LIVONIA – In todays advanced technology, robbing banks and picking pockets is becoming a thing of the past. Todays thieves can liquidate bank accounts and purchase goods in someone elses name – and purchase eBay auction items in your name as well. How? You unwittingly provide them with your personal information.
In July, I received an email that, to the average consumer, looked like it came from eBay. It said the follow :
Dear valued eBay member; It has come to our attention that your eBay billing updates are out of order. If you could please take 5-10 minutes out of your online experience and update your billing records you will not run into any future problems with the online service. Once you have updated your account records your eBay session will not be interrupted and will continue as normal. Failure to update will result in cancellation of service, Terms of Service (TOS) violations or future billing problems.
When you click on the link provided in the email, clicked, youre taken to a page that looks like eBay and asks you to enter your username and password in an effort to update your information.
What users may not understand is that just because the false eBay site says it is secured and looks like it comes from eBay, it is not so. In fact, a hyperlink can show one destination and when clicked on, can take a user to an entirely different web address, as is the case with this latest Internet scam.
When examined more closely, I noticed that the address bar that contained the secure https:// link was in fact a fake. The address bar and status bar were turned off and replaced with graphics and a form field that was pre-populated with the address of the hyperlink. At the bottom of the page, the status bar was replaced with a graphic that includes the little yellow lock to enforce the illusion of a secured page. They have even gone to the extreme to place an alt tag on the lock, that when, on mouse over, it displays SSL 128 bit encryption.
If the address bar and status bar are turned back on, you will see the real address of the page and verify that it is in fact not a secure page and definitely not eBay.
How does this affect you?
If you were to receive this type of email, clicked on the link and entered your username and password, you have just given your eBay username and password to the thieves.
With this information they would be able to do one of two things: 1. Place bids on high priced ticket items on your account, and pay for them with the credit card or PayPal account you have on file with eBay. 2. They can create high priced auctions. When the auction is over, they can collect money from the winning bidder, but never ship the product. The only recourse to the bidder is to give negative feedback. Remember, the thief does not care about the negative feedback after all it is not his account, its yours.
How does this affect eBay?
If enough of these events take place, the general consumer will no longer use eBay as a source for buying and selling goods, out of risk of being scammed. As a result, eBay could loose Billions.
How do I stop this?
There is very little you can do to stop these thieves from doing what they are doing. However, you can prevent them gaining access to your account. How? Through education. The important thing to remember is that under no circumstances would any company send you an email asking you to update your account information. There are protocols and policies in place should they have issues with your account. This protocols come in to place only if and when you try to use your online account specifically at their website. Then, upon logging in to your account would you be prompted to address updates.
How do I protect my self from these type of thieves?
One way is through the Identity Theft Shield through Pre Paid Legal Services. It provides you 24 hour credit monitoring, a copy of your credit report every quarter, credit restoration services, and a $25,000 re-imbursement policy should you become a victim. All of this for only $12.95 per month or $9.95 per month if you are already a Pre Paid Legal subscriber.
To find out more about the impact of having your identity stolen, the importance of protecting your identity and the protection Identity Theft Shield can provide, click on eTeam Associates.Com
David Strange is founder of Pixelbit New Media and an agent for Pre Paid Legal Services through eTeam Associates.
For the latest Security news, click on the Security Section at Mitechnews.Com
