Just to warn everybody, I received an email last night purporting to be from eBay. It looks exactly like you would expect a message from ebay appear, BUT

It is a BOGUS email and IS NOT from eBay

**************DO NOT USE THE LINK. DO NOT LOG IN **********

It read as follows:

SUBJECT LINE: ****Urgent Account Security Measures****

Alert ID : 0262341143

You have received this email because you or someone had used your account to make fake bids on eBay. For security purposes, we are required to open an investigation into this matter. To help speed up this process, you are required to verify your eBay account by following the link below.

DO NOT USE THIS LINK!!!http://scgi.ebay.com/verify_id=ebay&user=02626454 DO NOT USE THIS LINK!!!!

Please save this fraud alert id for your reference

Please Note - If your account informations are not updated within the next 72 hours, then we will assume this account is fraudulent and will be cancelled. We apologize for this inconvenience, but the purpose of this verification is to ensure that your eBay account has not been fraudulently used to combat fraud.

We appreciate your support and understating, as we work together to keep eBay a safe place to trade.

Thank you for your patience in this matter.

Regards, Safeharbor Department (Trust and Safety Department)

eBay Inc.

Please do not reply to this e-mail as this is only a notification message.

Copyright 2004 eBay Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Designated trademarks and brands are the property of their respective owners.

eBay and the eBay logo are trademarks of eBay Inc. is located at Hamilton Avenue, San Jose, CA 95125

Hi Carl - yes, I got one of these! Well, almost. Mine said my account was suspended. Got quite a shock, until I looked at where the link pointed. These emails are getting more and more realistic...

Those commie bastards............!!!

Yeah, I've gotten that one too. Just remember, eBay, or any other above board entity, would not use email as a measure of updating security.

Geesh. Talk about your kick in the arse. Thanks Carl.

Dam them. Off with their hands. Insha Allah, Allah Ackbar!

The basic rule of thumb, if my account is compromised, I'll CALL and get someone on a phone number that I selected and not on a URL on a message that they sent in the e-mail.

This is something that's called Phishing. They tease you with a message that for all simple visual checks appears legitimate, even to the extent that the additional "legal" information down below will take you to the right place, BUT the account verification one takes you elsewhere. If you hover your mouse pointer over the link, and look in the status bar, you'll note that the destination listed is NOT what the e-mail says. And beware, because I've even seen some that are suspiciously close www.e-bay.com instead of www.ebay.com.

The phishers have even taken on bank accounts, book clubs, and others. I've even received "account verification" on bank accounts that I closed over 10 years ago.

The bottom line is as everyone else has pointed out, don't assume that the mail message is legit. If you have doubts CALL your institution to check. This way YOU choose the method of contact and not have it spoon fed (with poison).

Enrique

The phishers have even taken on bank accounts, book clubs, and others. I've even received "account verification" on bank accounts that I closed over 10 years ago.

In the last 4 or 5 months I've had "account verification" emails from probably half a dozen "banks" that I have never done business with. Phishing :stupid:

In the last 4 or 5 months I've had "account verification" emails from probably half a dozen "banks" that I have never done business with. Phishing :stupid:

Yeah fishing. (why the "ph" i wonder). Be a hard to catch fish. Send them some random, fake numbers, and let them waste their time trying to log in.

The fake site seems to have been taken down already

Is the BIG RED TEXT necessary? Its easier to read the message when it all fits on the screen at one time.

It all fits on my screen just fine. Funny, I think you are the guy who had so many graphics in hs signature line (a few months ago) that it expanded any page you posted on in the same manner you're complaining about.

Besides, you'd be suprised at the number of people who don't read posts carefully. Some need a BFH just to wake them up.

I reported the site to eBay (others probably did as well)

BTW, eBay has a toolbar you can download for free. The newest version has an "Account Guard" feature that tells you when you are on an "official" eBay or PayPal website. I would still look at the URL address window on my browser to confirm a secure server and the correct URL. I wouldn't trust it 100%, but it couldn't hurt.