PayPal scams

Scammers send emails, texts and links that look like they come from PayPal, to take your password, card details or money. Here is how to tell a fake from the real thing, and how to report one so it gets taken down.

Got a PayPal message you are not sure about?

Don't click the link in it. Paste the link into ScamX and we'll tell you whether it really goes to PayPal.

Check the link

The real PayPal addresses

PayPal's own sites end in:

  • paypal.com

Read the address up to the first single slash: it must end with one of these. An extra word, a different ending or a shortened link means it is not PayPal, however real the page looks. When in doubt, type the address yourself or use the PayPal app.

What fake PayPal messages look like

  • Messages with impersonal greetings such as "Dear user" or "Hello, PayPal member"
  • Fake websites with addresses very like the real one
  • Automated calls with spoofed caller ID asking you to call back

What PayPal says

  • Messages from PayPal use the full name on your PayPal account.
  • Never give personal, card or account details by email, text or phone. Type paypal.com yourself or open the app to check your account.
  • Don't return automated calls; contact PayPal through its Help Center.

How to report a PayPal scam

  1. Tell PayPal. Forward the whole email, or the text message: [email protected].
  2. Get the fake site taken down. Scan the link: the report names the company hosting it and the registrar of its domain, with a ready-written message for each.
  3. Put a warning in front of everyone else. Report the link to Google Safe Browsing and Microsoft SmartScreen.
  4. If you lost money or shared details, call your bank first, then report it to the police or your national fraud line. Where to report in your country.

PayPal's reporting route checked against PayPal's own page on 2026-10-10. ScamX is not affiliated with PayPal.