What the pinned 'Phishing' post says ... and doesn't say
Summary: gurlcat expresses confusion and frustration over a recent platform announcement about the disabling of direct messaging due to phishing concerns. They compare this to temporary closures and note a lack of clarity about when or if messaging will resume. Participants share insights and historical context, noting a decline in active communication between platform staff and users compared to earlier practices. Suggestions are made for simple solutions to prevent phishing, such as alert banners or safe lists, while others debate the platform's responsibility to protect users from phishing threats. Concerns about the effectiveness of the new system and the length of time without direct messaging are also discussed.
Did anybody carefully read that pinned post from the 'Team'? I didn't, until just now. When I previously skimmed it, I took it as the equivalent of: (due to someone pooping in the water) "The pool is temporarily closed" -meaning while it gets cleaned -and there would typically be a reopening day/time shown.
But upon re-reading, there is no mention of anything being done to cleanse Direct Messaging of phishers, never mind a reopening date. It just says phishing is why the DM's are temporarily disabled. So is it more like (due to high bacteria load) "The beach is temporarily closed" -meaning until it cleans itself -and who knows how long that could take???
Then there's a list of tips to avoid being phished. That basically sounds like 'Swim at your own risk' -and here's how to avoid the risk. Well that sounds PERFECT to me! So can we have the gate unlocked now, please?
BTW does anyone know/remember how this was prevented in the khoros forums? Or were there phishing messages and I just somehow never got any?
stainlessenginecovers
路1 month ago@gurlcat so WHAT is the entire POINT of your thread??
They found an issue.
MANY complained about the issue.
They 'fixed' it so that cannot keep happening.
Maybe it's forever- as what POSSIBLE system could they implement to stop someone from continuing to DM people with BS???
gurlcat
OP1 month agoWe don't need them to stop someone from it. We are adults who don't need protecting like children. Anyone who doesn't know a phishing email by now maybe needs to get ripped off so they never forget how to avoid it.
dhbookds
路1 month ago 路 EditedI disagree..............a site has responsibilities to protect the members........Plus once a site becomes known for phishing vulnerabilities, it's going to be a bad advertisement......even tho we know Bevy is "outside" Ebay, others won't. To my simple mind......either killing links in messages or doing away with the messaging system completely are 2 methods that might work. Messaging thru ebay would presumably still work. Links could be accomplished by written instructions perhaps.
gurlcat
OP1 month agoAnything would be fine with me, but not messaging through eBay. That needs to be where I know that notifications are from buyers, not Community members asking for the name of a bad buyer to add to their BBL, or whatever chit-chat. I enjoy DM'ing with members here a lot, but these are two separate places that should stay separate. No business/pleasure blurry line.
12345jamesstamps
路1 month ago'DM' means 'direct messaging' I think...a little dumb here so bear with me.
So anyone can actually go into someone's listings here when posting here about something and click into their store and then message them.
As for 'Ask a Mentor'...even if those postings are 'locked' except for the person responding or asking a question anyone again can respond in the person asking a question by going into their 'view listings' snd respond to that person or even the mentor.
Anyone can send a message to anyone so I am not sure why 'locked' 'Asked a Mentor' is locked as well as I can send a message directly to someone.
And it seems pretty easy to make a message look official...
Am I not getting the clear picture?
gurlcat
OP1 month agoNo apparently you're not, because this has nothing to do with Ask A Mentor
mam98031
路1 month agoIt is not unusual for Ebay to release a statement that leaves important info out or could be worded better. By now us seasoned members should be very use to this.
Now I have no experience in what it takes to resolve such a matter as this, however with the length of time DMs have been down, clearly it isn't an easy fix. And they are looking for a fix even if some feel they are not.
I too am concerned about how long this is taking and hopefully we see some positive movement on this early next week.
ten_o_nine
路1 month ago@mam98031 Now I have no experience in what it takes to resolve such a matter as this, however with the length of time DMs have been down, clearly it isn't an easy fix. And they are looking for a fix even if some feel they are not.
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mam98031
路1 month agoPlus it is a Holiday weekend. So staffing may be low.
onlinecentral
路1 month agoI never received phishing messages within Khoros.
The Khoros discussion boards were rebooted to the factory default settings years ago. There was a pinned discussion on the Report Technical Issues discussion board for a couple of months.
1) Members could report or ask about features. Suggest new ones.
2) An eBay staff member updated a list of progress as features were reintroduced or new features were added.
Perhaps you could persuade eBay to run an equivalent, present day discussion.
There have been some improvements over the past 75 days.
1) Member to member messaging was added, disabled and will be reintroduced.
2) The discussion titles are bold or regular font indicating whether you have ever read the OP. Plus UNREAD and Unread Replies in blue.
gurlcat
OP1 month agoI agree, and I've noticed each improvement and usually commented on it.
But losing DM's, man ...... that feels like an enormous step back. It was #1 on my wish list, so I was really happy when we got it. And it doesn't seem fair(?) that it's gone again just because of phishers.
I don't know anything about programming but couldn't messages from any "new" contact (new as in someone who hasn't written to you before) just come with a red banner across the top that says eBay will never ask for account information in Community messages, so don't reply to messages asking for that?
roccotacodad54
路1 month ago"a red banner across the top that says eBay will never ask for account information in Community messages"
Yea that would be easy. They are probably running it past a bevy of lawyers and public policy makers etc. instead of just doing the obvious.
Unfortunately the fear of liability real or imagined seems to stick it's nose into more and more common sense decisions as time goes by.................................
puremichigand
路1 month agoI鈥檒l go out on a limb and say that you have never worked for a fortune 500 company
gurlcat
OP1 month agoI didn't think he said he did. Why do you bring that up?
puremichigand
路1 month agoI should have been clearer. From the post, clear that he has never been in a corporate function/role in a Fortune 500 company.
Why would I make that assumption? Big companies don't have "a bevy of lawyers" waiting to work on things. Sure, maybe an all-hands situation (product recall, significant executive controversy) would get a large team working on something.
This case - no way. Even if eBay is working on something which needs legal review, it is just sitting in someone's inbox. Large companies - with some exceptions, of course - just don't have a huge army of lawyers twiddling their thumbs waiting for a minor issue like this one to come along.
adamcartwright
路1 month agoA banner from new senders would work.
Only a few minutes of coding required.
OR -- We could each have a safe list from which we will accept DMs. If someone says, "Hey can I DM you about this issue?" You could add them to your safe list.
Both seem like easy fixes for this problem.
gurlcat
OP1 month agoYup that second one is what they do on Facebook.
adamcartwright
路1 month agoOh really? I'm not even on Facebook.
Well if it works for them, maybe a great idea for here.
gurlcat
OP1 month agoYes unless there's something about it that makes it expensive to run. Facebook has Facebook money, but these folks .....
dhbookds
路1 month agoyep..........Back then there was a genuine communication (back and forth) to work together between ebay employees and posters...to improve the boards. Now.........nothing.....except a pinned thread after enough people posted about the problem......and changes that we have to figure out to work. I like the unread/replies in blue.....compared to the nothing before, but that still has problems..........
ten_o_nine
路1 month agoI really didn't read it and find it annoying for someone to tell me that. I am not stupid.
But read it after I saw your post and still find it annoying, how can an upgrade lack the security filters that existed in the old system "Khoros".
Welcome Bevy!.
gurlcat
OP1 month agoI keep trying to think of how to word this reply because I don't want to step on any toes, but .... did you actually expect an upgrade? I know how cynical that sounds, but I honestly didn't know what to expect -could be better, worse, about the same, no way to know until it launched! But the 'hype' terminology eBay used, like "fresh modern look" and "simplified navigation" ..... it did sound kinda lipstick-on-a-pig-ish to me. Like you know how any product company with different tiers will describe even their lowest-tiered model positively? And words like "modern, simplified and streamlined" are nice way of saying basic, bare-bones and ....well ..... cheap.
These forum companies do have different prices, and considering how publicly-traded corporations like eBay are under constant pressure to always be growing, always increasing profit ... it wouldn't make sense for them to upgrade their spending on something that doesn't provide any direct increase in profits.
I think we DO save them some money just by helping each other, especially newbies, and each solved problem is one less phone call to the paid phone reps. So they probably find a Community "worth hosting" but why offer us The Ritz if we'll come to a Super 8? 馃槅
OMG I'm gonna get the boot for that. I actually kinda like you Bevy, honestly! I said so from the start -go back and look!
chapeau-noir
路1 month agoMore like a cardboard box under a bridge. This forum is #1 in worst designed forums I've ever used...but I never believed the hyperbolic marketspeak to begin with. I figured we'd just get stuck with the lowest bid option.
gurlcat
OP1 month ago 路 EditedNow I'm gonna have "Livin' In A Cardboard Box' going through my head for days. 馃ぃ馃槅馃槀
chapeau-noir
路1 month agoGiven that line is like 75% of the lyrics in the song, probably lol.
chapeau-noir
路1 month agoThe above post was approved by the UberBot - nice bot!
grann-4629
路1 month agoWhen I participated in writing the 1995 National Fire Code of Canada, I tried to get an official definition of the word 'temporary' as used often in the Code. Needless to say, I was unsuccessful as there is no definition of the word when it applies to a length of time ... created lots of issues with Fire Prevention Officers and building owners.
gurlcat
OP1 month ago馃槵 Yikes, that's pretty bad. You would think something like fire safety would warrant clarity. Especially considering other governmental "temporaries" have defined limits, like license plates, travel visas, restraining orders, etc.