HelgaGPataki
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posted on May 9, 2003 06:58:04 PM new
I just got this email.
The link I try to click is dead. It does not work and I get an HTTP 404 error. Any help please would be appreciated.
After I receieved the email I went ahead and tried to post an auction and it went through with no problems.
Dear eBay User,
During our regular update and verification of the accounts, we could not verify your current information. Either your information has changed or it is incomplete.
As a result, your access to bid or buy on eBay has been restricted. To start using your eBay account again, please update and verify your information by clicking the link below :
https://cgi3.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?VerifyInformation
Regards,
eBay Inc.
[ edited by HelgaGPataki on May 9, 2003 06:58 PM ]
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dadofstickboy
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posted on May 9, 2003 07:23:58 PM new
It's phony!
Forward it to: [email protected]
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HelgaGPataki
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posted on May 9, 2003 07:27:59 PM new
Who is sending them out? It says it's from awconfirm or whatever that is @ebay.com
But the format is weird, the email is all centered in weird paragraphs.
I went into my account and added my work phone number but that is all that wasn't on there.
Should I change my password now?
I'm irritated now. 
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dadofstickboy
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posted on May 9, 2003 07:32:50 PM new
They have been coming from all over.
Just people trying to get your personal info.
Forward it to Ebay.
They have the means to track it down and stop these people.
If they are Ebay members they can, Can them!
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HelgaGPataki
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posted on May 9, 2003 07:39:05 PM new
The email came from [email protected]
I forwarded it to the spoof email you provided.
I also changed my password. Was that smart to do that?
I'm still confused because the email looks real. It even has this at the bottom:
Copyright © 1995-2002 eBay Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Designated trademarks and brands are the property of their respective owners.
Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of the eBay User Agreement and Privacy Policy
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neonmania
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posted on May 9, 2003 07:44:49 PM new
If it was so easy for YOU to post that piece of text here, why do you think it would be difficult for a scammer to post it in an email?
The one thing missing that exists in every ebay email is:
Important: eBay will not ask you for sensitive personal information (such as your password, credit card and bank account numbers, Social Security numbers, etc.) in an email. Learn more account protection tips at: http://www.pages.ebay.com/help/account_protection.html
NEVER use a link in an email to change a password or enter sensitive email. Go to the site in question directly and do it.
[ edited by neonmania on May 9, 2003 07:46 PM ]
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dadofstickboy
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posted on May 9, 2003 07:45:39 PM new
If you forwarded it.
Ebay WILL contact you.
They WILL tell you if it was Valid or Not!
Just wait for their answer!
If you get anymore forward them!!!
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HelgaGPataki
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posted on May 9, 2003 07:49:07 PM new
I forwarded and got an email back from safeharbor, just one of those basic emails.
I couldn't get anywhere in that link because the link was dead. Anything I did to the information I did right through eBay.
I feel stupid now.
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sparkz
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posted on May 9, 2003 08:00:53 PM new
I've had several of these. They certainly look real and the Ebay url looks real, but the fact of the matter is that the addresses were forged, a hacker practice known as spoofing. That's the reason Ebay created the email addy, [email protected], for reporting these phony emails. You will be getting an email from Ebay soon verifying that what you received was indeed phony.
The light at the end of the tunnel will turn out to be an oncoming train.
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neonmania
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posted on May 9, 2003 08:23:00 PM new
As long as you made changes directly thru ebay you are ok - don't sweat it. 
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auctionace
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posted on May 9, 2003 09:29:58 PM new
These emails are becoming very, very common. I bet the rate of people getting totally fooled is still at least 50%. These are the gold rush years on the internet for stealing passwords and IDs, especially on ebay. It's like taking candy from a baby. I personally think ebay does not do enough to prevent these identity thefts.
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dadofstickboy
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posted on May 9, 2003 09:37:24 PM new
I personally think ebay does not do enough to prevent these identity thefts.
What more can they do?
When some jerk comes along and asks for all your personal info, And you give it to them!
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carguy323
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posted on May 9, 2003 11:21:13 PM new
I have had a bunch of these things, not only purporting to be from eBay but from PayPal as well.
Happily, I assumed from the beginning that they were just scams trying to get passwords, credit card numbers and bank account access, and eBay confirmed that.
If you notice, they often are ungrammatical or have misspellings, which was the first thing that made me look askance. I think most of them come to those of us who use our email addresses as eBay screen names.
And I agree that eBay really doesn't do enough to caution members about the scams.
Marshall
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auctionace
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posted on May 9, 2003 11:58:44 PM new
The people that post in this forum are far from typical ebay users. The typical ebay user has little computer savvy and knows little of computer ID thefts. An email letter from ebay asking for them to update their info means a lot to them because they do not want to lose their ebay privedges.
Ebay could make their vow to never ask for personal info a lot more prominent on their site instead of it being buried deep in the site map or occasionally on an annoucement message board that may 5% of all ebay users read with any frequency. Ebay has to bite the bullet and place large prominent banners on their site instructing their users to never give personal info as a result of an email request. They can not merely hope this problem goes away on its own.
[ edited by auctionace on May 9, 2003 11:59 PM ]
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myoldtoy
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posted on May 10, 2003 12:28:17 AM new
i read the threads; and after viewing my email from "safeharbor" i decided to add my thoughts/predicament. i have just received an email from "safeharbor" -- not restricting me, but suspending me immediately per section 9 of the user agreement. EVERYTHING ABOUT THE EMAIL appears to be authentic eBay. and if it is authentic, then i will be devastated! at this from eBay. it is a 3 part form, inclusive of the following: dob, mother's maiden, secret question, social security #, driver's license #, credit card info, and checking acct. info. i have never seen such a blatant attempt to garner personal info, as in this one. i have replied to "safe harbor" then replied to safe harbor per site...is anyone out there been hit with this and i will unabashedely ask for any input as to how other members feel this should be handled. thanks. sam
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neonmania
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posted on May 10, 2003 02:19:56 AM new
Does the form ask you to go to a section of the site with a legit URL or does it ask that the information be submitted via email?
The sheer depth of info they ask for sets off a ton of alarms in my opinion.
What exactly is it that they are claiming you have done incorrectly and can you at this time access your account?
Ebay operates on an "act first, ask questions later" basis most of the time so unless your account is currently locked and your account is showing you and NARUd I would simply forward the mail on to [email protected] and await their reply.
[ edited by neonmania on May 10, 2003 02:21 AM ]
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myoldtoy
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posted on May 10, 2003 04:28:49 AM new
first, thanks for the reply/input from neonmania. the following is the url in my email [with instructions first]:: "To update your member profile copy and paste the following link in your web browser, after you pass the account
verification process, your account will be enabled for further use." AGAIN, THE FOLLOWING IS THE URL:
"http://12.44.137.178/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?MfcISAPICommand=VerificationLogin&[email protected]&suspension=1"...i am not savy enuf to know if this is a legit url..everything certainly looks okay...i have "tested" the system, i just relisted, bid on an item, so i dont know, but again, for the benefit of us all, any and all input is appreciated...sam
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kiara
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posted on May 10, 2003 08:25:49 AM new
Hi myoldtoy. No, the message is not from ebay. Send it to spoof@ebay.
ebay never asks for private information like passwords or CC #'s in any e-mail.
HelgaGPataki, don't feel stupid as many long time ebayers have fallen for these e-mails. They are so busy selling and taking care of other things in life and they don't have time to read the boards.
I agree that ebay has not made their users aware of this like they should. Most of their messages about it can be easily overlooked unless you constantly read the Announcement board or Help.
[ edited by kiara on May 10, 2003 08:30 AM ]
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myoldtoy
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posted on May 10, 2003 08:34:08 AM new
hello and thanks kiara:
b4 this spam, i thought i was, at least, partly prepared to decipher the real from the notsoreal. i actually clicked and replied to the email with a rather tenative and cautious answer, thinking it was eBay. having said that, the reply certainly didnt go to eBay, but to the sender. again, my thanks to you, and others who take the time to help keep the 'likes of me' informed. sam
smhoward
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Twelvepole
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posted on May 10, 2003 08:35:05 AM new
That url is a web host site.... if you gave them ANY information, better get hot on changing it...
as others have said... eBay will tell you to go to their site to update the info, not ask for it in an email.
AIN'T LIFE GRAND... 
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kiara
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posted on May 10, 2003 08:48:57 AM new
myoldtoy, it was last fall when I received the first one of these. It said my contact info was wrong and that I was in danger of being suspended. It kind of shook me up too and I went direct to the site and checked on my registration info. Then when I reread the e-mail I noticed the bad spelling and it said "please take care of this thing" and I knew ebay wouldn't word it like that.
And if you allow other family members or your partner to take care of some of your ebay buying or selling please make them aware of these spoof e-mails. I know of a few "helpful" partners who filled out the info while the other was out of town or at work, thinking that they were taking care of business.
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trai
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posted on May 10, 2003 09:17:43 AM new
Ebay and paypal will never ask you for this kind of info. Also be aware there are also phoney emails claiming to be from ebay saying you "won" a car or a vacation and be kind enough to fill out your password, CC# etc. Never ever do this!
As others have said that a lot of users do not bother to check this out and then wonder why someone else has control over their accounts. Be very carefull.
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MAH645
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posted on May 10, 2003 03:51:42 PM new
I have been getting these phoney e-mails from E-Bay and Yahoo daily.
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