A fresh warning has been issued across the UK of a scam involving fraudsters posing as payment website PayPal.

We've put together everything you need to know.

What does the scam involve?

The scam involves fake PayPal emails being sent out, stating that the recipient's account has been 'limited' due to a policy violation.

Within the email, a link is included which the potential scam victim is asked to click on, taking them over to a genuine-looking phishing site.

The website has been designed to steal PayPal login details, as well as a variety of personal and financial information.

What to do if you recieve a scam email

Anyone who received one of those emails should report it to the Suspicious Email Reporting Service.

The email should simply be forwarded to report@phishing.gov.uk.

What have PayPal said about the incident?

In a statement, PayPal has reminded the public that no bank would ask them to send personal information over by email or text.

Anyone concerned by any email they receive that claims to be from the any particular company and looks suspicious should contact their bank.

What is phishing?

According to PayPal, "Phishing" is an illegal attempt to "fish" for your private, sensitive data.

It works by using false pretences to trick you into revealing personal or financial information such as bank account details, credit card details, and passwords etc.

One of the most common phishing scams involves sending emails/SMS that fraudulently claims to be from a well-known company (such as PayPal).

These often link to fake (spoof) websites where your information can be collected if you type it.

Here are some helpful tips from PayPal on how to spot Scam Emails:

  • The Senders Address: The "From" line may include an official-looking address that mimics a genuine one.
  • Generic Greetings: Be wary of impersonal greetings like “Dear User”, or your email address. A legitimate PayPal email will always greet you by your first and last name.
  • Typos/Poor Grammar: Emails sent by popular companies are almost always free of misspellings and grammatical errors.
  • False Sense of Urgency: Many scam emails tell you that your account will be in jeopardy if something critical is not updated right away.
  • Fake Links: Check where a link is going before you click on it by hovering over the URL in an email, and comparing it to the URL in the browser. If it looks suspicious, don’t click it.
  • Attachments: A real email from PayPal will never include attachments. You should never open an attachment unless you are 100 per cent sure it’s legitimate, because they can contain spyware or viruses.
  • Tracking number: The email/SMS asks you to provide the tracking number of the dispatched item, before you’ve received a payment into your PayPal account.
  • Clicking on links: Never click on a link in an email that requests personal information. Any time you receive an email about your PayPal account, open a new browser, type in www.paypal.co.uk, and login to your account directly.

Overall, never click on a link in an email that requests personal information. Any time you receive an email about your PayPal account, open a new browser, type in www.paypal.co.uk, and login to your account directly.

For more information on how to stay safe online when using PayPal, visit: paypal.com/uk/webapps/mpp/phishing.