Multilingual PayPal phishing e-mails doing rounds

A recent report compiled by OpenDNS showed that 45 percent of all phishing attempts made in 2010 were targeting PayPal customers.

It is no wonder then that we witness PayPal phishing attempts on an almost daily basis. The latest one – spotted by Avira – comes in two flavors: English and French.

The e-mail itself is practically identical – the only difference is that in the English version takes the victim to the phishing page via a link, and the French version employs a button. Even the reference number cited in the e-mail is the same.

Funnily enough, the e-mail also contains security tips that – if followed – would thwart the phishers’ plans. I guess they thought the inclusion would make the e-mail look more legitimate and decided to bet on the fact that many people simply ignore such advice and follow the offered link/button.