Subscribe    RSS Feeds    Twitter            Contact Us 
Web Site  
728_header.jpg (23748 bytes)
 Home   EB Blog   AB Blog   Letters   Podcasts   ABTV   Forums   EPIS   PR Service   Classifieds   Ecommerce EKG   Service Ratings   
Service Ratings 
   Auction Sites
   FP Marketplaces
   Inventory Management
   Payment Services
   Storefronts & Carts
   Sniping Services
   Wholesale/Dropshipping
   Email List Hosting
   Consignment Services
   Ecommerce EKG 
   Auction Calendar
   Collectors' Links
   eBay Promo History
   Bookshelf
   Fraud Resources
   Drop-Off Store Laws
   ABTV
   Ecommerce Resources
   Photo Tips
   Marketing Inserts
   Yellow Pages
   Advertising

EcommerceBytes-NewsFlash, Number 718 - March 15, 2004 - ISSN 1539-5065     | Next
eBay: Scammers Obtained Customer Data from PayPal Merchants
By Ina Steiner
EcommerceBytes.com
March 15, 2004




eBay posted a warning on its announcement board Friday warning users that some third parties may have obtained limited information about selected PayPal customers, and is informing those customers affected.

"The information obtained includes first and last name, mailing address, email address, and information about the transaction. No personal financial information was disclosed. PayPal passwords, Social Security numbers, driver's license data, credit card numbers, or bank account numbers are protected because PayPal always encrypts this data and maintains it on secure servers that cannot be accessed by any merchant or third party."

eBay said the third parties that obtained the information may seek to use it to target users with a deceptive email appearing to come from PayPal or online merchants. These hoax emails, also known as phishing, attempt to trick recipients into giving out their financial information. Typically they are mass-mailed, but it's possible that fraudsters with users' personal information could launch a targeted phishing campaign.

Recipients are often unsure whether hoax emails are legitimate or not. If fraudsters could customize the mailings with the recipients' names and mailing address, it's possible even savvy users could succumb to the scam.

PayPal set up a dedicated email address and toll-free phone number for customer questions and concerns at customerservice@paypal.com or 1-866-648-5869. And eBay offers a "Spoof Tutorial" at http://pages.ebay.com/education/spooftutorial

http://www2.ebay.com/aw/marketing.shtml

You may quote up to 50 words of any article on the condition that you attribute the article to EcommerceBytes.com and either link to the original article or to www.EcommerceBytes.com.
All other use is prohibited.

Email Newsletter icon, E-mail Newsletter icon, Email List icon, E-mail List icon Sign up for our Email Newsletters

Email this story to a friend.

| Next

 EcommerceBytes Blog 
 AuctionBytes Blog 
 Letters to the Editor 
Related Stories 
Related Stories
  • Microsoft Issues Critical Security Warning for Windows XP Users - December 22, 2001, Issue #60
  • eBay Rolls Out New Security Feature to Combat Dictionary Attacks - October 09, 2002, Issue #408
  • AuctionStealer Reports Security Breach - May 25, 2003, Issue #543
  • Identity Theft Up Nearly 80 Percent, Gets National Attention - July 22, 2003, Issue #579
  • Amazon.com Files Lawsuit to Combat Email Forgeries - August 27, 2003, Issue #598
  • Hoax Emailers Broaden Attempts to Steal Identities - September 15, 2003, Issue #608
  • eBay to Launch New Sign-In Function for Increased Security - November 18, 2003, Issue #649
  • Scammers Go Phishing on Amazon.com - January 16, 2004, Issue #683
  • Update: PayPal Payment Wizard Raises Phishing Concerns - February 06, 2004, Issue #696
  • Scammers Impersonate UPS in New Twist on eBay 'Fake Escrow' Fraud - February 12, 2004, Issue #699
  • Former PayPal CEO Creates Solution to Hoax-Email Scams - February 25, 2004, Issue #707
  • eBay: Scammers Obtained Customer Data from PayPal Merchants - March 15, 2004, Issue #718
  • eBay Hoax Email Alert: Win a Great Prize - April 06, 2004, Issue #733
  • New Hoax: 'Donate $1 and pay no more eBay fees for 2004' - April 28, 2004, Issue #749
  • eBay's New Security System Takes Effect May 1 - April 29, 2004, Issue #750
  • eBay Users Plagued by Hoax Email 'Phishing' Attacks - July 20, 2004, Issue #809
  • eBay Signs up for Phish Report Network - February 15, 2005, Issue #954
  • Phishers Use New Bait to Trick eBay Users - March 04, 2005, Issue #967
  • Ten-Cent Listing Day on eBay Is a Fraud - July 26, 2005, Issue #1071
  • PayPal Launches Identity-Protection Resources - August 02, 2005, Issue #1076
  • Auction Software FAQ: How can I tell if I'm being phished? - November 06, 2005, Issue #154


  •  

    About Us      Privacy Policy      Link to Us      Partners      Our Writers      Write for Us      Press        Site Index

    Copyright 1999-. Steiner Associates LLC. All rights reserved.