Which? warns of PayPal 1p deposit scam triggering fake phone calls

Which? warned on 16 April 2026 that scammers are depositing 1p into PayPal accounts in order to trigger a genuine email from the company, then following it with a phone call from the fraudster¹.

The consumer body said the scammer first deposits 1p into the account, which triggers a genuine email from PayPal about the deposit, and that this is then followed up with a phone call, but this time it is the scammer on the other end of the line¹. Scammers used PayPal to send emails from the brand's official email address, service@paypal.com, according to Which?¹.

The email says the recipient received it because their "PayPal account processed a payout by small deposit confirmation", and suggests more money is on the way, with the small amount sent to confirm the account is live¹. It asks the recipient to call a number if they did not authorise this, to "immediately secure your account and request a refund"¹. Calling that number puts the caller through to someone in on the scam who will talk them into giving personal and financial information¹.

Which? said there are variations. In one example it saw, the recipient was sent a small amount of money in the currency of the Philippines and given a number to call that is not associated with PayPal¹. Some recipients warned on social media that their PayPal accounts had been hacked after receiving emails like this, although it is unclear how, Which? reported¹. Others said that after calling the number they were asked to download remote software onto their device as part of a remote access scam¹.

Which? contacted PayPal, which said it is aware of this scam and that the phone number is not associated with PayPal¹. PayPal said:

PayPal added that people should always log in directly to the official app or website to review activity, and report suspicious emails to phishing@paypal.com, then delete them¹. Which? said recipients should not call the number or reply to the email, and should log into their PayPal account and make sure their password is updated to one that is strong and unique¹. It said anyone who has lost money or spots an unauthorised transaction should contact their bank immediately using the phone number on the back of their card¹. Scams should also be reported to Report Fraud, or by calling the police on 101 for people in Scotland¹.

Why it matters for households

The email is genuine in the sense that it comes from PayPal's own address, so the usual check of the sender does not identify it as a phishing attempt¹. The trigger is a 1p credit to the account, which means the scam can reach people who have not shared any details and have not clicked a link¹. The risk arises at the point of the follow-up call, where the fraudster asks for personal and financial information¹. Which? reported that some recipients were asked to install remote access software, which gives a fraudster access to the device¹. It has not been reported how many people have received the emails or lost money, or how the reported account hacks occurred¹.

What happens next

No further action, deadline or change has been announced. PayPal has said it is aware of the scam and that the number is not associated with it¹. Which? directs reports of suspicious emails to phishing@paypal.com, and reports of scams to Report Fraud, or to the police on 101 in Scotland¹.