These are some questions about eBay/Paypal spoof emails. Hope some people can add some comments

UncleWiggly

I just finished replying to a thread about this across the street and it brought to mind some questions I've wanted to ask about for some time.

1. Is there anybody here that is active on the internet, but has never even gone to eBay/Paypal, ever received a spoof email from either of them? Has anybody that has used eBay/Paypal that no longer has an active account still receiving spoofs? Anybody never receive a spoof email, that's been active on eBay/Paypal for at least 6 months? What about those of you who don't use eBay but pay via Paypal for something from another site. Do you receive Paypal spoofs only?

2. My wife and I have been active on eBay/Paypal since 1999, and allot too. She remembers receiving only 2 questionable emails from Paypal to check her account for returned money(no money returned) and nothing from eBay. It wasn't until I started buying COINS off of eBay that we started receiving spoofs routinely. Anybody else have this happen? Coincedence? I hope so.

3. If not, then is every single person in the entire world who uses eBay/Paypal put on some sort of "eBay/Paypal Known Users List For Internet Thieves" or something?

4. Why is this so inherent to eBay/Paypal users? Besides one on one scams and some mass random emails from the dethroned king wanting you to put $5000 in your account and give the nr to him so he can send his left behind millions, eBay/Paypal users seem to be particularly targeted. I've used YaHoo auctions and Pay Direct many times since 2001 and never have received a spoof email from either. Why haven't I received a spoof email from Heritage saying thanks for the payment but send more money anyway? You'd think at least one thief would be hanging aroung "there" trying to pull something off.

5. I can see how a person being brand new to all of this might fall for one of these spoofs. If someone has, would you please share your experience here? I know that may be a bit hard, but I can't see anybody here on the boards making fun of you or getting on your case. I expect just the oposite.

Thanks,


Jerry

Dukie101

I get the fake emails every week and always forward to ebay. I've never heard of any outcome ie. they caught/arrested someone.

Dog97

Not much to add but....

<<<3. If not, then is every single person in the entire world who uses eBay/Paypal put on some sort of "eBay/Paypal Known Users List For Internet Thieves" or something?>>>
The scammers get your email from virus & trojan infected sellers. You're in their address book so that means your ebay/PayPal account is active. No point in trying to get a non-active user to "update" his account.

<<<4. Why is this so inherent to eBay/Paypal users?....Why haven't I received a spoof email from Heritage saying thanks for the payment but send more money anyway? >>>
Because scammers have more potential victims in the millions & millions of users of eBay. If they scammed the 100 or so users of Yahoo they wouldn't get any money.
They also know that a site with customer service like Heritage with tightwad coin collector users will pick up the phone & call the 800 number & start squaking if asked to send more money whereas eBay's customer service makes it hard for the victim & easy for the scammer because no users know how to contact eBay and they won't do anything anyway.

ibmichaud

Ive gotten a few of them over time. I am A police officer and I can tell you that I have arrested several identity theft suspects, and one that sticks out was a guy that when I was searching his room I found tons of receipts for coins bought over the net. That was before I really got into collecting. There was another who was using ebay to buy thiings with the stolen credit card numbers he had. Just a side note, even though I am a Police officer I still can never talk to a real person at E-Bay. I did meet one once and wish I kept his contact info, I would be calling him all the time tipping him off to scams. Almost forgot, the guy with the coins.....never did find them.

UncleWiggly

Thanks for the replys.


Jerry