Have you seen/been seeing this number on your bank statement (402-935-7733)? Considering your purchases and transactions for the month, this number may seem unfamiliar to you and you may think you’re being scammed.
But don’t jump to conclusions just yet, it may not be what you think. 402-935-7733 number is the merchant number of PayPal. (On the PayPal user agreement, it is in section 12: ‘Unauthorized Transactions’ as a customer service number.)
The next thing to ask yourself is whether you have a PayPal account. If you do, don’t worry too much. But if you don’t have a PayPal account, or haven’t used it during the period but then also this number appeared on your bank statement, then you should be concerned.
What Is This Number 402-935-7733?
This is the number which appears on your bank statement or credit card transaction details when you pay for something using PayPal, or when something is charged to your PayPal account. When you sign up for a PayPal account, you had to provide a bank account or credit card as a backup method.
This number appears when PayPal uses the specified backup billing method when you don’t have enough money in your PayPal account. It is a merchant number used by PayPal for identification.
However, if you don’t have a PayPal account, or don’t remember ever having made a transaction that corresponds to the one in your bank statement, you should immediately contact your bank, as this might be a fraud.
How Safe Is it?
Safety cannot be guaranteed. There is a technology available which makes it possible for a phone number to spoof another phone number, and the PayPal merchant number, 402-935-7733, is not an exception. Any online entity can use it as its own merchant number and use it for fraudulent purposes.
You should keep yourself aware of number-spoofing and similar incidents so that you don’t become victim to one yourself. Here are some phone-number related fraudulent activities that can happen. Make sure you’re well-equipped with this information so you can prevent yourself from being scammed.
1. Phone Number Spoofing
This happens when some person or entity spoofs a number of a different person or company. Posing as that company, they will try and extract your private and sensitive information related to your bank account and transactions. In this scenario, they will try and extract information related to your PayPal account or the bank account linked to it.
2. Name Spoofing
This is similar to phone-number spoofing except they use the name of a trusted entity and pose as a representative of that entity (eg. An online company) to extract private details about your finances and transactions. This is very easy to do, and they can even spoof their location and IP address to make it all the more convincing.
How Do I Protect Myself From Such Scams?
With the right steps, you can prevent yourself from being a victim to these scams. You should always be cautious and vigilant, and thoroughly check your bank statements for possible suspicious activity.
The time of response to such activity should not be extended as the longer you delay, the more you might get entwined in this. Be quick to alert your bank and customer service, so you can be safe in the future.
When in doubt, it is always wise to call customer service for help. Even if it is the tiniest hint of suspicion, contact the customer service and get it cleared, just to be sure. If it is ignored, it may grow to become a huge problem that you may not be able to solve in future.
So, it is always better to alert the parties involved. If you want to inquire about any suspicious activity or an unauthorized transaction in your PayPal account, call customer service.
Before you do so, make sure that the transaction that you’re reporting is not just a recurring payment or subscription that you’ve forgotten about. It should be a legitimate inquiry. You can also call customer service at 402-935-7733
One thing that’s great about PayPal is that if you notice an unauthorized transaction, you can always file a dispute. This means, as a PayPal user, you have protection and the right to take back any money that was taken from your account in an unauthorized manner.
Be Aware, Be Alert
Always make sure all your account charges are always accounted for. Whenever you receive your bank statement, go through it with full concentration and make sure all transactions are familiar.
If you notice anything out of the ordinary, inquire about it immediately, inform the concerned parties, and if necessary, file a report. It is true that 402-935-7733 is a legitimate merchant number of PayPal. But always be aware that an online scammer can go to any lengths to dupe you and take advantage of you.
As far as possible, opt for transactions by cash. If you are doing online shopping and have a cash-on-delivery option, go for that instead of online payment. This way you will be in full control of your transactions. If you have to pay online, use your own, private internet.
Also, don’t directly link your PayPal account to your bank account. Use a credit card instead. This because you will still be able to cancel an unauthorized transaction from your credit card.
With your bank account, on the other hand, the money will directly reach the scammer and you won’t be able to do anything to stop it. So make sure you take the necessary steps to prevent yourself from being a victim to this.
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