WATCH OUT: AI at eBay is locking people out by changing passwords with no recourse to reset them

[stevemartin60]

I logged into my account at a library 8 days ago, and that same day received an email saying they had deleted my very complex password because of  a potential "security breach."

Of course, there was no security breach, and AI over-reacted, but the worse thing is that I was locked out of my account until last night.  I spent 4.5 hours over several days, spoke to 17 different eBay employees--some over the phone and some over the chat function.  No one could tell me the new password, or get an reset email through, although the chat transcripts, and "how did we do?" emails came through just fine.

None of the normal reset options worked.  None of the links completed, and no one was able to help me until last night when I FINALLY got a guy willing to do something about it.  The link in their original email telling me what they did was  a dead link too.

JUST A WARNING.

Apparently, signing into your account from a new location is now a big "no no."

[ebooksdiva]

Thanks for the heads up. 

But with eBays 2 step verification that shouldn’t happen unless you didn’t set that up. 
You can also set up secret questions to recover your account if that should happen again. 
You can find where to do that in your account settings. 

[stevemartin60]

Thanks. I could not get into ANYTHING (even these message boards) to use secret questions, or anything else.  That is what was so frustrating.

NONE of the links for resetting worked, and none of the methods 16 eBay employees knew about worked.

The 17th, a supervisor, did something no one else would try, or I would still be locked out

[coolections]

Sorry you did not know this but NEVER  log into EBAY from a source that is community shared. A library is one of the worse place to do that. 

[stuff4divas]

@stevemartin60   as frustrating as it may be, i think it's a good thing for ebay to lock someone out if they log into the account from public internet connections, hot spots, etc

at least u now know not to use those types of connections to log in

thanx for letting us know 😁

[toomuchstuffagain35]

Really? When ebay has done nothing but PUSH people to "upgrade to the app" and basically use whatever wifi is available for years?

[stuff4divas]

@toomuchstuffagain35   YES, i'd rather be locked out than hacked, it's a much scarier world with AI

Speaking for myself, should have indicated that b4

[coolections]

Just so you know, no one has to upgrade and use the app, and no one has to use public wifi.

[southern*sweet*tea]

I'm a hacker.

I have my scanning tools searching open networks for potentially profitable user ID and password information.

I snag someone's Ebay account login.  I now have access to that person's account.  PAYDAY!!   I steal your info and you won't even know it until all sorts of bad things happen.

That's why the account was locked - the login from a public IP was suspicious.

This is why you don't log in to anything on public wifi and why you  enable 2FA on everything.  Soooo many people blame "the site" for being hacked, when in reality 99% of the time it's their own carelessness.

Not sure why you would have so many issues re-enabling your account though.  That had to have sucked big time. 😫

[maxine*j]

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@coolections wrote:

Just so you know, no one has to upgrade and use the app, and no one has to use public wifi.

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I don't even use WiFi at home for anything important or sensitive.  For that, including eBay business, I still use a desktop, with a Linux OS, and a wired ethernet connection.   Despite passwords and encryption, I still feel like I'm broadcasting when I use WiFi.

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[stuff4divas]

@maxine*j  wrote: I don't even use WiFi at home for anything important or sensitive. For that, including eBay business, I still use a desktop, with a Linux OS, and a wired ethernet connection. Despite passwords and encryption, I still feel like I'm broadcasting when I use WiFi.

@maxine*j   I'm with u on that! I'm hardwired from my desktop MAC and never use my phone for eBay stuff or any other sensitive accounts

[stevemartin60]

Thanks for all the helpful commentary, peeps!

[slippinjimmy]

Were you using your own device on the library wi-fi or were you using a library device?

It makes a difference.

[stevemartin60]

Their device.  Still, the point is not that they are overreacting, but that THEY ARE NOT LETTING YOU BACK IN.

[slippinjimmy]

A new device on a public wi-fi, yeah that will do it.