Comments on: Online Security: Dissecting an eBay Scam

By: Test Your Ability To Detect Scam/Phishing Emails | PCMech

Test Your Ability To Detect Scam/Phishing Emails | PCMech — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 21:29:56 +0000

[...] Additionally, for those interested, I have written an article on this site which really gets down to the nuts and bolts of some fake emails in an eBay scam I was the target of. [...]

By: Anne

Anne — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 21:35:49 +0000

I like the detail you gave. I wondered how they went about it, though it is pretty recognizable.

I got a scammer on Craig’s list, but didn’t reply at all, since it was out of the country. Never heard from them again. Craig’s list sends you the email, but if you respond directly, the scammer has your email address. I use a special email address just for Craig’s list, so I know where they got my email address.

I never buy from eBay, because who knows who any of those people are. However, my brother bought a car on eBay and picked it up out of state and was very happy with the deal. Many years ago, though. From what you said, it looks as if eBay is alert to the problem, since they notified you right away, but their email didn’t look much better than the scammers. It was unclear and confusing.

I got a phishing message, claiming to be my bank; sent it to earthlink
I got an email begging for money to help this “poor” guys’ “poor” mother to get out of her country illegally. (Does this really work?) I don’t know where these last two got my email address.

Someone is using my web-site address to spam people in my mailbox. I’d like to know how they are doing that. Yahoo hasn’t been any help.

I think if everyone just deleted all these bogus messages without responding, they would stop. No need for policing them, if they don’t work. It’s the same as: if nobody buys stolen goods, nobody will steal it.

By: Mick Ames

Mick Ames — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 20:51:35 +0000

The simple rule in all these cases is

“If it looks too good to be true, it most probably is”

I cannot believe the number of people who fall for the lottery scam, or the money transfer scam.

Good article. I admire your patience.

By: Mills

Mills — Fri, 09 May 2008 01:44:29 +0000

I had the exact thing happen today when an auction on an item I had listed ended. Guess I can look forward to more fake emails over the next week.

I used Ebay quite a lot a few years back and had zero problems, but I haven’t bought or sold anything on it for a coupla years, until now. Is it worth the trouble of re-listing my item, or is this what Ebay has come to now…nothing but scammers winning auctions??

By: Sara

Sara — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 00:45:28 +0000

This is happening to me right now! The same guy from nigeria is sending me the same emails that you received with the subject title, PAYMENT HAS BEEN SENT****SHIP OUT IMMEDIATELY. What shot up a red flag was when he sent me an email pretending to be from paypal (return email was —-@gmail.com on behalf of service@paypal.com) The email had atleast ten spelling mistakes and if it really were from paypal, there would not be any! so i googled part of the email and found your site.
Thank-you so much for posting this blog, it totally saved me.

By: David M

David M — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 15:13:56 +0000

I have been burned twice on Ebay…once with a monitor that did not work and then with a product that did not show up. I also know a number of others who have been burned as well. I simply will not buy from an individual on Ebay ever again which is too bad because Ebay itself is a great idea.

Its amazing the efforts put forth to rip people off. It must me a nightmare for Ebay and cost Ebay millions of dollars in administrative costs each year to stay on top of the criminals that are using Ebay to rip off regular people.

I won’t do it. I guess I am not savvy enough to use Ebay and don’t want to have to become savvy enough to stay ahead of the criminals.

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 16:59:42 +0000

This blog is totally worth reading. Actually something similar happened to me and my dad. Their was a email sent by paypal to update my account. It email was so poorly done me and my dad just started to laugh. The spelling was really bad. I had reported the email to paypal! Plus the funny thing was that me and my dad don’t even have a paypal account. It’s Pretty stupid of scammers. And man i thought phone calls were bad enough

By: Jimbo

Jimbo — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 22:27:17 +0000

Good point! I cannot post anything on craigslist without a scammer trying to get to me, They are pretty obvious because of the bad spelling. Just imagine what could happen if they get a little more advanced along with spell check. Scary thought, be careful and I would recommend checking all items being sold before I make a transaction, time well spent!

By: Adam

Adam — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 22:15:33 +0000

Been following your blog for some time. Most posts are interesting enough reads… but this one was quite enlightening. Thanks for the info.

By: Jean

Jean — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 10:50:04 +0000

Nice one matey, as a security student, this is one of the hot topics we are dealing with, how a hacker could send a fake bank website and let you enter your credentials for verification purpose, then use them to empty your account, it’s common and this is done without notification, I am aware how many of us are victims of such theft, hopefully everybody will be smart enough to fall into such traps.
Tanks a lot and i like your comments on pcmech