fake emails?

papoosue

I have had five emails supposedly from EA Origin saying 'thank you for your purchase'. They say I have purchased FIFA points using my MasterCard to the value of about $300.


Well, I don't actually have a MasterCard (unless VISA is the same company, then I have Visa on my debit cards) and I don't have anyone in my house who plays FIFA.


So, obviously they are fake, but they really worried me there for a minute or two until I thought it through. I think its the fact that my spam detection hasn't picked them up.


Anyone else had these? (still feeling slightly uncomfortable about these).


EDITED to add - there is also an email detailing a purchase for other stuff and it has a persons name Sergio someone and my email address on it.


Should I be getting worried?

bod1467

papoosue wrote: »

Should I be getting worried?

No. They're banking on victims going "That's not MY purchase!", going to their link and entering financial details (to cancel the purchase/request a refund), which the scammers then use to REALLY take some money off you.

papoosue

bod1467 wrote: »

No. They're banking on victims going "That's not MY purchase!", going to their link and entering financial details (to cancel the purchase/request a refund), which the scammers then use to REALLY take some money off you.

Is that what they're up to? Not being cheeky, but are you sure? I'm usually really good about just deleting stuff straight away if it slips through the net but this one got me.


Thanks! I feel much better now

bod1467

Were the emails addressed to you personally? Or were they "Dear customer" or similar?

papoosue

bod1467 wrote: »

Were the emails addressed to you personally? Or were they "Dear customer" or similar?

Aha! I hadn't thought of that. They just said purchase confirmation or somesuch.


Jeez, I am too old for this


Thank you

macman

Isn't the fact that the amount quoted was in $ a dead giveaway, unless you are in the habit of ordering from US sites?

zanuda

Oh, sometime they even have your name. If the spammers bothered to buy more expansive database for spam. It's funny but sometimes I'm getting several identical spams within a minute. Apparently those spammers are using several databases.

I use the same e.mail for ages obviously it ended up with some databases and sometime with name. But my e.mail service shows if e.mail came from trusted site. Usually all these spams come from untrusted places. Even if it is proper e.mail showed in the sender's line. Because it is possible to fake that.

So always pay attention where the link leads (don't click just see the status bar or wherever it's called - in the bottom left of your browser).

As for latest spam trends - mine are "your paypal account will be limited in 24 hours" and "your I-tune account will be limited". I don't have any of those so I don't even know if this thing like limiting the account exists.

InsideInsurance

papoosue wrote: »

Is that what they're up to? Not being cheeky, but are you sure? I'm usually really good about just deleting stuff straight away if it slips through the net but this one got me.


Thanks! I feel much better now

It depends, it can be that, a link to a fake copy of the site they claim the email originates from which then either steals your log in details to the genuine site or asks you to provide more data on it.

Some will instead link to an "invoice" or attach the "invoice" which of cause is actually a piece of malware to try and infect whatever device you try and open it on.

Dont get them from EA games but frequently get them from "iTunes" and "Amazon". The one this week has been emails from "Microsoft Outlook" and "In Clarity" saying I have voicemail with a link to "the recording". On the basis these have been sent to a variety of my email addresses people have been busy.

As soon as your email address is confirmed as valid then its suddenly worth money and will be sold to others wanting to send these sorts of emails. If they can get your name, address or any other data about you then the information becomes more valuable.

papoosue

macman wrote: »

Isn't the fact that the amount quoted was in $ a dead giveaway, unless you are in the habit of ordering from US sites?

Well, no, actually. Sometimes I purchase things in $.

bod1467

Hence the caveat ... the end of the sentence after the comma.