E-Bay Scams

Ebay is a great site and is used by many to buy and sell new and used Items. It truly is the worlds Largest Garage Sale Unfortunately when an online site becomes as big and popular as E-Bay the scam artists seem to just naturally follow. These Scam artists will often try to steal your Idenity and get your bank or credit card information in addition to your E-Bay Id and Password

A Typical Ebay Scam Artist will send you an e-mail requesting that you update your account. Often this request to update your account is made under some false pretence like it is suspended or has been suspected of Fraudulent use. Here is a Copy of a recent Ebay Scam E-mail I received http://ewguru.com/ebay-scam. You will notice the E-Bay Link on this page looks real. Don't click it. You can however do a right click properties and notice that it is in fact a phony link.

E-bay has an excellent online Tutorial that teaches how to spot and protect yourself from spoof e-mails http://ewguru.com/spoof-emails

Here are 8 Surefire Ways to Spot an EBAY Scam E-Mail and Protect Yourself from Identity Theft

1 - Wrong E-Mail Address

Any E-mail Sent to an E-mail Address that is Not Your Primary Ebay E-mail Account is more then likely a scam.

2 - Fake links.

While many emails have links included, just remember that these links can be forged too. After you click on the Link a Real E-Bay Address should appear. To determine if the Web address in your browser is a real eBay address, look for ".ebay.com" immediately before the first "/".

3 - Requests Personal Information

Any E-mail that requests you enter personal information like User ID, password or bank account number either by clicking on a link in the E-mail or completing a form within the e-mail are a strong indication the e-mail is a SCAM

4 - Urgent Subject Lines

Subject likes * * * Please Verify & Update Your Account * * *

5 - Generic greetings.

Lot's of emails begin with a Greeting, such as: "Dear Ebay member instead of the Name you used when you registered for your account

6 - Scare to Action

Many Fake emails try to trick you with the threat that your account is in jeopardy if you don't sign in and fix it NOW!

7 - HTML Website Fakes

Emails that appear to be websites. Some emails will look like a website in order to get you to enter personal information. Ebay never asks for personal information in an e-mail.

8. Misspellings and bad grammar

Fake emails may contain misspellings, incorrect grammar, missing words. Many Times these are used to trick the E-mail Filters

A quick review If you receive an E-mail with a Link requesting you to click on the link and sign in to your E-bay account, Don't Do It!

If you receive an E-mail that looks like an Ebay Sign in Form, Don't Sign in!

If you are unsure if the e-mail is Real or fake forward it to spoof@ebay.com and request assistance.

If you absolutely must login to your Ebay account then I would highly recommend you do the Following. Close all open Browser sessions. Run a Spyware check on your computer You can get a free Spyware program here (http://ewguru.com/sware) then type in http://www.ebay.com/ directly into your Browser window and Login from the E-bay Web Page. Never click on a Login Link from Any E-Mail.

Spyware

You decide to make an online purchase from a reputable Internet site, so you add the items to your virtual shopping cart and head to the checkout. You enter your billing address, your credit card number, your card's expiration date, even your card's 3-digit authorization number. Without even knowing it, you could have provided an identity thief all of the information he or she needs to rack up charges on your account if your computer is infested with a type of spyware known as keyloggers.

Keylogger software keeps track of every letter, number, or symbol you type. Then, the information is transferred from your computer to a third-party. While keyloggers are bad enough, they are only one of over a dozen types of spyware being used by hackers and identity thieves today. What's worse is that your computer could be infected at this moment, and you may not even realize it. In October 2004, America Online and the National Cyber-Security Alliance conducted a survey about spyware. Eighty percent of respondents found spyware on their computers and 89% of those individuals never knew it was there.1

While some spyware is relatively harmless, other examples can leave you vulnerable. For example, in August 2005 Sunbelt Software discovered a spyware scheme using a program known as CoolWebSearch which was allowing information from a user's computer to be sent to a central collection point without his or her knowledge. The type of information collected included Internet activity, credit card numbers, instant message conversations, travel plans, and more. Thousands of people were potential victims of identity theft thanks to this one program.

Now how do you stop yourself from being sucked into a spyware scam? There are two answers to that question.

First, you should install anti-spyware software on your computer. This type of software can detect spyware and can help you eliminate it from your system. However, you need to realize that even the best anti-spyware software is not full-proof because identity thieves and hackers are always revising their spyware so it won't be detected. Keeping your anti-spyware software up-to-date can help reduce this risk.

Second, you need to practice safer Internet behavior. For example, only download programs from trustworthy web sites and never agree to install anything on your computer unless you know specifically what it is. Keeping your Internet Explorer updated is also a good idea because security weaknesses in the browser are often used by spyware to gain access to your personal online activities.

The bad news is that spyware is only one method of stealing your identity. If you want to learn how to protect yourself from spyware and other methods or if you've been a victim of identity theft and need to know what steps to take now, you need to read Identity Theft: A Resource Guide from PCSecurityNews.com.

PayPal Fraud

Paypal is becoming the online payment processor of choice for many users. Paypal allows virtually anyone to except credit card payments. Paypal is also a great way to send and receive electronic payments. Unfortunate fame has it's price and in the case of Paypal that means scam artists preying on the Paypal members

The Most common Paypal Scam Involves E-Mail, You will receive an E-mail from Someone claiming to be Paypal requesting you Verify your Information. That is Warning Sign 1 Paypal will never send you an E-Mail Requesting Your Personal Information

Often this E_mail will be sent to an E-Mail Address that is not the same one that Paypal has on File. That is Warning Sign 2

The Third Warning Sign is forged Headers (From Address). This is often hard to detect without knowledge of the Internet. Many Spam filters are now setup to block E-mail that has forged headers. Ask your E-mail provider how you can block Forged Headers.

The Fourth Warning Sign is the Greeting says something like Dear Paypal user or Paypal Member. Paypal knows who you are they will use the name you registered with.

The Fifth Warning Sign is the threat. The E_mail will threaten to suspend your account if you don't take immediate action.

The Sixth Warning Sign is a Non Secure Page. If you do click on the link in the E-Mail you will not be on a secure Page, No Https in the URL and no little Padlock in the lower left hand corner of your browser.

Bad Grammar or Misspelled words in the

If you receive an E-mail from Paypal with even 1 of these warning signs more likely then not it is a scam. Forward the E-Mail to Paypal and ask for assistance if you have any doubts.

Don't let these modern day thieves keep you from go about your every day life. Life is a risk the key of course is to do all you can to protect yourself and still enjoy life.

Is ID theft overhyped

It appears that Identity Theft has been way over hyped. Yet why? Well let’s follow the money? The Federal Trade Commission has a budget right? They have to employ a handful of really good economists and quite a few wannabe economists who think that every business merger is some sort of economic conspiracy an attitude, which has permeated the FTC’s existence for generations. Then the FTC has to higher thousands of Lawyers and has to pay them with taxpayer’s money to protect large companies since many of these companies are lazy, weak and inefficient while delivering inferior products and providing mediocre to lousy service.

The Federal Trade Commission is a complete sham, but will not admit it although those in the know say it is for the good of the economy due to these large employers financial stability. Besides Adam Smith predicted this might happen and so it is somehow okay? Go figure these wannabe academics accepting such hokum and carrying on as if it is okay to misrepresent Justice at the little DOJ agency; FTC.

The new disruptive innovative and entrepreneurial companies move too fast for the larger corporations and they need help from the government to protect them because executives who quite frankly are only capable of borderline piss-poor performance run these companies. Now then this is one reason that the FTC fraudulently over hypes the problems of Identity Theft. The other reason is they choose companies who sell services to larger companies to prevent identity theft who make money selling software and consulting.

The FTC needs budget monies from Congress and most prove their worth so they over hype the reality of the problems. Read any GAO report on the FTC for more knowledge of how all this budget stuff works.

So how bad is Identity Theft? Not as bad as you think, but all this hype over it is hurting online companies who sell stuff on the Internet as consumers have been mislead and fear using their credit cards online. And that is bad for e-commerce companies and really good for large box store retailers this Christmas Season. But do you think it is right for the FTC to scare the public, misrepresent truth and make people fear a reality that does not exist or do you think the agency should be closed and disgorged of their ill-gotten gains? Think on it, as it sickens me to think this is Truth, Justice and the American Way at work.

Save Your Identity

Identity theft rates one of the fastest growing crimes in America today and the Internet can make it even easier for some criminals to take your good name and drag it through the mud.

Identity theft involves criminals stealing your personal information such as credit card numbers, social security numbers and other information, usually to buy things on credit or to empty out your bank accounts.

Through your financial liability with your credit cards may be limited to $50 to $500, it can take years for you to clean up the mess online identity thieves leave behind.

As with any crime, an ounce of prevention may just cause the would-be identity thieves to leave you alone and move on to an easier target.

The following tips can help you avoid having your identity stolen.

1. Never give out your social security number, online or otherwise. No company you buy things from needs your social security number.

If you do business on the web, obtain a a Federal Tax ID number to use instead of your social security number.

Once criminals have your social security number, along with your birth date and address, they have virtually everything they need to start wreaking havoc in your life.

2. Use a good anti-virus program. One of the ways criminals get your credit card numbers, passwords and other sensitive information is through "Trojan horse" viruses that log your keystrokes and transmit information to the evil doers.

The "Bad Trans" virus that has caused so much havoc is just such a virus.

3. Always use a "secure" server when transmitting credit card information over the web and know something about the company before handing over your information.

You can feel pretty confident that you are using a secure server if a little lock displays in the status bar on the bottom of your web browser.

4. A popular new way to pay for goods and services online is to "use your checking account just like a credit card".

Be extremely cautious about paying this way through the web. By giving a company your checking account numbers you give away much of the information necessary to empty your bank account!

5. Never give out information such as your birthday, marital status, education level or other personal information.

This additional information makes it extremely easy for criminals to make themselves appear legitimate when they pose as you. Websites should ultimately only require you to provide your name, email and billing information for a purchase.

You should avoid any site requiring more information than that.

These criminals prey on people's ignorance and you can usually defeat them simply by making it too hard for them to get your information.

If you do find yourself a victim, immediately contact police and get legal help. Do not wait because you feel embarrassed or "stupid" over what happened.

Waiting only lets the trail grow cold and limits how much law enforcement can do to help you.

Phishing

You receive an email from your bank warning you that your account information needs to be updated urgently or else it will be suspended. In a panic, you click on the link in the email and are brought to your bank's web site. Without giving it a second thought, you enter your user name and password to access your account online. In that moment, you have just handed an unknown criminal the keys to your banking account. You've been the victim of a phishing1 scheme.

Phishing has become one of the most common methods of electronically stealing people's identities. During the period between May 2004 and May 2005, over 1.2 million individuals were victims of these attacks and have lost approximately $929 million. Clearly, phishing is a big problem, but the question is how can you protect yourself from being reeled in?

One way is to increase your suspicion. The emails and web sites used in these phishing schemes are often remarkably accurate in appearance and tone to the real thing. That can make it difficult for you to recognize a fraud. However, there are a couple of things that can alert you to danger.

First, check how the email is addressed. Does it say “Dear Paypal Customer” or does it include your name? Legitimate emails from these companies will use your name in the salutation. If the email begins with a generic salutation that could have been sent to anyone, then you should think twice before following any links in the email.

Second, consider what the email is saying. Phishing schemes frequently use scare tactics, such as telling you that your account is being suspended, to make you act quickly and without thinking. Don't fall into their trap! If you receive an email stating that some problem exists with your account, contact the organization by email or, preferably, by phone to check the status for yourself.

Finally, never click on a link in the email. These links will redirect you to the attackers' web site. Instead, go to the organization's web site on your own. For example, if you received an email supposedly from Ebay about your account, you would type www.ebay.com into your browser instead of using the link. That way you can check the status of your account safely because you'll know you are at the right location.

Of course, phishing is only one method of stealing your identity. If you want to learn how to protect yourself from phishing and other methods or if you've been a victim of identity theft and need to know what steps to take now, you need to read Identity Theft: A Resource Guide.

Things To Remember

Each year, thousands of people around the world fall victim to identity theft… the assumption of their identity by others in an attempt to empty their bank accounts, establish fake lines of credit in their name, or to take advantage of current lines of credit and max out any credit cards that they might currently have.

Luckily, there are some simple steps that you can take that will help you to avoid identity thieves and keep your personal and financial information private.

The tips provided below are designed to help you to protect your identifying information, though in the end the implementation of them is up to you.

Lock Up Your Records

One easy way to keep your financial information out of the wrong hands is to purchase a lock box in which to keep your personal and financial records until they are out of date. Though the lock box doesn't have to be expensive, it's important to buy a sturdy one with a good lock on it in the event of a break-in or if someone should be in your house looking for financial information. Buying a fireproof lock box can also have the benefit of protecting your financial and personal information in the event if a fire or other natural disaster.

Buy a Shredder

When it comes time to get rid of old records, unused credit card applications, and other identifying information, a personal shredder is one of the best investments that you can make. It's generally best to purchase a cross-cut shredder, which cuts paper at opposite angles and makes it virtually impossible to reconstruct at a later date. These shredders can usually be bought for not a lot of money, and can more than make up the cost in the peace of mind that they can bring.

Be Careful with Your Information

Before giving out any personal or financial information, you should make sure that the person that you're giving it to is legitimate. Avoid giving any identifying information to anyone over the phone unless you know for sure who you're talking to and that it's alright to do so, and don't submit personal information over the internet unless it's via an encrypted and automated system.

You should also avoid replying to requests for passwords for websites that claim to come from administrators… almost all major websites have automated password generation features, so administrators would not have any need for your password.

Report Suspicious E-mail

If you receive an e-mail that claims to be from a company that you do business with but is asking for financial or personal information, don't believe it. Don't reply to it, and don't click any links contained within… instead, manually type in the main URL of the website, log in, and report the e-mail to the company to verify whether it's legitimate or not.

Watch Your Credit and Accounts

In order to stay on top of identity theft, you should periodically check your credit report and go over all account statements and account transactions via online bank account access. Verify that all charges and debits are legitimate, and report any that appear without your authorization. Look for accounts or listings on your credit report that you didn't open, and contact the issuer should you find any.

By taking a little time to stay on top of your bank accounts and your credit report, you can usually discover attempts at identity theft while something can still be done to stop it… and might just catch the person in the act.