ofacappeal@paypal.com

prowla

Somebody I know has just received an email from paypal accusing them of transgressing the US OFAC laws by accessing their account from Iran.

[FONT=&quot]> From: [EMAIL="service@paypal.co.uk"]service@paypal.co.uk[/EMAIL][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] > To: [EMAIL="XXXX@YYYYYYY.com"]XXXX@YYYYYYY.com[/EMAIL][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] > Subject: Request for additional information XX-NNN-NNN-NNN-NNN XXXNNN[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] > [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] > Dear XXXX YYYYYYYYY,[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] > [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] > To keep our customers secure we regularly screen activity in the PayPal[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] > system. During a recent screening, we identified activity that may be in[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] > violation of United States regulations administered by the Department of[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] > the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] > [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] > We’re committed to meeting OFAC’s regulations. One regulation is to ensure[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] > that our customers are compliant with applicable laws and regulations,[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] > including those set forth by OFAC, in their use of PayPal.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] > [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] > Please provide the following information via email to [EMAIL="ofacappeal@paypal.com"]ofacappeal@paypal.com[/EMAIL]:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] > [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] > • An explanation as to why the attempted access from Iran was made and[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] > by whom[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] > • Confirm that your account is not held for the benefit of a person or[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] > organization in Iran[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] > [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] > We thank you for your prompt attention to this matter and apologize for any[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] > inconvenience.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] > [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] > [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] > Yours sincerely, [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] > PayPal[/FONT][FONT=&quot]

So:
[/FONT]

1. [FONT=&quot] Why is a private company applying US laws to transactions by an English (born & resident) person who is dealing with ebay UK and Paypal UK (nee Luxemburg)? The US has no jurisdiction here and so is that a violation of international law?[/FONT]
2. [FONT=&quot] The person has no dealings with anybody in Iran, and so it is presumably a hacking attempt.(Don't know if that would satisfy their demand for an "explanation"?)[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]
In the meanwhile their account is frozen.

What a bunch of idiots!
[/FONT]

RFW

It looks like a phishing email, has your friend logged in to their Paypal account, not using any links in the email of course?

prowla

Yes, at a first sight it does look like phishing.
However, the links are actually to paypal, and their account was disabled.
I searched google and found other instances of this happening.

KxMx

You should never, ever click any links in such emails. Even if you are 150% sure it is genuine.

Always go through google in a new browser window.

prowla

KxMx wrote: »

You should never, ever click any links in such emails. Even if you are 150% sure it is genuine.

Always go through google in a new browser window.

Yes, and that is something that I have stressed several times, many times, lots!

(Hovering the mouse over the link shows the actual address, which is at paypal.)

Therefore, I assume that the mail was genuinely from paypal, and that is where my gripe is.

RFW

In that case the best course of action is to call Paypal, they're surprisingly good on the phone (unlike Ebay).

oldone_2

prowla wrote: »

Yes, and that is something that I have stressed several times, many times, lots!

(Hovering the mouse over the link shows the actual address, which is at paypal.)

Therefore, I assume that the mail was genuinely from paypal, and that is where my gripe is.

Scammers are getting very clever these days. Hovering your mouse over a link may show a Paypal address, but it does not necessarily mean it is genuine.
To be absolutely sure, clear your cache and access Paypal from your own saved bookmarks.

Rick1980_2

I had the same email last week. after providing proof of id and proof of address paypal were satisfied and re enabled my account.

It was slightly worrying though! The gist of the email was like i was funding terror in the middle east!

Brooker_Dave

The USA funds terror in the Middle East by bankrolling Israel, pot kettle black...

zerog

This sort of thing is why I keep my paypal account closed unless I need to use it, now that I only use ebay a few times a year.

techspec

zerog wrote: »

This sort of thing is why I keep my paypal account closed unless I need to use it, now that I only use ebay a few times a year.

I'm interested in hearing how you close a paypal account down in between uses.