eBay

jhongs · ‎11-19-2003

Hello,
as topic states, i receive a lot of fraudulent ebay emails, most of them are easily identifiable since the link points to a geocities webpage.
But, I would still like to hear from everyone how to tell them apart in case the email is a real one from ebay.
Jeff

amberwoodottawa · ‎11-19-2003

One of the things that I did was to set up a different email account that I use for PayPal.

When I received an email the other day claiming to be from PayPal yet containing a virus in the link, I knew immediately that it was a fake as it was sent to my business email address which PaPal does not use.

Also, since we run our own server, everything that has an attachment automatically gets dumped to a different folder where we can review it later without fear that someone is going to open it up in error.

Also the language in the body of the email used by many of the loosers sending the fake email is nothing more than a testimony to their lack of command of the English language.

If all else fails and you are not certain, never click onto the link in the email, rather go to the PayPal site yourself using the URL that you are familiar with and verify it with them directly.

Malcolm

muminlaw · ‎11-19-2003

Jeff, if I have any doubts at all I forward it to spoof@ebay.com -- if it's real I figure they'll get back to me and tell me so. So far, they've all been spoofs!

I think the only legitimate emails I've ever had from ebay are the ones telling me about promotions, the answers from PS Support, and my monthly account statement.

Glenda

Glenda

ospreylinks · ‎11-19-2003

Another way to tell is make up a fake username and password and enter it.... normally this will be accepted (however if it is a real ebay communication, since the username and password don't match you get an error message.

I like to enter funny usernames and passwords, then fill in the fields with info like...."this is the FBI" "We know where you are and are coming to get you"....stuff like that.

Jeff

treasure-pot · ‎11-19-2003

A simple rule of thumb - bogus emails will generally be addressed to "Dear eBay User" or "Dear PayPal User".

Real emails will always be addressed to your name. After all, PayPal and eBay have that info and would use it in their communications with you. The scammers don't have the info and use generic addressings.

Be wary!

Bill

randall@ebay.com · ‎11-19-2003

Hi All,

Many users in the forums post questions on a regular basis about the legitimacy of emails that appear to come from PayPal, eBay, or other sites. I think the information in this post will give users the ability to spot fake emails quickly, while also giving users a way to report the email(s) to our fraud team.

1. Emails that come from PayPal will reflect the name on your PayPal account (First and Last Name; Business Account name).

Emails will not read with the following introductions:

"Dear PayPal User"
"Dear PayPal Member"

It is also important to note that we will not ask you to give us your name because we already have that information on file.

2. PayPal will not ask for your password and email combination in an email.

3. PayPal will not ask for the following information in an email:

a) credit card numbers
b) banking account numbers
c) social security numbers
d) driver's license numbers
e) for the user to download something to *fix* their account
f) for the user to download something to have access to new features

As a reminder, a user can always check the status of their PayPal account by simply logging in at www.paypal.com ONLY.

Users that want to report a possible scam email report can direct an email to spoof@paypal.com.

Regards,
Randall
PayPal Consumer Relations

jhongs · ‎11-19-2003

The first time I received one of these, I was so scared since the titile is "Your account will be suspended", so i did enter my real information. then, after 2 minutes, i thought to myself, THIS MUST BE FAKE!!! so i immediately changed all my info, and thank god, no harm was done.
I get these emails on a regular basis now, i actually got two today! i reported them all to spoof@ebay.ca
Jeff

ospreylinks · ‎11-19-2003

I remember getting my first one as well, and similar to Jeff (we share the same name) I filled it out, until I came to the part that asked for my bank card number and PIN....kind of tripped a panic button....so immediately stopped the whole thing (luckily never hit send).

I wonder what the record for getting fraudulent emails in a single day might be? I remember one day earlier in the summer I got seven on the same day...

Jeff

amberwoodottawa · ‎11-19-2003

If you are talking about spam, viruses and fake emails, my record stands at well over 400 over a 24 hour period.

Malcolm

ospreylinks · ‎11-19-2003

No, not spams.... just the fraud ebay or paypal emails....

400 wow.... I am up to about 150-200 myself now...you know I wonder what goes through peoples heads. If you email me once with a great offer, maybe (probably not) but maybe I might consider it (or at lease seek additional info), but to send me the same email 20 times a day for weeks on end....do you really think I will buy... doesnt it just legitamize that the offer is a scam by continuing bombarding a person with the same advertisement.

Jeff

firedept10 · ‎11-20-2003

Hello Randall,

Good to see Paypal has a rep for our board. Hope you will be a regular around here. Thanks for the advice.

Don

www-labels4less-com · ‎11-20-2003

I received an email from ebay today reminding me to update my credit card info (my card expires at the end of the month). I noticed that Ebay did not even include a link to click on. there were detailed instructions on how to go to ebay, click my ebay , accounts, etc.

amberwoodottawa · ‎11-20-2003

I just received another fake PayPal notice this morning that my account will be removed in 5 days unless I download the special program attached.

You know its not that I am concerned about getting a virus from downloading as I never would, its just the mentality of these loosers to send these things out.

What a useless and shallow life they have.

And just think how useless their life will become if I ever get my hands on one of them.

Malcolm

randall@ebay.com · ‎11-20-2003

Don,

Thanks for the kind words. I plan on being around a lot!

Regards,
Randall
PayPal Consumer Relations

amberwoodottawa · ‎11-20-2003

PayPal was fast to respond to me when I forwarded the email with attachment. They confirmed that it was not from them and they confirmed that it had a virus attached.

I was listening to a radio show this evening talking about the PayPal fraud that is going on. It is apparently coming out of Russia and once you input your personal data, they drain your bank accounts.

They have been very sucessful to date.

It would be interesting to learn from PayPal how they go about shutting down such an operation from a country such as Russia. I cant imagine that the relationships between the governments and various agencies would be that strong to have access to these guys.

I wonder if there is a way of shutting them down 'electronically' somehow?

x-modz · ‎11-23-2003

Here's my perspective on the whole PayPal "fake" email issue.

I've never been stung by any of the fake "Your account is going to be suspended unless you send us all your PayPal information ASAP" type emails. I can't immagine anyone falls for those, but apparently it's obviously happened.

What I *DO* worry about (And have nearly been stung with before!) is fake *PAYMENT* emails.

When a high volume seller is dealing with countless incoming Payments on a daily basis, it's almost impossible to compare each and every email to the actual PayPal account.

Personally, I use the incoming emails from PayPal as my confirmation that the bidder has paid for their purchase. I then transpose the information from the payment email, into Shooting Star, and then prepare the item to ship.

I've had people try to "spoof" the payment email, doing a *very good* job in the process.

Thankfully, I logged into my account, and noticed that there was no corresponding *real* payment from said user.

I've always wished that there was some way that PayPal could "code" emails sent confirming payments so that they were verifiable by the seller..

For Example:

PayPal account holder must setup a "Code Word" in his PayPal profile.

With each and every payment received, along with the corresponding "You've got cash!" email confirming a payment, said codeword would appear in the subject line, or within the body of the email.

This would not only make it vey easy to spot spoof emails to begin with (As the spoofer would have to know your "Code" word), but would also mean that payment emails could be taken virtually at face value, as opposed to having to login to ones PayPal account and physically verify.

Seems simple, but would be very effective.

amberwoodottawa · ‎11-23-2003

Or you can do what I do and I have seen several other Power Sellers in the US do.

We have a completely different email account with PayPal that does not correspond in any way with our eBay id, our business name or where eBay directs emails. It is something that only a persson who has purchased a product from you will see when he goes into PayPal to pay you.

I have had a few customers wonder if they were paying the right PayPal account because there is no relation to the email address set up with PayPal to my eBay business.

That means that all future legitimate PayPal notices would use your new email address and all fake payment notices purportedly coming from PayPal would be easy to detect as they would be sent to your more familiar business/eBay email address.

Malcolm

muminlaw · ‎11-23-2003

Malcolm, sounds like a super idea! With a cable ISP I'm allowed 7 email addies -- really easy to dedicate one to PayPal! I may just start accepting PP yet! At least I'm in a line that doesn't seem to attract the NPBs and chargeback artists. Gets more tempting all the time!

Glenda

Glenda

x-modz · ‎11-23-2003

The alternate email address routine works, but does add alot of confusion with certain (Occasionally clueless) sellers.

Since alot of my buyers email me more then a few times between initially bidding, and then post auction, my "real" email address is no longer a big secret.

Suddenly popping up a brand new email address into the situation confuses alof of people.. That, and a certain number of them still end up paying to your standard (non paypal) email address anyways.

Then, of course, a certain number of buyers start emailing you with questions/concerns to the "paypal only" email address.

The end result is alot of switching back and forth between email accounts to sort out a mush of emails.

IMHO, it's not very convenient, and simply increases the possibility of having payments lost, or customer concerns not responded to in a timely fashion due to the confusion of multiple email addresses.