Savings account hacked via PayPal

[DavidS]

I was looking at my bank account balances a little while ago and noticed a $1,000 debit from my savings account to PayPal. My PayPal account is not linked to my savings account and my PayPal account did not show the transaction.

I filled a claim online with my bank and then called PayPal. Evidently, the person got my savings account number through online bank access (I already changed my account). Plus, according to PayPal, she requested another $1,000 transfer today. PayPal gave me her name. There are two people in Atlanta with the same name. Isn't wire transfer fraud a felony? This seems like it's very easy to trace and catch the person involved.

[wave rider]

Involve police.

=wr=

[hal]

You called the police already, right?

Did you say that they got the account number from your online banking? THAT'S disturbing!

[ztirffritz]

I just had a fraudulent charge against my debit card. Apparently I've developed a deep and abiding love of football because I purchased a year long subscription to streaming games via BeIn Sports. The bank reversed that almost immediately and canceled my card and issued a new one.

[space-time]

good luck!!!

EDIT1: how does one add a checking/savings account to PayPal? isn't there some sort of verification protocol? when I add a new account to make transfers from one bank to another, or to an investment firm, I think they do 2 small deposits and you have to enter those numbers to confirm the account. How does PayPal handle this process?

EDIT2: I see you mentioned this: Evidently, the person got my savings account number through online bank access (I already changed my account)

Did this person hack into acout account? did you have a "weak" password? did they do those small transactions with PayPal to confirm the account?

[rgG]

I don't understand how they got your bank info?
Did they then link it to THEIR PayPal account?
Did the bank say how they think they got your info?

[Black]

Yeah, something doesn't add up here, but I suspect logging into bank accounts via work (non-personal) computers is in the mix here.

[DavidS]

rgG wrote:
I don't understand how they got your bank info?
Did they then link it to THEIR PayPal account?
Did the bank say how they think they got your info?

I actually got more information from PayPal than from my bank. The bank is obviously involving their fraud detection division, and I gave them the info that PayPal gave to me. PayPal said that she established her account 3 months ago, but this was just done last Monday. They said there were not any other deposits into the account and that the account was verified through an automatic verification system they now use. There were no small deposit amounts in my account.

My password was not really weak, but I have used it for too long and have it on too many accounts. I guess it's now time to figure out and switch over to 1Password.

[rgG]

DavidS wrote:
[quote=rgG]
I don't understand how they got your bank info?
Did they then link it to THEIR PayPal account?
Did the bank say how they think they got your info?

I actually got more information from PayPal than from my bank. The bank is obviously involving their fraud detection division, and I gave them the info that PayPal gave to me. PayPal said that she established her account 3 months ago, but this was just done last Monday. They said there were not any other deposits into the account and that the account was verified through an automatic verification system they now use. There were no small deposit amounts in my account.

My password was not really weak, but I have used it for too long and have it on too many accounts. I guess it's now time to figure out and switch over to 1Password.
Wow, that is so scary. I hope they catch this person.

[space-time]

DavidS wrote:
...
My password was not really weak, but I have used it for too long and have it on too many accounts. I guess it's now time to figure out and switch over to 1Password.

Go ahead and swicth to 1Password or one ofthe alternatives (iCloud keychain, LastPass, etc). You will never go back.

One additional piece of advice: not only use different passwords for each site, but also different usernames. There is no reason to use DavidS at all banks. Use DavidS725926 at one bank, DavidS2648920 at another. I started this process and I do it whenever I open a new account or when I have to change a password (most banks will let you change user ID). makes is more difficult for someone to hack your accounts.