Fake PayPal Email Scams
PayPal was the 3rd most impersonated company in FTC 2024 fraud reports. A unique PayPal scam uses real PayPal servers to send fraudulent invoices — bypassing spam filters entirely. PayPal's official policy: PayPal never includes phone numbers in invoices.
Official PayPal contact
Legitimate emails: @paypal.com · Official site: paypal.com
Documented PayPal scam email subjects
PayPal scam pattern guides
PayPal scam statistics
Reported since
2021
Last active
2026
Severity
High
Scam types
2
Scam types
Reported by
•PayPal Security
•FTC 2024 data spotlight
•FBI IC3
How to recognize a fake PayPal email
Real PayPal emails come from @paypal.com only — any other domain is fraudulent
Scam emails create urgency: 24-hour deadlines, threats of account suspension, charges pending
Never call a phone number listed in an unsolicited email — it connects to a scammer
Verify any issue by going directly to paypal.com — type the URL yourself
Real companies never need remote access to your computer to process a refund or dispute
What to do if you received a fake PayPal email
Do not click any link, call any number, or download any attachment
Go directly to paypal.com to check your real account — type the URL yourself
Report to PayPal at [email protected]
Report to FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov
Report to FBI IC3 at ic3.gov if money was sent
Fake PayPal sender domains
If you received an email from any of these domains, it is a scam. Legitimate PayPal emails only come from @paypal.com.
Report a fake PayPal email
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if an email from PayPal is real?▼
Legitimate PayPal emails come from @paypal.com domains only. Never click links in unsolicited emails — go directly to paypal.com by typing the URL yourself.
What should I do if I received a fake PayPal email?▼
Do not click any link or call any number in the email. Report it to [email protected]. Report to FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov and FBI IC3 at ic3.gov.
Does PayPal send unsolicited emails?▼
PayPal was the 3rd most impersonated company in FTC 2024 fraud reports. A unique PayPal scam uses real PayPal servers to send fraudulent invoices — bypassing spam filters entirely. PayPal's official policy: PayPal never includes phone numbers in invoices.
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