Yet another scam warning - eBay

Submitted: Tuesday, Jul 26, 2005 at 18:50
ThreadID: 25076 Views:2067 Replies:7 FollowUps:6
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Hi all,

You can't have too many warnings on this stuff. I know many of you use eBay to buy and sell stuff.

I just almost got caught out by a scam email asking me to verify my eBay account. Lately i have actually been having issues with my own domain email account and have had to do a legit verification on several mail list sites that I use.

I clicked the verification link in the email and was taken to a page identical to the real ebay sign in page. I signed in with my username and password and was taken then to a "Security Measures" page which asked me to re-enter and verify my credit card number/expiry date/verification code. That is when the alarm bells started ringing for me. Sure enough - when I looked at the URL I was at a dodgy web address. http://218.9.7.188/.../e3b/

If this was real then I would be at an address that starts with https://signin.ebay.com/. Besides, ebay would not be asking for my credit card details.

I backed out at this point (closed the browser window) and went to the real ebay site, logged on and changed my password. Hopefully I was quick enough and there is no damage done. I also emailed ebay to tell them my account password may have been compromised for a period of two minutes.

I post this as an education item and a warning to be super careful when dealing with emails like this. Normally I would ignore it but they got me at a moment of weakness because I have actually been having email troubles that have now been sorted.

Happy and safe bidding!
Muddy
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Reply By: Member - 'Lucy' - Tuesday, Jul 26, 2005 at 18:53

Tuesday, Jul 26, 2005 at 18:53
Knowing what you do for a job, I am starting to wonder about you.
AnswerID: 122165

Follow Up By: Muddy 'doe (SA) - Tuesday, Jul 26, 2005 at 18:56

Tuesday, Jul 26, 2005 at 18:56
Yes mate!

Hence the warning. I work with computers all day. If they can get me then I am sure a lot of other people will fall prey. As they say "if nobody replied they would stop doing it"

Cheers
Muddy
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Follow Up By: Member - 'Lucy' - Tuesday, Jul 26, 2005 at 19:17

Tuesday, Jul 26, 2005 at 19:17
Exactly
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Follow Up By: Member - Roachie (SA) - Tuesday, Jul 26, 2005 at 20:33

Tuesday, Jul 26, 2005 at 20:33
Yes I got one of those emails too and almost fell into clicking on the link; but didn't. Instead, I emailed ebay and they confirmed the email I'd rec'd was a fraud.
Cheers
Roachie
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Reply By: Mad Dog (Australia) - Tuesday, Jul 26, 2005 at 19:04

Tuesday, Jul 26, 2005 at 19:04
It's happened to me a few times. I fill it in with a load of false info :)
AnswerID: 122167

Follow Up By: Muddy 'doe (SA) - Tuesday, Jul 26, 2005 at 19:27

Tuesday, Jul 26, 2005 at 19:27
Yep, that sounds good! Annoy them with false leads and have them waste time trying dodgy card numbers.

Still, I think just ignoring them is the best policy. If anything I have now validated my email address with the mongrels and will get a load more crap.

Cheers
Muddy
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FollowupID: 377337

Reply By: motherhen - Tuesday, Jul 26, 2005 at 19:35

Tuesday, Jul 26, 2005 at 19:35
Yep - just hit the delete key; don't give 'em a chance to know someone is there. I get heaps of similar supposedly from banks i do and don't deal with. My ISP has a good Spam bust service, and stops anything from a dodgy site or a bulk email out. I can then check the quaratined list and see if any of it was mail i want (eg on a special interest mailing list that has gone out to huge numbers).
AnswerID: 122174

Reply By: udm - Tuesday, Jul 26, 2005 at 21:15

Tuesday, Jul 26, 2005 at 21:15
Haven´t you ever been told not to even reply to those messages?

With who I do like to have some fun is with the emails that offer $500000000000 to be transfered into your account, it´s so good to see them eventually give up.
AnswerID: 122190

Reply By: Patrolee - Tuesday, Jul 26, 2005 at 22:07

Tuesday, Jul 26, 2005 at 22:07
I have found another way to limit the impact of these scamsters. I work in education - year 11 and 12 students - and I collect the scams and use them (with appropriate changes of phone numbers etc) as teaching material. We turn our students into scam busters - and they're pretty good at it! They are coming to realise that deals that appear too good to be true, often are! If experienced adults can still be tempted, so will many of our young people.

I am currently waiting on a free report on making my fortune in 'chemical manufacturing industry'. The ad said it was a booming (interesting choice of word!) industry, work from home, part-time or full time, huge profits ($20,000/month!!!!) and low overheads. Hmmm...

Last time I responded to one of these crazy ads I got a 'How not to be Scammed' booklet from the Office of Fair Trading. It was great, so I contacted them to thank them and order 30 more to make a class set.
AnswerID: 122207

Follow Up By: Member - Davoe (Widgiemooltha) - Wednesday, Jul 27, 2005 at 11:20

Wednesday, Jul 27, 2005 at 11:20
Fantastic I am always amazed at how many suckers are out there. A while back the TOOFT put ads out for tax effective schemes one involved in Jellyfish farming and the other in sheep-goat cross shoats and they were amazed at number of the idiots replying and they were all sent the booklets you speak of. here in the goldfields every few Years people fall for these schemes and the amazing thing is none can tell you what it was about let alone how it was meant to save tax. Then they blame the Government and a couple of years later it is happening again!!
Rules to life : Death-Taxes for ordinary people there is no mising out on either, Free sex : those 1900 numbers will NOT get you laid:Ultimate exercise machine, well these actuallywork-IF YOU USE THEM : Ringtones are not cool just expensive
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Reply By: TerraFirma - Wednesday, Jul 27, 2005 at 14:34

Wednesday, Jul 27, 2005 at 14:34
Guys, The Golden rule is Ebay and the Banks or anyone Iknow do not send emails out asking you to do things like that..! please don't become another dumb sucker..!
AnswerID: 122293

Reply By: mik*2 - Thursday, Jul 28, 2005 at 23:14

Thursday, Jul 28, 2005 at 23:14
muddy,

I would change your password immediately. This scam is called "Fisching" I was silly enough to reply to a similar email some time ago offering me "power seller" staus.
Next thing i know i couldn't access my account and i was recieving email from people asking about tractors i was "selling!!"

"I clicked the verification link in the email and was taken to a page identical to the real ebay sign in page. I signed in with my username and password"

This means they have your password...

mike
AnswerID: 122646

Follow Up By: Muddy 'doe (SA) - Friday, Jul 29, 2005 at 00:16

Friday, Jul 29, 2005 at 00:16
Yes thanks for that mike,

Once i realised I had been scammed that was my immediate action. Logged straight into the REAL ebay and changed password. I then went back in a few minutes later to check that I was not bidding on anything!

Cheers
Muddy
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