Kinguin/PayPal Hack, How?

fredar

I got an email from Kinguin welcoming me with details of my account and password and details about a gift card I had purchased and was charged to my PayPal account  which was all news to me as I had never heard of Kinguin before.

Also the details were not mine they were of some woman living at a fake address, at least according to Google maps it was.

I thought at first it was some kind of scam so ignored it but a couple of days later when I signed into my PayPal account there was a charge for a $25 gift card, converted to sterling.

I contacted PayPal about this saying I did not buy a gift card from Kinguin but after a day they said it was an authorised transaction and would not cancel it.

I phoned PayPal and explained what happened but the person I spoke to was not all that helpful so I am waiting to hear back from them.

I also contacted Kinguin who eventually cancelled the gift card purchase because I had not passed security for the purchase, probably because I did not authorise it.

So how could someone just using my email address sign me up to Kinguin and purchase a gift card in a name and address that was not mine and charge it to my PayPal account?

I have changed all my passwords now of course.

dj1471

Sounds like they have obtained the password to your PayPal account (was it a secure, unique password?) or gained access to your computer or other device where the password was saved.

Make sure you're using unique passwords everywhere and check your computers/other devices are up-to-date and clear of malware.

Check here to see if any of your passwords have been stolen and leaked:

https://haveibeenpwned.com/

pbartlett

did you not get a paypal email 'receipt for your purchase to kinguin' ..?

fredar

pbartlett said:

did you not get a paypal email 'receipt for your purchase to kinguin' ..?

Yes I did but thought it was spam.

fredar

Although Kinguin have cancelled the gift card and won't take payment for it, PayPal still says it was an authorised transaction and I have to pay it.

Do they not know what they are doing?

Can I close that PayPal account and open another one with a different email address and different bank details as I am going to stop using the email address that was compromised?

pbartlett

No keep the Paypal account open but just change your email address once logged into Paypal it is easy to do.

fredar

I removed my bank account association with paypal and also my credit card association with paypal.

 Paypal then decided to try and take the disputed payment from my bank account, this was rejected so reactivated my credit card payment method after I had removed it and took the payment that way.

And paypal now say the charge was authorised and won't reopen a dispute about it.

Archergirl

If Kinguin have cancelled the card but kept the PayPal payment maybe they can now issue a card to you so that will cancel out what you owe PayPal ...

mifx

me too, I got charged suddenly on 28.05.21, Kinguin hacked my paypal and used a linked expired bank card.

RFW

fredar said:

I removed my bank account association with paypal and also my credit card association with paypal.

 Paypal then decided to try and take the disputed payment from my bank account, this was rejected so reactivated my credit card payment method after I had removed it and took the payment that way.

And paypal now say the charge was authorised and won't reopen a dispute about it.

Contact your credit card company regarding an unauthorised payment to Paypal.

Report to Action Fraud https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/reporting-fraud-and-cyber-crime

Then get back in touch with Paypal. I'd suggest contacting them via Paypal, politely ask why they have been complicit in a fraud you have been a victim of. That should get them to take it seriously. They may well be able to check where your account was logged in at.

Is it possible someone at your address and/or with access to your computer/mobile would have made the transaction?

pbartlett

The T&C you signed with PayPal allow them to 're-activate' your card and take any money owed. You cannot challenge that.

What you should continue to challenge is the original fraud leading them to take the money.