Phishing scams are on the rise and fraudulent minds have infiltrated eBay. Whatever the reason you use eBay is – be it to do some online shopping or to generate an additional income – you need to be wary of phishing scams. If you want to protect your personal information and finances, you need to be careful of these scams.

What are phishing scams? They involve the creation of identical websites meant to mislead innocent eBay users into logging in their accounts on the sites. To lure you in, they create an email that informs them of an error with your accounts. You will then follow the link to the fake website, where you enter your eBay account and password. Once the scammer gets hold of this information, he will have full access to your personal information stored on eBay. He can also use your eBay account to make purchases.

Many people fall for these scams because they think that there is indeed a kink with their eBay accounts. Phishing scams often alert you to an unpaid item that requires your immediate action. Worried that your account would get suspended, you promptly click on the links and rectify the problems. Note that the fake websites always look almost identical to the official website, thus making it hard to distinguish between the two.

The main purpose of any phishing scam is to get the person to click a link! The e-mail is specifically crafted and formatted to make you believe you have to take the action they suggest.

Do some reasearch

1. If you suspect you have an eBay phishing scam email on your hands, then the best advice is to do a little ground work. 2. Look at the name that the email addresses you with. If it says, “Dear eBay Member” then something is up. Official eBay emails often address you by your eBay screen name or even your real name.

Where does the link go?

3. Roll your mouse over the links that are attached in the email. Do they bring you to an external website instead of eBay.com?
4. The next step is to log into your eBay account. Check your eBay inboxes for any new messages and if these messages have any pertinence to the email you received.

What to do with a phishing email

5. In the event that you had received an eBay phishing scam email it is advised that you contact eBay directly or turn to the eBay help center. Instructions are provided on the steps you should take to report such emails.
6. Dont delete the email it is used to track to phisher and prevent other people from being affected, but you should do your part to make eBay a safe marketplace for all.
7. Reporting an eBay phishing scams to the relevant authorities allow them to take actions and eradicate the problem.

Now that you have some knowledge about eBay phishing scams, you should be on your guards. When shopping online, always proceed with caution. If in doubt, always contact eBay. If you come across such scams, be sure to notify eBay immediately.

Author Bio: For more tips I invite you to claim your FREE report to find out how to sell on eBay and to learn more eBay seliing go to eBay how to videos and sign up to my FREE newsletter. Easy to follow videos perfect for new ebay sellers from Lance Lovelady your “how to ebay guide”.

Category: Internet
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