How to tell if you've received fake PayPal e-mail

If you receive an e-mail from PayPal, and it is addressed to "Dear PayPal User" or "Dear PayPal Member", it is a scam. Genuine PayPal e-mails will always address you by your first name, last name or business name. Report the e-mail to AOL by clicking the Report Spam icon on the message.

1. Check the e-mail carefully for misspellings, requests for information that PayPal already has, such as your account or Social Security numbers, and other suspicious signs that the e-mail could be a scam.

2. When in doubt, log on to the Paypal Web site by MANUALLY entering the Web address in AOL or your browser. Do not click on any links contained in the e-mail you received.

For more imformation, check out PayPal's help page on how to tell the difference between a real PayPal e-mail and a fake one.

What to do if you believe you've received a PayPal e-mail scam message:

-- Do not click on links in the e-mail.
-- MANUALLY type PayPal's Web address into your AOL or Web browser. (In this case, type www.paypal.com and check the site for additional information.)
-- Call PayPal and ask them to verify the e-mail for you.
-- Click Report Spam to report the mail to AOL.
-- Forward the e-mail to spoof@paypal.com.