eBay VIRUS

momoftwingles2
Community Member
Hi Everyone,

For the past several days I've had a difficult time getting around eBay. I finally had to give in and call Trust and Safety because I could not log into my account on .com where I normally log into.

I called T & S 3 days ago and the rep told me that they've been dealing with a virus on eBay that has affected approximately 25% of the eBay population...no small number.

What happens is when you go to log in to your account a page pops up requesting one's social security number and of course there are several misspelled words throughout the entire form that they want you to fill in. Apparently many people have fallen for the hoax and have entered all of the important information and of course...they are in deep do do as there information is stolen.

They had me download Microsoft Security Essentials as they said that it would take care of the problem. It did....for a day and a 1/2. Then the silly page started showing up again and today...it's been a miserable day so I called them again.

The T & S rep today is escalating the concern to higher ups. He said that unlike the spam e-mail that goes out...this virus is apparently gotten from just opening a listing here on eBay that has the virus embedded in it. It's a major problem for them and they are working diligently on it to stop it from spreading. Those are their words...not mine.

Needless to say...I'm just writing to alert you to this problem since eBay has not sent out any warnings of any kind regarding this.

What a bite in the hiney!

Have a good one!
Susan
momoftwingles2
Message 1 of 25
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eBay VIRUS

Wow!! eBay has BIG problems. Thanks for the warning Susan.

I think maybe I won't be searching for anything on eBay until they get the problem fixed.

Have you posted this on the U.S. board to give them a heads up too?

Judy
Message 2 of 25
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eBay VIRUS

I had something funny happening when withdrawing money from PayPal. Heard the "blocked pop-up sound" but there was no pop-up. Logged off and then logged onto my other PayPal account and heard the same "sound".
Kinda weird...not sure what that was.
Message 3 of 25
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eBay VIRUS

momoftwingles2
Community Member
Hi Judy,

I can't log onto .com because that is when that page pops up.

I asked T & S why they had not put out a notice about this virus and they said that they didn't want to alarm everyone as it would drive business away and since it was only 25% of the eBay population that has called in to report this problem...and they THINK they are getting a handle on the malicious script...no biggie.

WELL, I HAVE NEWS FOR THEM...IT IS A BIGGIE!

I need to change and add some new store categories and I can't because it's on .com. T & S said that if I call into stores they will do it for me. I may take them up on it, but it's just a BITE IN THE HINEY that I can't get my work done on my own!

No more surfing for me on Ebay for now! I usually look at skating wear for our girls. Now how dangerouis can that be? Who knows!

I'm trying to get things done so that I may close down permanently my store, but this is dragging it out!

I would like to run a sale in my store...no can do since I can't get in there to do it!

Oh, the joys of eBay!

Susan
momoftwingles2
Message 4 of 25
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eBay VIRUS

Susan, thanks for the heads up.... that has got to be so frustrating for you!
Have you tried doing anything to fix it on your own yet? I'm not an expert but I would probably clear out my cache, cookies etc, then do a virus scan and a spyware scan. It might not help but at least I would know everything else seemed to be ok. lol
Message 5 of 25
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eBay VIRUS

jakeeangel
Community Member
Wow! How can they be allowing users to add this script or whatever to a listing in the first place that will put a virus on people's computers??? I didn't think that was supposed to be allowed to happen.

Dang!
Message 6 of 25
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eBay VIRUS

The scripts are hidden in image files, the only way to totally stop them is to stop allowing outside hosting for images.

I called T & S 3 days ago and the rep told me that they've been dealing with a virus on eBay that has affected approximately 25% of the eBay population

Good story they gave you....I don't believe it for a minute.


"What else could I do? I had no trade so I became a peddler" - Lazarus Greenberg 1915
- answering Trolls is voluntary, my policy is not to participate.
Message 7 of 25
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eBay VIRUS

The scripts are hidden in image files, the only way to totally stop them is to stop allowing outside hosting for images.

I called T & S 3 days ago and the rep told me that they've been dealing with a virus on eBay that has affected approximately 25% of the eBay population

Good story they gave you....I don't believe it for a minute.


Not sure what you mean recped. Could you elaborate please?
Message 8 of 25
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eBay VIRUS

"the rep told me that they've been dealing with a virus on eBay that has affected approximately 25% of the eBay population..."

I don't buy that. That rep is totally off base or something was misunderstood.
Message 9 of 25
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eBay VIRUS

momoftwingles2
Community Member
After my second call to T & S yesterday, my concerns were escalated. Last night around 10 PM I received an e-mail from T & S giving me additional instructions to do that were totally different from the first go round which is nothing new.

I replied to the rep and said that I was surprised that these instructions were so different from the first and said that I would forward a copy of the first e-mail received from T & S with the instructions for clean-up.

She e-mailed me right back and asked if I was able to take a phone call. I e-mailed her right back and said.... most definitely!

She called a few minutes later. We were on the phone for about an hour as she was trouble shooting this problem.

She said that T & S is working on the problem and that sellers with no good intentions are embedding the malicious script within their listings.

I specifically asked this rep as well the same question, "Am I the only person who has made this complaint." Her reply was the same as the first...about 25% of the eBay population has been hit with this virus.

They were able to combat the initial round of this virus. However, I seem to have a newer strain which will be harder to combat until they have a way to neutralize it.

Needless to say, whatever she did with me last night has helped immensely. I'm not contagious to anyone which is good news. However, she said that I should for my own well being....reformat my hard drive.

I'll limp along if need be until July 15th when our daughter comes out as she's the electronics engineer in the family.

However...nothing off base. Nothing was misunderstood.

Do take note that if a page pops up when you are signing in and asks for your SSN or your SIN ..... do not fill in the info!

I didn't thank goodness, however I know that there are many out there that don't question if something is legitimate or not. If people READ the page...they will see all of the spelling errors!

I guess scammers didn't get good grades in spelling when they were in school!

Have a good one!
Susan
momoftwingles2
Message 10 of 25
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eBay VIRUS

jakeeangel
Community Member
REFORMAT YOUR HARD DRIVE??????


Good lord! I've had to do that a couple of times and that's a major PITA.
Message 11 of 25
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eBay VIRUS

momoftwingles2
Community Member
REFORMAT YOUR HARD DRIVE??????


Good lord! I've had to do that a couple of times and that's a major PITA.


Oh, I know it is! And, that's why if I HAVE TO, I will limp along until Jamie comes in July! I do have everything saved to an external harddrive....but still it is a major amount of work!

Susan
Message 12 of 25
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eBay VIRUS

Her reply was the same as the first...about 25% of the eBay population has been hit with this virus.


Sure, 20+ Million users are infected, what a load of hooey!


"What else could I do? I had no trade so I became a peddler" - Lazarus Greenberg 1915
- answering Trolls is voluntary, my policy is not to participate.
Message 13 of 25
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eBay VIRUS

momoftwingles2
Community Member
Her reply was the same as the first...about 25% of the eBay population has been hit with this virus.


Sure, 20+ Million users are infected, what a load of hooey!


Hi recped,

Be thankful you're not amongst them.

Susan
momoftwingles2
Message 14 of 25
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eBay VIRUS

jakeeangel
Community Member
LOL

My hubby thought the same thing as Recped & Pierre when I told him about this thread. With those high numbers there's no way we wouldn't be hearing more about it on the boards or on the news so I have to wonder if their figure of 25% is real.

I'm not saying it hasn't happened to you but that many people. I dunno......
Message 15 of 25
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eBay VIRUS

momoftwingles2
Community Member
Oh, I agree with you that 25% of the eBay population seems high.

However, this is what two reps said..one higher up than the other.

I asked the higher up rep who I had the phone call with last evening why they had not put out a bulletin regarding this and she said that they didn't want to alarm the general population as it would scare buyers away.

Makes sense in some respects.

And, believe me...no matter what the real number is...I'm not pleased to be amongst them!

Have a good one!
Susan
momoftwingles2
Message 16 of 25
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eBay VIRUS

jakeeangel
Community Member
And, believe me...no matter what the real number is...I'm not pleased to be amongst them!

Have a good one!
Susan
momoftwingles2



No kidding!! I'm sorry it's happened to you. 😞
Message 17 of 25
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eBay VIRUS



Oh, I know it is! And, that's why if I HAVE TO, I will limp along until Jamie comes in July! I do have everything saved to an external harddrive....but still it is a major amount of work!

Susan


I have no idea how you reformat you hard drive. Thank God I have a son-in-law who does if it should happen to me.

Good luck Susan. I am so sorry this has happened to you.
Message 18 of 25
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eBay VIRUS

If I understand correctly, the virus is distributed through image vulnerability - not something specific to eBay, any website with user uploaded images can distribute such virus.

There has been a scare of image vulnerabilities before and they have been patched long ago. Keep your computer up to date. On XP go to START -> All Programs -> Windows Update and follow the prompts.

If anyone looking for antivirus, I can recommend ESET NOD32. It's well worth it's price. Once before I had Symantec, then tried McAfee and these programs take over your computer and slow it down to oblivion, not this one.

Thank you for the heads up.
Message 19 of 25
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eBay VIRUS

I had something funny happening when withdrawing money from PayPal. Heard the "blocked pop-up sound" but there was no pop-up. Logged off and then logged onto my other PayPal account and heard the same "sound".
Kinda weird...not sure what that was.


The Pop-up is a survey from paypal asking you to rate them.
Message 20 of 25
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