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