Watch out for eBay scammers this Christmas

Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Monday, 11 December 2006 10:32

Your IT - Home IT

Looks like some eBay merchants with excellent ‘Power Seller’ ratings are either deciding to go out of business in spectacular fashion, or are having their accounts hacked. Either way, you need to be careful.

With all of the benefits that ecommerce and online auctions bring to the world, there are problems to watch out for too, both for buyers and sellers.

Having a ‘Power Seller’ rating with an excellent 95%+ score are usually good signs that you’re a seller of products on eBay with integrity, and that you’ll be effectively assured of a good experience.

But a story on Digg talks of an Ebay seller that has ruined Christmas for some with the story linking to a disturbing page on eBay.

No-one seems to be sure whether or not this particular seller decided to sell out and rip everyone off, or if the account was hacked by a scammer.

The old rule of Caveat Emptor (buyer beware) applies. Even if someone with a stunningly good rating is offering something at an amazing discount, you need to be careful. eBay account have been hacked before, and they’ll be hacked again in the future. Phishers with their phishing attacks are but one way the hackers are trying to get into all of our lives - buyers and sellers.

I’m not saying not to use eBay – it’s a fantastic service that has helped millions buy and sell products all over the globe. But at especially in the holiday season, you need to be doubly careful that you don’t end up the victim of a Grinch that tries to steal your Christmas!