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).

[jsrnephdoc]

Your bank is not going to call you

Actually, that's NOT true. I have a checking account with a credit union that uses a third party "fraud notification service" to contact accountholders when attempted transactions trigger caution, rather than permitting the transaction to occur. If I'm called by them, I thank them for the call, make certain they're saying that the transaction was denied, then hang up and call the credit union and/or log on to my own mobile app operated BY the financial institution.

[SMcCandlish]

Fine, then revise to "most banks will not call you". The number who will is going to dwindle to nothing, specifically because of the epidemic of fraudster phishing calls. Even caller ID can be faked, which means such a call can be faked.

General good advice should not be ignored just because someone somewhere in the world can come up with a marginal exception (and a third-party service isn't the bank, so doesn't directly contract my gist in the first place).

There are fraud-monitoring services you can subscribe to as well, and they might call you, but it would be better to have them use email or text messages, and then go to their website manually to verify that the alert/report is real.

[àluinn]

I used to work for an airline travelling all over the world, crew almost exclusively sue Revolut, has a number of useful features, the first of which it's entirely run on your phone. Second, their exchange rates are almost interbank. Third for online purchases you can set up a temporary credit card to pay for that item/service alone. Forth, it's incredibly easy to use and can use your phone to tap payments. Away from your own country you can keep on top of your spending and no need for significant amounts of cash unless its a cash economy. In Europe you only really need cash now for some streetfood and public transport.

It's available in a number of countries now you just need the residency/nationality ID they ask for.

Revolut have a referral program where I'd get £50 (value changes), if you are interested I can give you a link and send you the full amount.

[Couper]

It is the gullible that inflate those numbers because of "successful" phishing scams - and create more news for the media to sensationalize.

I have been using PayPal almost since its inception. I receive payments monthly from two online galleries where I display and sell my landscape/seascape photography. I usually have several thousands of dollars in transactions via PayPal each year, but not quite enough to trigger their 1099 tax reporting. I trust PayPal enough to not only use their credit card, but also to keep a saving account with them (currently paying 3.8%).

But, one must remain vigilant.