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Fraud Protection for Buyers and Sellers
Over the last few years Internet fraud has been on the rise. The promise of easy money and the anonymity offered by the World Wide Web have brought about a new breed of criminals. Known as scammers or rippers these criminals use a variety scams ranging from simple to incredibly complex, all with one purpose...To get your money.
Read through this section and you will come away a better-informed internet user as well as be better equipped to deal with online fraud.
Spoof Emails
Protect yourself from Spoof (fake) emails. There are many scammers out there who may send you a fake message from ebay, PayPal or other popular websites, in hopes of getting you to reveal your sensitive information (i.e. username and password, social security number, and credit card numbers).
Here are Ebay's suggested steps for protecting yourself from Spoof emails:
Protect yourself from fraudulent (spoof) emails
We strongly encourage you to be cautious when responding to any email request for sensitive personal information.
Remember, just because an email looks like it's from eBay, doesn't mean it really is. An eBay address in the "From" line of an email (for example, "From: support@ebay.com", "From: billing@ebay.com", "From: eBay Account Maintenance") does not guarantee that the email is from eBay.
You can also take a few simple steps to protect your account and prevent senders of deceptive emails from doing harm:
Be sure you are on an eBay page
Before signing in, check the Web address in your browser. If you click on a link in an email, verify that the web address in your browser is the same as the address shown in the email. The Web address of most eBay sign-in pages begins with http://signin.ebay.com/. Never type your eBay user ID and password into a Web page that doesn't have ".ebay.com" immediately before the first forward slash (/).
Always use a secure server when submitting credit card numbers
Before submitting credit card numbers over the Internet, ensure that you are using a secure server. The beginning of the web address in your browser window should be "https://" and not "http://". For secure server pages, you should also see a "lock" icon at the bottom of the browser.
Do not send sensitive personal information via email
eBay will never ask you to send your account password or other sensitive personal information such as credit card numbers in an email. Some deceptive emails will ask you to enter your password or sensitive personal information directly into a form within the email in an attempt to defraud you - don't do it.
When in doubt, use the eBay Web site
Any doubt that the email really is from eBay? Simply open a new browser window, type www.ebay.com, sign-in, and use the "site map" link to navigate the site. And make sure you sign out when you are finished, especially if you are using a public computer.
Report suspicious email
Help us keep our community safe. If you have any doubt whether an email is from eBay, forward the message to spoof@ebay.com immediately. Don't alter the subject line or forward the message as an attachment - doing so makes it more difficult for us to react quickly.
Contact your bank or credit card company
If you have already replied to a fraudulent email with sensitive personal information or entered data through a fake Web page, contact your bank and/or credit card companies immediately to prevent identity theft. eBay also recommends that you check your Account and My eBay preferences periodically to ensure that no one has tampered with your account.
Follow the above steps and you will not have to worry about being the victim of a spoof email.
Protect your eBay Account
One of the most popular types of auction scams is where a scammer hijacks somebody else's Auction account and then uses it to scam unsuspecting buyers. Read on to find out how you can protect yourself from having your eBay account hijacked.
Create a Unique User ID
Choose a unique user ID and make sure it is different from you email address. This will help prevent scammers from getting hold of your email account. Id you have multiple online accounts that require a username and password, I recommend that you make all the passwords different. I know it is inconvenient, but it sure beats having your account stolen.
Choose a Secure Password
Make sure that you choose a secure password for you eBay account. The best passwords are six or more characters long and contain both letters and numbers. Do not use your phone number or your name or anything that is readily available to others.
Change Your Password Frequently
In order to maintain the best security on your accounts, change you passwords on a regular basis. Do NOT just swap two passwords back and forth each time you change your password. Create a new password each time.
Protect Yourself from Keyloggers
There are a number of computer viruses going around that install themselves on your computer and then log and record every key that you press on you keyboard. Then it sends that information back to the scammer and they look through it and extract all of your personal information. The best way to prevent this is to use an up-to-date anti-virus program. My favorite software is PC-Cillin a combination anti virus and firewall program. It is the Cats meow.
Install a Firewall
A firewall is either hardware or software (recommended) that controls the flow of information into and out of your computer. Using a firewall helps prevent unauthorized people from accessing your sensitive information. A Firewall is a must have for any Internet businessperson. PC-Cillin is one of the best firewalls available and comes with a state of the art integrated anti virus program.
Top Tips for Preventing Auction Fraud
1. Understand how the auction works. Many online auctions simply list items that people want to sell. They don't verify that the merchandise actually exists or that it is described accurately, and they can't guaranty that the sellers will keep their promises.
2. Check out the seller before you bid. Some auction sites have feedback forums with comments about the sellers based on other people's experiences. Be aware that positive reports may have been "planted" by the seller and negative comments could be from a competitor. Other sources of information are state or local consumer protection agencies and the Better Business Bureau. Negative information is a good warning sign, but a clean complaint record doesn't guarantee that your transaction will go smoothly.
3. Be careful if the seller is a private individual. Many consumer protection laws don't apply to private sales, though government agencies may take action if there are many complaints the same individual or criminal fraud is involved.
4. Be especially cautious when dealing with sellers in other countries. If you have a problem, the physical distance, difference in legal systems, and other factors could make resolving it very difficult.
5. Beware of "shills." The seller may try to raise the price artificially by making bids under fictitious names or recruiting other people to make bids. Using bogus bidders is illegal and a violation of online auction policies.
6. Get the name and contact information of the seller. The name, physical street address, email address, and phone number are helpful to have for checking the seller out and following up later if there is a problem. Don't do business with anyone who refuses to provide that information.
7. Be wary of claims about collectibles and other expensive items. Since you can't examine the merchandise or have it appraised until after the sale, don't assume that claims about its condition or value are true, or that photographs are accurate. Print out and save the description and any photos to document the claims that were made.
8. Ask about delivery, returns, warranties and service before you pay. Get a definite delivery time and insist that the shipment is insured. Ask about the return policy. If you're buying electronic goods or appliances, find out if there is a warranty and how to get service.
9. Look for information on the auction site about insurance. Some auction sites provide insurance that covers buyers up to a certain amount if something goes wrong. Others may have links to third-party programs that offer insurance for a fee. Read the terms of the insurance carefully. There is often a deducible, and there be other limitations or requirements that apply. For example, you may not be covered if the seller had a negative feedback rating on the auction site at the time of the transaction.
10. Pay by credit card. Under federal law, you can dispute the charges if you paid the seller with a credit card and the goods were never delivered or if they were misrepresented. If you are paying through an intermediary service, ask what happens in the case of disputes.
11. Consider using an escrow service. For a small fee, an escrow service holds the buyer's payment and forwards it to the seller upon the buyer's receipt and approval of the item within an agreed upon inspection period. If there is a dispute about the item, the escrow service may act as a referee. Ask if the service is licensed and bonded, and how you can confirm that with the appropriate agency.
12. Try mediation to resolve disputes. Not all problems are due to fraud. Sometimes people simply fail to hold up their side of the bargain in a timely manner or there may be a misunderstanding about something. Some auction sites provide links to third-party mediation services that help people resolve disputes. There may be a small fee that is usually paid by the party who requests the mediation.
13. Inform auction sites about suspected fraud. They may have policies to remove sellers from their sites if they use "shills" or don't live up to their obligations.
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