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Weird Buyer Message
I got a weird message as follows - it does not show up in my messages, but under an item for sale on my selling page - is it a hack attempt or what is it:
Messages from buyers
Account Verification Alert #7421 Our automated system has flagged your account for a mandatory security review. This is a routine procedure to ensure compliance with our updated platform policies. Completion is required to maintain full account functionality. Proceed as follows: For verification purposes, a unique secure gateway has been generated for this session: 🔗 Use this verification link: [link not pasted](Please paste the link directly into your browser's address bar) Timeline & Consequences: You have 24 hours to complete this verification from the time of this notification. Failure to comply will result in the temporary suspension of all transactional privileges (buying, selling, withdrawals) until the review is finalized. Marketplace integrity is a shared responsibility. Please act promptly. Ebay Security Team
Sent by support8-6466 Jan 10 at 5:50PM PST
4 comments
gosimus
Mentor9 months ago@ra506528
< Use this verification link: [link not pasted] >
They call it a phishing attack. That link would have directed you to a site that instructed you to enter your account number and password "to confirm your identity" or something like that. Maybe your name, social security number, and hat size, too. Sometimes, merely clicking the link automatically loads malware onto your device. Never click a link you don't know for a fact is legitimate.
ra506528
OP9 months agoThank you. It was as I suspected but I'm new to selling and was surprised to see a message like it, as I would have expected Ebay's systems to catch and block it. Good to know. Thanks again.
eburtonlab
Mentor9 months agoI would have expected Ebay's systems to catch and block it.
Scammers go to great lengths to avoid getting messages blocked, which is why you often see scam messages with very odd things like punctuation between words instead of spaces, or nonstandard letters with extraneous accents -- to make common scam phrases much harder to detect by character matching -- and why instead of a direct link (which would be detected and blocked), you are asked to copy and paste an obscured link into your browser address bar where your browser will translate it into something else.
eburtonlab
Mentor9 months agoYes, that is a scam. eBay would never ask you to paste a link into your browser address bar.