 hours but I said I would eliminate all accounts that were posted on my PayPal distribution docket immediately said oh don't do that we'll take care of it right once a conversation was ended I immediately remove the WhatsApp app and immediately changed my password to PayPal and proceeded to change passwords to my banking account companies. There is a site on Facebook from a Mr Rosen indicating that this is a definite scam and PayPal is aware of it. So if you get a what it looks like an actual communication from PayPal and you go to your PayPal account and see that there is a minuscule amount of money in your Paypal account be careful... Out of great concern I called all my banking entities after changing the password and alerted them to the situation. And did in fact eventually close out one account and reopened it with a different account number ... After contacting PayPal on the customer service number on the PayPal contact us site they were aware of the problem and we're attempting to address it according to Mr Rosen Facebook post this is a new scam that's being attempted

NEVER click on links in suspicious emails. NEVER call a number that is not the direct PayPal phone number. And any emails that look like PayPal emails, but you suspect might not be should be forwarded to spoof@paypal.com.

In fact and in practice, I click on no links in emails, ever. If I need to go to a website for any reason, I type in the URL, or I use an icon that I personally put on the taskbar of my computer. I've been scammed and I don't make the same mistake twice.

Moreled, that's common sense 101. Unfortunately, so many people have not taken that course, which should probably be a prerequisite for internet and phone usage.

Why would you call the number in the comments of the suspicious transaction? Do you realize that those comments are put there by the sender of $.01? I don't know how you weren't scammed, honestly.

Anyone with the email address you use for PayPal can send you money and notes with the money. These scammers pay a penny for your attention and fish for fools.

It seems like some people are just prone to panic, though. My sister contacted me in a frazzle about this same scam because she was sure I would know who was sending the strange deposits. I told her about the scam and it was obvious she hadn't done any checking on her own but at least she reached out to me and asked rather than contacting the scammer.

ETA: and this is far from a new scam, it's been going on for at least a year. But, nobody can keep track of all the various scenarios and tactics. Instead, you have to control your reaction and think things through.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/13/2026 01:46PM by Deedeezthoughts.

Consider paragraphs

Greetings to all that responded I wanted to clarify one thing that the communication came with a PayPal logo which is also the message is sitting in the PayPal message box on my PayPal account it wasn't from a random unknown email address it appear to come from PayPal

The only thing I can surmise is that PayPal security's been breached cuz they had my name and was able to view my bank account destination entities as well as roster of deposits. If anybody can explain this one to me and I appreciate it and again this message is sitting in my PayPal message box too so how could that happen unless it was a breach of some kind on PayPal's part

Clearly you do not know how PayPal notifications work and I too can not believe you weren't scammed. Did you even read what Deedeezthoughts wrote?

Agree with all above warnings and advice. Why would you call the number on that email? Because you thought it looked legitimate? Anything received that you know you did not do/initiate should never be dealt with by using the suspect's provided contact information.

Always contact the company you do have business with, using their provided contact information. Anyone could have got your email address and placed it on the dark web as a prospect for one that could be a victim. Now, since you called them and more, they have your phone number linked to their dark web file and your IP address, possibly your name, too, if you divulged that. These scammers know there is a great possibility you may have a PayPal account, Amazon, and others, etc. Their investment of one cent did not hurt them. They still gleaned more information from you, including that you do indeed have a PayPal account. SMH

ETA: It was not a PayPal breach. They sent the penny to a real PayPal account. Nothing wrong that, that was step one with their fishing trip. PayPal does not read the communication sent to you unless they were notified by you of someone scamming you, already, or if they have the scammer's "from address" in their security alerts. But these scammers have thousands of addresses. Once one gets caught they move to another one.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/13/2026 11:21PM by purpleicee.

All of the PayPal scams I've received have had PayPal's logo looked just like the emails I get from them. EXCEPT for the email address, but that also still has "PayPal" in it. Anything that is even a little suspicious should be forwarded immediately to Spoof@paypal.com. Even if you're not sure it's a scam, send it to PayPal. Let them sort it out.

Just last week I had a similar scam, which I recognized as such, in my PayPal account. I received $0.10 MXN....of all things! Along with that was the usual email message about calling such and such a number, blah, blah, blah. What I did was call Paypal customer service. The gal on the other end said they were checking these sorts of things out, and just simply reversed the Mexican peso back to where it came from, and told me to just ignore it, that it would go away, and it did. End of story. Sheesh! They never quit trying!

@purpleicee wrote:

Agree with all above warnings and advice. Why would you call the number on that email? Because you thought it looked legitimate? Anything received that you know you did not do/initiate should never be dealt with by using the suspect's provided contact information.

Always contact the company you do have business with, using their provided contact information. Anyone could have got your email address and placed it on the dark web as a prospect for one that could be a victim. Now, since you called them and more, they have your phone number linked to their dark web file and your IP address, possibly your name, too, if you divulged that. These scammers know there is a great possibility you may have a PayPal account, Amazon, and others, etc. Their investment of one cent did not hurt them. They still gleaned more information from you, including that you do indeed have a PayPal account. SMH

ETA: It was not a PayPal breach. They sent the penny to a real PayPal account. Nothing wrong that, that was step one with their fishing trip. PayPal does not read the communication sent to you unless they were notified by you of someone scamming you, already, or if they have the scammer's "from address" in their security alerts. But these scammers have thousands of addresses. Once one gets caught they move to another one.

Ah, but it becomes a breach when you call the scammer and give them access to your account. I am forever amazed at how many people have their accounts "hacked" because they gave a 2 factor code to a scammer. Rather than looking up how to contact the company, they call the phone number in an email or letter they received and just assume that's the company because the notification looks real to them.

I remember when the actual fraud department for my credit card was trying to reach me about a suspicious transaction. I didn't call the phone number in the voicemail, I called the phone number printed on my card and asked them to transfer me to their fraud department. It doesn't upset them at all. In fact, the person in the fraud department praised me for doing that because it's how you avoid getting deceived when it's fake.

Never call the number in the email/text/voicemail/paper letter no matter how "real" it looks. Get the contact number from a source you know is authentic and let them get you to the right department if it's real.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/14/2026 03:44PM by Deedeezthoughts.

Just assume every email or text is a scam until proven otherwise. You won't go wrong.

Like @Morledzep stated, sending the company the email helps with the security process. I get emails everyday stating my "cloud" account is full and I am about to lose everything or similar. They use Apple's logos, too. The blue iCloud or the traditional apple. I send it to: spoof@apple.com and Apple takes it from there. Not all use "spoof," but many do.

One thing I'd like to add...when doing a google search to find a number, do not use one of those numbers that are sponsored. Those are put there by scammers. Go directly to the company's website. My girlfriend got fooled trying to find the number for Jet Blue one day.

I worked for a high tech company for many years. Their cybersecurity team would regularly send out legitimate-looking but bogus e-mails to see who responded to them. First time was a written warning and an online trainng that also was requied of your direct manager. Second infraction could result in termination. You learn very quickly to be suspicious.

Good training.