For the first time, and it had to happen eventually, my bank had to contact me late this morning due to "suspicious activity" on my account involving £500 in total.
It turns out that four "purchases" were made using my PayPal details, with two being blocked, but two for computer parts going through and due to be delivered to an address in Burton-On-Trent!
I spent all afternoon on the phone to the bank, PayPal, and Action Fraud. The fraudulent actions have been accepted by both PayPal and my bank, with refunds being issued.
The odd thing was though, and no "expert" in any organisation I contacted, including BT, could explain why, after the attempted fraud, thousands of email's started to arrive from all over the World, with I think every language used! Throughout the afternoon TWO emails EVERY SECOND was touching down, with the eventual grand total reaching 5,000+!!!
I have now taken action to change my email address and delete the old one, but what an effort that was with 4 different BT customer services staff failing to provide any real help to stop the crazy number of email's. As I was changing the email addresses the BT system stated it could take "up to 60 days" for any changes could be made, and none of the BT staff could help me with that. In the end I have sorted it all, and I have stopped the rouge email's!!
I am so careful,and ironically have hardly used Paypal, instead using a direct debit card payment, the details of which the fraudsters used. How I just do not know, and perhaps will never know. Passwords are changed regularly, full security measures are on my devices, I don't click onto any emails I do not expect and am very careful to use only legitimate, well known and rated, suppliers.
A life experience indeed!