NEW WARNING FOR EBAY SELLERS.

markglicker · March 25, 2005 5:01AM

The creeps keep getting creepier. As a seller, you will receive an insipid question, usually from a user with no feedback. The intent is for you to respond, so they now have your email address, as well as quite often, your name. For what future mayhem, I can only speculate.

dbldie55 · March 25, 2005 5:02AM

So we should no longer answer email?

ziggy29 · March 25, 2005 5:04AM

<< The creeps keep getting creepier. As a seller, you will receive an insipid question, usually from a user with no feedback. The intent is for you to respond, so they now have your email address, as well as quite often, your name. For what future mayhem, I can only speculate. >>

Perhaps to try to crack your PayPal password?

markglicker · March 25, 2005 5:05AM

If it seems like a particularly non pertinent question, I take a look at the feedback. If it is nonexistant, I pass on an answer.

Russ · March 25, 2005 5:06AM

Anybody can just Google me and find out all that and more already.

Russ, NCNE

flaminio · March 25, 2005 5:06AM

Please. Paranoia is one thing, but just a name and email address? My name is Bob Flaminio, my email address is bob@flaminio.com. Knock yourself out.

markglicker · March 25, 2005 5:09AM

Well, Bob. Its another brick in the old wall. With your name and email, the crooks can now customize their bogus Paypal and Ebay mailings. Most of us are savy enough to see through these, but still, many do get caught.

MajorDuty · March 25, 2005 5:13AM

LOL! *Bob soon regrets giving out his name and email address* Today on, As The Coin Turns.....

flaminio · March 25, 2005 5:27AM

<< Well, Bob. Its another brick in the old wall. With your name and email, the crooks can now customize their bogus Paypal and Ebay mailings. Most of us are savy enough to see through these, but still, many do get caught. >>

But you have your name and your email address posted publicly, right here -- just click on the little eyeglasses icon. Do you get spam? (Silly question.) They're already got your name and email address. I don't see how a response to an insipid question on eBay can further the baddies' goals. Indeed, I get many insipid questions from legitimate eBayers, so I'm not even sure I'd be able to tell the difference.

tincup · March 25, 2005 5:28AM

Well, I for one have to agree with Markglicker. Something is up. I have also received one of these emails.... from an user I had never heard of before, and one that had never even bid on any of my auctions. I did not check on how much feedback they had.

Anyways, the gist of the email was.... that they greatly enjoyed my auctions, and always look forwark to them. So could I please verify/let them know my email address so that they can continue to do so.....??

This came through the eBay email system. I never replied to it, since it made no sense.... I mean, if they looked forward to my auctions, what more info do they need???? So I strongly suspect a scam of some sort.... they want a reply and plan to use that somehow.

So even though some of you may make light of this, like it is no big deal.... I would say to watch out. Something seems to be up. If anyone does find out if there is anything to this, please share the info!

Thanks markglicker!! I just figured the email was a fluke until you mention it also. So it appears I am not the only one who received one.

Bochiman · March 25, 2005 5:28AM

<< Anybody can just Google me and find out all that and more already.

Russ, NCNE >>

Last time I did that, the pics of you and Cammie that popped up had me blind for a WEEK!!!!

btw....Flamino, you can click on the little glasses above and you won't get my email address. Others are like that too. So, it isn't as easy as you say. But, it can be easy enough for those that want it.

Gonfunko · March 25, 2005 5:33AM

I registered feelfree2spamme@yahoo.com exactly for this purpose. I also use it when online forms request an email. That way, all spam and/or business related emails go to one address I only check when I feel like it, and emails I actually want go to my primary email address. Apparently, I'm not alone, as I had to go through about 20 variations before I found one no one had registered yet!

markglicker · March 25, 2005 5:36AM

Well, Flaminio. I will lay across my desk, so that you can stick a dagger in my heart. It is a daily battle to fight off those who will steal your money through the Net. Several have been stung. I have received many bogus second chance offers through the Ebay system recently, my customers have as well. These crooks are intent on stealing thousands of dollars from those off guard. My warning was to be another heads up, on new attempts to secure information. I realize that the Libertarians are smart enough to never get hosed, so you may disregard.

Barry · March 25, 2005 5:37AM

<< Please. Paranoia is one thing, but just a name and email address? My name is Bob Flaminio, my email address is bob@flaminio.com. Knock yourself out. >>

Bob,
What's your mother's maiden name again?

Russ · March 25, 2005 5:47AM

Now that I think about it, there might be something to this. Right after I answered an insipid eMail, I started hearing a strange periodic beeping noise at regular intervals while on the telephone. Coincidence?

Russ, NCNE

flaminio · March 25, 2005 7:34AM

<< Well, Flaminio. I will lay across my desk, so that you can stick a dagger in my heart. It is a daily battle to fight off those who will steal your money through the Net. Several have been stung. I have received many bogus second chance offers through the Ebay system recently, my customers have as well. These crooks are intent on stealing thousands of dollars from those off guard. My warning was to be another heads up, on new attempts to secure information. I realize that the Libertarians are smart enough to never get hosed, so you may disregard. >>

I don't know why people are on my case these days. I never claim to be smarter than anyone else. I will, however, feel free to post my opinion, even if it is contrary to yours or the rest of the herd's.

Yes, there are all sorts of crooks out there. Yes, one must always be on one's guard. But I gotta be honest -- if you're really, really worried about your name and email address getting "out", my best advice to you is to unplug your computer, convert all your assets to hard currency and precious metals, and move into a shack in Montana. That horse is already out of the barn.

By the way, would you like a map to your house?

See what I mean...

coinguy89 · March 25, 2005 7:41AM

I'm coming over.

ursabear · March 25, 2005 7:48AM

One thing you can do if you get said insipid email from an eBay member, is to reply through the eBay reply mechanism (don't hit reply in your email software - click the eBay link).

Once on the reply form, you can choose to hide your email and information and reply to the question.

markglicker · March 25, 2005 7:53AM

No, Bob, I am not really, really worried about my name and email getting out. I do think though, that it is prudent to alert fellow users about a new avenue of illicit information gathering. You are certainly free to comment, but I am not sure where caution has an opposing view.

flaminio · March 25, 2005 8:10AM

<< You are certainly free to comment, but I am not sure where caution has an opposing view. >>

Well, there's degrees of caution. Earlier in this thread, I was asked my mother's maiden name. I decline to answer. I think that's reasonable caution, even though that information is probably gleanable from some genealogy site (I've never checked).

I could also come into the forum shouting "WATCH OUT FOR THE METEORITES!" Is there a danger that one can be killed by a meteorite while taking a walk? Certainly it's possible, but it's sufficiently unlikely that there's no point in worrying about it, or warning others about it.

Acquiring one's name and email address is closer to the latter form of threat than the former. If I received an insipid question on eBay, I would not worry about it a bit.

ursabear's advice of using the eBay interface to answer the question is well taken, however. It's kind of funny -- I remember when eBay stopped publishing email addresses and compelling everyone to communicate through their interface. At the time many people felt it was an unwarranted encroachment by eBay trying to take over the world. Nowadays, it just seems prudent. Scammers, spammers, phishers, and so on are on the verge of absolutely killing email as a viable communications medium.

markglicker · March 25, 2005 9:45AM

Thank you, Bob. I am glad that we are in agreement.

NEW WARNING FOR EBAY SELLERS.

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