Google's Gmail webmail service will use DomainKeys and DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) email authentication technology to help it prevent the delivery of fraudulent eBay and PayPal messages into Gmail users' inboxes. DomainKeys technology adds another layer to spam and phishing protections by allowing Internet service providers to determine if messages are real. The companies say the collaboration between eBay, PayPal and Gmail will lower consumers' risk of being victimized by phishing attacks through the reduction of fraudulent email consumers receive.
PayPal's Chief Information Security Officer for PayPal Michael Barrett blogged about the announcement on Tuesday, writing, "Today, we announced that Google's Gmail service has agreed to automatically detect and block PayPal and eBay phishing e-mails from reaching your Gmail inbox. We're very excited that Google has taken this step and is working with us to help protect your online safety. From now on, if you have a Gmail e-mail address, you will see a dramatic reduction in the amount of e-mails which purport to come from PayPal and eBay, but which aren't in fact from us."
eBay and PayPal announced a similar collaboration with Yahoo's mail service last year.