Important tips to avoid eBay Identity Theft
 

All official non auction related emails I have received from ebay or paypal have been plain text. This means no hyperlinks or other html other than the correct web address to be cut and pasted into the address window. And don't cut and paste any web address that does not go directly to an ebay.com server.Because some email programs automatically add linkage for web sites, you will have to check whether the hyperlink actually is not spoofed i.e going to a different address than the one specified. This is easily checked on MS Explorer on the lower left hand margin on the window. The following is an example


Subject: Thank You for Your Report (SafeHarbor) (KMM164491717V74010L0KM)
From: "eBay Customer Support"


Thank you for contacting us about a potential fraudulent (spoof) email
or Web site. We will investigate this situation immediately and inform
you of the results in a separate email. If you are reporting an email
ora Web site that is asking for personal financial information, it is
bestto assume it is fake until you receive a response from us.

In order to reply as quickly as possible, we are sending you an
automated response about the following topics:

1. IDENTIFYING FAKE EMAILS AND WEB SITES
2. USING EBAY TOOLBAR WITH ACCOUNT GUARD
3. PROTECTING YOUR ACCOUNT AND INTERNET SECURITY

Please submit other questions or concerns through our Contact Us
System, which can be accessed by clicking on the "help" button on the top of any eBay page. This allows us to dedicate our resources appropriately.

1. IDENTIFYING FAKE EMAILS AND WEB SITES
The best defense against fake emails and Web sites is learning how to
spot them. You can learn more about fake emails and Web sites through
our Spoof Tutorial at the following Web page:

http://pages.ebay.com/education/spooftutorial/

2. USING EBAY TOOLBAR WITH ACCOUNT GUARD
One of the best tools to protect yourself from fraudulent (spoof) Web
sites is eBay Toolbar with Account Guard. The Account Guard feature
indicates when you are on an eBay or PayPal Web site and warns you if
you are on a known spoof site. To learn more about eBay Toolbar with
Account Guard open a new browser and type www.ebay.com/ebay_toolbar
into the address bar.

3. PROTECTING YOUR ACCOUNT AND INTERNET SECURITY
We recommend that you keep your browser, operating system, and virus
protection software up to date. Check for updates at the "Windows
Update" link on www.microsoft.com and scan your computer for viruses
often.

If you think your personal information has been compromised in any way,
you should take immediate steps to change your eBay, PayPal, and email
passwords. You should also contact your bank to see if there has been
any suspicious activity on your account. You can find more information
about protecting your identity at the following help page:

http://pages.ebay.com/help/confidenc...ity-theft.html

Thank you again for sending us your report. We appreciate your efforts
to keep eBay and PayPal safe.

Regards,

eBay Trust & Safety Team

The simple rule: never <i>never</i> <b><i>NEVER</i></b> go to a "secure" site through an email link.

No legit operation, be it eBay, banks, etc. will ever ask you to do that.

If you think you need to check on your sensitive/secure information as a result of an email you've receieved, close and re-open your browser and go directly to the website.

For more tips on how to avoid identity theft, please send me your bank account and credit card numbers, and your ATM code. :)