Burgermeister,
PayPal is a company that verifies individuals personal identities and verifies payment from their checking accounts. I believe they are now owned by eBay.
If you get an e-mail saying that you need to register for an account that is probably someone who is "phishing". These people send out millions of e-mails. When you click on the link, it takes you to their website which they set up to look like a legitimate company. You enter your personal information and they then use it to steal your identity, place charges on your credit card, etc. So my advice is never respond to those e-mails.
I'm sure that their may be a few legitimate e-mails that come through your inbox, but probably not many. If you are unsure, call the company.
Credit card transaction over the internet are secure if you see a small lock icon in the top right of your browser.
