PayPal warning - what alternative do you use?

[SMcCandlish]

I generally think phishing is avoidable by simply not clicking links from emails or responding to emails that are designed to create a sense of urgency. ...

As a long-term professional in the privacy and security sector, I have to agree with the entirety of bookish's response. These kinds of ripoff attempts have nothing really to do with the security of the target system, but the caution of the target user.

Relatedly, if you get a call that claims to be someone from your bank asking you to confirm your name (after which they would ask for additional "verification" details, to use to steal your money), just laugh and say "Nice try, scammer" and hang up. Your bank is not going to call you; if there some issue with your account's security, they'll just lock it and wait for you to call them. And never answer in the affirmative if someone calls asking "Can you hear me?" or the like. They're trying to get you to say "Yes", so they can record your voice giving assent to something (who knows what, but it'll be something you don't want to happen when they use it later for something).