| Q: I use PayPal to accept credit cards for | | | | years.Identity theft is what's known as a |
| my online collectibles business. I recently | | | | knowledge crime, which means that the |
| received an email that my PayPal account was | | | | criminal doesn't have to break into your |
| going to expire in five days if I didn't | | | | house to rob you blind. If you have a bank |
| click a link in the email and give them my | | | | account and a social security number, you are |
| PayPal account information. Being naturally | | | | susceptible to identity theft.While most |
| paranoid I decided not to give this | | | | people are familiar with identity theft, most |
| information and I'm happy to say that my | | | | business men and women never think about it |
| PayPal account did not expire. Was this a | | | | happening to them, at least on a professional |
| scam? | | | | level. Consider this: if a criminal can |
| | | | learn your business checking account number |
| -- Brenda A.A: Be thankful that your | | | | or the number of your company credit card, |
| paranoia kicked in, Brenda, because you were | | | | they can steal far more from your business |
| about to fall victim to the scam of the week, | | | | than if they had simply knocked down the door |
| this one aimed at the 35 million merchants | | | | and carted off your desk.The Internet aside, |
| and individuals who use as their online | | | | most business and personal identity theft is |
| payment processor.The email you received was | | | | still the result of stolen wallets and |
| not from PayPal, but from an Internet bad guy | | | | dumpster diving. You should guard your |
| behind a forged email address using the | | | | business records closely and be very careful |
| domain. You should understand that no | | | | what you throw away. Stop and think for a |
| reputable online company will ever ask you to | | | | moment what a criminal might find in the |
| provide your account information. Think | | | | dumpster behind your office.There's a good |
| about it. They already have this | | | | chance that dumpster has, at various times, |
| information. Why would they ask you to | | | | contained scraps of paper with your social |
| provide it.Since I use PayPal for several of | | | | security number, driver's license number, |
| my online ventures, I, too, received the | | | | credit card number, old ATM cards, telephone |
| email in question. The email first seeks to | | | | calling cards, and other pieces of vital |
| instill fear in you by saying that your | | | | business information like bank statements, |
| PayPal account will be closed if you do not | | | | invoices, and purchase orders. A |
| provide personal information. You are then | | | | dumpster-diving thief could literally rob |
| directed to open an attached executable file | | | | your business blind in a matter of hours.Here |
| and enter your PayPal account information and | | | | are a few ways to protect yourself from |
| other personal information that PayPal | | | | business and personal identity theft.* Never |
| doesn't even require, including your social | | | | give out your first name, last name, business |
| security number, checking and savings account | | | | name, email address, account passwords, |
| information, driver's license number, and | | | | credit card numbers, bank account |
| other personal information that can be used | | | | information, PIN number, social security |
| to clean out your PayPal account and perhaps | | | | number, or driver's license number.* Change |
| even steal your identity.If you're not | | | | your online account passwords every 30 days. |
| familiar with PayPal, it is a hugely | | | | Believe it or not, a hacker who steals your |
| successful, web-based company (purchased by | | | | personal information can guess your online |
| eBay in 2002) that many online retailers and | | | | account passwords in about two minutes. If |
| eBay sellers use to accept electronic | | | | your Charles Schwab online account password |
| payments for everything from newsletter | | | | is your birthday or the name of your first |
| subscriptions to consulting services to just | | | | born or family pet, count on a hacker |
| about any product for sale on eBay.The allure | | | | cracking that code faster than you can say |
| of PayPal is that it does not require the | | | | 'Bill Gates.'* Never provide personal |
| seller to have a bank merchant account | | | | information in response to an email or |
| through which to process credit cards. | | | | telephone call. Just because someone calls |
| Anyone with a verifiable email address and | | | | and says they are from Dunn & Bradstreet and |
| bank account can use PayPal and the service | | | | need to confirm your business information |
| can be implemented almost immediately after | | | | does not mean they are really from Dunn & |
| registering.When someone places an order on a | | | | Bradstreet.* Never give your business credit |
| website that uses PayPal for online payments, | | | | card number over the phone to place an order |
| that customer is directed to to complete the | | | | with someone who has called you unsolicited. |
| payment process using a credit card or | | | | If you are interested in what they are |
| electronic check. The merchant can transfer | | | | selling get their number, check out their |
| the money collected in his PayPal account to | | | | company, then call them back to place the |
| his checking account any time he likes. | | | | order.If you think that you have become the |
| Since many larger merchants make this | | | | victim of identity theft or think someone is |
| transfer just once a week or so, their PayPal | | | | trying to steal your identity or personal |
| accounts are ripe for the picking from those | | | | information you should report them |
| who have the cunning and lack of ethics | | | | immediately to the Federal Trade Commission. |
| required to gain access.The shear number of | | | | You will find more information on their |
| PayPal customers is one reason it has become | | | | website at For more information on what to |
| a popular target of scam artists trying to | | | | do if identity theft happens to you visit if |
| steal personal information from individuals | | | | you ever receive an email from PayPal, |
| and businesses alike.Identify theft is on the | | | | Amazon, eBay, or any other ecommerce website |
| rise. Thanks to the Internet stealing | | | | asking you to update your account information |
| someone's identity has never been easier. | | | | by email you can pretty much bet the farm |
| At any given moment, there are any number of | | | | that it is a scam.In business, as in life, a |
| Internet thieves using all manner of high | | | | little paranoia is a good thing.Small |
| tech wizardry to steal personal and business | | | | Business Q&A is written by veteran |
| information from unsuspecting souls, and many | | | | entrepreneur |
| times they can gain access to this | | | | |
| information simply by asking the person to | | | | and syndicated columnist, Tim Knox. |
| provide it through fraudulent means.The | | | | |
| PayPal scam is just the latest in a long line | | | | Tim's latest books include "Small Business |
| of sophisticated attempts to steal personal | | | | Success Secrets" |
| information through online means, Amazon, | | | | |
| eBay, Dell Computer, and many others have | | | | and "The 30 Day Blueprint For Success! |
| been the brunt of many such scams in recent | | | | |