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Subject:Buying Vans on e-Bay
From:Don Spence
Date:Tue, 4 Dec 2007 17:48:54 -0700

E Bay is fast becoming a place to avoid IMHO.

Their security is degrading rapidly as the hackers and crooks get
more clever.  I received two copies of a scam email today that
appeared (very accurately i would add) to come through ebay including
the usual

"eBay sent this message on behalf of an eBay member through My
Messages. Responses sent using email will go to the eBay member
directly and will include your email address."

It described a 4 Gb Mp3 player that I ostensibly had sold to an
unhappy buyer and include the message:

Hi,

I have e-mailed you several times and you didn`t answer my letters

Please tell me what we will do because I'm going to contact bank to
take measures against you .I think you don't understand my desperate
situation.Just send me my money back!

Their was a link to the offending item which opened up a very ebay
looking page inviting me to sign in with my user id and password. It
was complete with all the requisite graphics and the verisign
symbol.. Did someone say phishing?

Anyway, forwarded it to spoof@ebay,com who replied

"Hello,

Thank you for writing to eBay regarding the email you received.

The email you reported didn't come from eBay.

Emails like this one are fakes, commonly referred to as "spoof"
messages. They're sent in an attempt to collect your personal or
financial information.

***Important***

*Never* reply to a spoof email or click on any links in the message.

If you ever receive an email that looks like it's from eBay about a
problem with your account or requesting personal information, check My
Messages first. If the email is genuine, a copy will also be found in My
Messages. You can also forward the email to spoof@ebay.com and we'll
investigate. Don't respond to the spoof email, or click any of the links
in the message. Please don't remove the original subject line or change
the email in any way.
"

  So.... be careful out there. The crooks are getting cleverer as
they go.