eBay & PayPal Workshop on Spoof & Phishing Emails: Sept. 20, 1-2 PM ET

[carly@ebay.com]

Topic: eBay & PayPal Workshop on Spoof & Phishing Emails

Date: Thursday, September 20, from 1:00 PM -2:00 PM ET

Where: Right here on Canada Town Square

Description: Join eBay and PayPal Trust & Safety teams for a workshop on how to protect yourself from Spoof & Phishing emails, these are terms used to describe emails that ask for your personal or account information that claim to be from eBay or PayPal but are not.

We will help explain what they are, how to protect yourself from them, and how to report them to eBay and PayPal, and also advise on what to do if you have responded to a Spoof or Phishing email.

Hope you can join us!

Carly

[momof504]

I think I've recently been a target of a phishing email, what should I do?

[firedog362]

Is the correct day Tuesday or Thursday? Your notice says Thursday, Sept. 20th, but Thursday is Sept. 22nd. Thanks.

[emt50]

Do you plan on repeating this in the evening as I work during the day and won't be able to participate.
Thanks
Tanya

[jpw581]

I am also interested in a repeat of this discussion as I am unavailable on this date.I also rec'd a spoof email but was well taken care of by ebay staff. Thank you!!!

[carly@ebay.com]

Hi Everyone,

Just to confirm the workshop will take place today, Tuesday, Sept 20th. Hope you can join us. If you are not able to attend at this time, you can check back in and read the discussion at a later time.

Regards,
Carly

[carly@ebay.com]

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for joining us for the workshop today. Laura from eBay will be here, and Dave from PayPal to answer your questions on Spoof & Phishing emails.

Let's get started!

Carly

[dsteer@paypal.com]

Hello Everyone --
It's a pleasure to be here. Let's start off with a definition of Spoof Emails and Websites...

Spoof and phishing (pronounced "fishing") are the terms coined to describe emails made to look like they've come from legitimate companies but that actually come from identity thieves. These emails warn you of account problems or other urgent issues to trick you into clicking through to a scam website. The scam website asks you to enter your user name and password or other account information. Once you do this, you've given your information to someone who might use it to do you harm.

--Dave

[lmather@ebay.com]

Hi momof504-

Thanks for your question. I'm sorry to hear that you've been targeted by people who are trying to steal your identity. The good news is that there are several things you can do to protect yourself from these types of fake emails.

First, you can check My Messages. Any email eBay sends you about your account or requesting personal information will also be in My Messages.

Second, if you use Internet Explorer, you can download the eBay Toolbar. At the bottom of the eBay homepage is a link to eBay Toolbar. Click that link for more information. The toolbar has a function called Account Guard which will warn you if you go to a Phishing site that eBay knows about.

Last, you can always forward the email to spoof@ebay.ca. Not only will we respond and confirm whether or not the email is real, this also alerts us to any new emails that our members are receiving.

I hope this is helpful. Stay safe!

-Laura

Laura Mather
Trust and Safety

[dsteer@paypal.com]

Hi All,
We frequently get asked what can be done to avoid falling for spoof emails and web sites?

The key is in knowing that legitimate companies do not ask for personal information via email or pop-up messages. So, you should never provide this information in response to an email or pop-up message that requests this information. Instead, if you are concerned about your account, you should contact the organization in the email using a telephone number that they know to be genuine, or open a new Internet browser session and type in the company’s correct Web address. In any case, never click the link in the suspicious message

I'd also like to point out that PayPal has launched an Identity Protection Resource Area available at www.paypal.com/idprotection. This resources has a number of tips to avoid falling for spoofs and protecting your identity.

--Dave

[lmather@ebay.com]

One other way to keep yourself safe from identity theft - keep your virus software up to date and be sure to scan your computer frequently (once a week is appropriate) for both viruses and spyware.

In addition, it's important to keep your operating system and browser patches up to date. You can do this by visiting the webpage of your operating system's company and look for the software update section on that page. If possible, it's best to set your operating system to automatically perform these updates for you.

Unfortunately, bad guys who want to steal your identity may try to do so by putting malicious code on your machine. Following the steps outlined above will help you stay safe.

-Laura

[moira@ebay.com]

Hi guys! I'm just popping in to offer some information on Phonebusters and how they can help with Identity Theft. In the Security Centre on eBay.ca we have a whole section on Identity theft and what to do if you are a victim of identity theft.

Here is the link to the Security Centre http://pages.ebay.ca/securitycentre/phonebusters.html or you can reach it from the bottom of the each eBay.ca page.

How can you tell if you are a victim of identity theft?

The signs can be many, but typical indicators that your identity is being used include:

* A creditor informs you that an application for credit was received with your name and address, which you did not apply for.
* Telephone calls or letters state that you have been approved or denied by a creditor that you never applied to.
* You receive credit card statements or other bills in your name, which you did not apply for.
* You no longer receive credit card statements or you notice that not all of your mail is delivered.
* A collection agency informs you they are collecting for a defaulted account established with your identity and you never opened the account.

Moira
eBay.ca

[carly@ebay.com]

For all those lurkers on the workshop today, don't be shy, if you have questions we are here to answer all of them for the next 35 mins.

Carly

[moira@ebay.com]

Reporting Identity Theft:
If you suspect that your personal information has been hijacked and misappropriated to commit fraud or theft, take action immediately and keep a record of your conversations and correspondence. The following basic actions are appropriate in almost every case.

* Start a log of dates, person(s) that you spoke with and exactly what they said.

* Contact the fraud departments of each of the two major credit bureaus.

* Equifax: (800) 465-7166 and

* Trans Union: (877) 525-3823 except

* Quebec residents (877) 713-3393

* Request that a 'Fraud Alert' be placed in your files. At the same time order copies of your credit reports.

* Contact the fraud department of creditors for any accounts that have been opened or tampered with fraudulently. This may include credit card companies, phone companies, banks and other lenders.

* File a report with your local police or the police in the community where the identity theft took place.

* Contact Phonebusters National Call Centre at 1-888-495-8501. Phonebusters is currently central sourcing all pertinent information on Identity Theft to identify trends and patterns, information is also used to assist law enforcement agencies in possible investigations.

Stop It.
If you have been a victim of identity theft, Phonebusters' Identity Theft Statement helps you notify financial institutions, credit card issuers and other companies that the identity theft occurred, tell them that you did not create the debt or charges, and give them information they need to begin an investigation.

Make as many copies of the statement as you will need to notify all affected companies. Here is a link to the Identity Theft Statement (You will need Acrobat Reader to view it.) >http://www.phonebusters.com/images/IDTheftStatement.pdf


Moira
eBay.ca

[dsteer@paypal.com]

Hello All --
Many people ask, is there anything I can do to prevent identity theft?

The first step in fighting identity theft is to understand what it is. Based on our experiences, here are 5 actions that can arm you with a lot of protection.

1. Protect your information offline as well as online.
To protect yourself effectively, you should consider shredding your old mail, locking your mailbox and emptying your wallet of anything you don't absolutely have to carry.

2. Don't respond to emails asking for your account information.
PayPal and eBay will never ask you to enter your financial information in an email or send such information in an email.

3. Use safer types of payment when paying online.
Most people have become smarter about sharing their Social Security number but think nothing of handing a piece of paper with their bank's name, their account number, their address, and their signature to a stranger — everything written on a check.

Credit cards offer a little more protection. Credit card companies have invested heavily in software that spots fraudulent transactions as they happen.

Online payment systems, such as PayPal, offer a safe, secure way to make a transaction. With PayPal, you can pay without the seller ever seeing your credit card number, bank account and other financial information. This significantly limits the information that you share in a financial transaction.

4. Protect your computer.
The key to securing your computer is to use protective software and keep it up to date. Make sure that you: *install all security patches available from the manufacturer of your operating system.
*Run antivirus software to check incoming emails and update the virus definitions frequently.
*Set up a firewall to prevent intruders from getting into your network or computer.

5. Use a strong password
You should choose strong passwords to protect accounts. Don't use your personal information as a password. Mix upper and lowercase letters. Keep your passwords for each account unique.

6. Pay attention.

The longer a breach goes undiscovered, the more costly it becomes. It pays to pay attention. Check your PayPal account and credit card balances often. Review your credit reports for unusual activity at least once a year.

--Dave

[lmather@ebay.com]

I mentioned earlier that you can forward any email you receive to spoof@ebay.ca. I was incorrect about that - you should forward these to spoof@ebay.com. My apologies for the confusion.

But since I've brought up spoof@ebay.com, let's chat about that a bit. Users often ask me "Why should I continue to forward emails to spoof@ebay.com? I know they are Phishing emails. What good does it do to keep sending them to you?"

My response to this question is: "It's very important that you continue to forward Phishing emails to spoof@ebay.com." When you forward a Phishing email to us, a few things happen.

First, we have a 24x7 team that reviews the email to determine whether or not we have seen it before. If we have not seen it before, several mechanisms are set in motion. A) The email is put into our response system so that the next person that forwards the email to us is immediately notified that it is fake. B) The Phishing URL in the email is added to the eBay Toolbar so that all Toolbar users will be protected from that site.

Second, after the email is reviewed, another 24x7 team immediately contacts the ISP that is hosting the Phishing site to get the site taken down as quickly as possible.

So, by forwarding the email to us (even if you already know it is fake) you are putting two different 24x7 teams and several tools into motion to protect millions of eBay users from having their identities stolen.

Thank you for continuing to send us those emails!

-Laura

[lmather@ebay.com]

A follow up to Moira's post.

In the case that you believe that your eBay account has been accessed by someone else, here are the steps you should take.

1) Change the password on your eBay account (see Dave's post on choosing strong passwords).

2) Change the password on your email account (this will assure the eBay Customer Support person that your email account is secure).

3) Contact Live Help. Go to the middle of this page

http://pages.ebay.ca/help/tp/isgw-account-theft-reporting.html

and click on Live Help.

Live Help will assist you with making sure that your account is secure.

-Laura

[moira@ebay.com]

One other thing to keep in mind: your personal information is YOURS. Just because someone asks you for your information, does not mean you have to give it to them. Ask them how it is to be used and if it will be shared. If it will be shared, who will it be shared with?

Also, don't give out personal information on the phone if they called you. Make sure you know who you are talking to when you give out personal information. Just because someone says they are the electical company, doesn't mean they are. So if you do not initiate the contact with them, call the company back via their listed (yellow pages or telelphone book listed) telephone number. This is also true in the case of mail and email.

Kind regards,
Moira

[ufishfun]

Hi
I think I had a fraud email. It ask me to enter the web siteposted. I remember to log only manual By paypal.com . What happened was Forgot pass word or user name and was denied access.Have not used paypal since.
thank you

[carly@ebay.com]

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for attending today, and if you have any additional questions on this topic we will be sure to leave this thread open until Friday, so you can post them here, and we will respond to them on Friday, Sept. 23.

Regards,
Carly