You receive an email from eBay informing you that your account has been somehow compromised, and requesting that you click on a link included in the email, and login immediately verifying your user name and password. You panic, thinking the worst, and follow the instructions given. However, this email is not from eBay. Rather, it is has been generated from a computer that has been programmed to send out millions of these fraudulent emails.
In giving out this information, you have provided a stranger with your personal login information for eBay. With your user name and password, this individual or group of individuals can now sign on to the site and list merchandise for sale under your seller ID. The normal pattern is that the perpetrators will list a number of high-ticket or popular items for bargain prices. Because the thief does not have your PayPal account information, he or she will have to use an alternative form of payment, usually a wire transfer of funds. Shoppers looking for a deal won’t think twice about snapping up what they perceive to be the deal of a lifetime! They purchase the item, and wire the money per instructions. Of course, the “seller” never had the item in the first place, and once the money has been transferred, the buyer has no recourse.
The buyer waits for his or her item to arrive, and when a reasonable amount of time has passed, contacts the seller – you. Of course, you know nothing about this transaction, and are flabbergasted to get this complaint. An angry buyer wants his or her money back, and of course you don’t have it. You are being held accountable by eBay when in fact you had nothing to do with this transaction.
How to Identify a Fraudulent Email
Once you are aware of these scams, the fraudulent emails are fairly easy to spot. Here are some giveaways:
Generic Salutations: For emails that are generated by a well-known company such as PayPal or eBay, the salutation is usually the first giveaway. Rather than use your name, the salutation in these emails is usually generic. “Dear eBay Member,” one email begins. Internet providers’ names such as Earthlink or AOL are also used as a lure, with a program generating emails to members worldwide. Think about it. You are a member of these communities, and any email that you receive from them is going to have your name in the salutation.