can I trust eBay with my SSN

[gildag]

recently I received a message offering me 15.00 dollars ebay credit to switch to managed payments before december 1st. why would they offer me 15.00 to do something that is mandatory? 

I remember in 2014 when eBay was hacked and over 140million users data was compromised.

Last year Devin Wenig and Steve Wymer seemed to lead a campaign to harass and ultimately try to destroy the lives of a couple who run a site critical of eBay. (a version of the story was published in the NYtimes September 26, 2020 - Inside eBay's Cockroach Cult - The Ghastly Story of A Stalking Scandal by David Streitfield)

I cannot find any statement issued from eBay that addresses either of these glaring issues as they make the move to require Managed Payments. Does such a statement exist? If so, where is it published?

I am reluctant to switch over to MP in order to continue selling on eBay because not only do I not trust the security of eBay, but I really don't want to support the toxic culture that engendered a stalking scandal in which 6 eBay employees were convicted June of this year.  Is this being atoned for and mended under the management of Jamie Iannone, former eBay VP?   who is going to hold this company accountable if not the buyers and sellers who have already been transacting for years? Especially now that eBay customer service seems to have become automated or non-existent...  forgive me if I sound cynical, but I really don't think eBay cares about anything but its stock.

thanks to anyone taking the time to read this, I do appreciate any insight into the matter .

[corvettestainless]

As typical; many miss-informed and now 'fictional rumors' continue. Those 2 ebay officers had NOTHING to do with the harassment. That was 4 people who 'worked' here- acting on their own. 

Second; everyone has your SS#- it's really no secret. Every doctor, hospital, insurance, bank, employers etc; heck- even the credit reporting agencies whom you did not give free reign to have both your name and SS# together...but they do.

And they are all on servers (the internet) and many were already hacked. Blue Shield, Experian just to name a couple. 

So, if selling here is important to you going forward, you will relinquish that information. 

[fab_finds4u]

Eventually everyone will be in Managed Payments in order to sell.

IRS requires eBay to report over $20000 in a single year and 200 transactions. They need your SSN or tax ID # in order to comply. PayPal had it  and now that eBay is managing your money they want it.

[gildag]

from the Department of Justice U.S. Attorney's Office District of Massachusetts :

' the following defendants were charged in an Information unsealed today (June 15, 2020): Stephanie Popp, 32, of San Jose, eBay’s former Senior Manager of Global Intelligence; Stephanie Stockwell, 26, of Redwood City, Calif., the former manager of eBay’s Global Intelligence Center (GIC); Veronica Zea, 26, of San Jose, a former eBay contractor who worked as an intelligence analyst in the GIC; and Brian Gilbert, 51, of San Jose, a former Senior Manager of Special Operations for eBay’s Global Security Team. They are each charged with  conspiracy to commit cyberstalking and conspiracy to tamper with witnesses and will make appearances in federal court in Boston at a later date.  '

I never said that Devin Wenig and Steve Wymer were solely responsible or even charged, but they were implicated. And even if they weren't involved at all, having SIX employees charged with aggressive cyberstalking is not nothing.

so... Corvettestainless: you have my SSN? if everyone has it surely you must as well, I'm going to keep my eye on you . Misinformation? I'm surprised you didn't cry fake news.

Let me ask the same question again because clearly I understand the managed payments program and it's consequences. what I am asking is this - 

has eBay issued any statements to try and atone for the misbehavior of its former employees under the former CEO?

& where is a comprehensive list of protocols eBay instated to assure us that our private information is safe and secure on their servers under this Managed Payments program? (PayPal has an entire portal devoted to the measures they take to guarantee security yet eBay just has a 'Security Center' which is more of a How To page.)

again, I really appreciate any considerate responses, especially ones with actual sources. I'm genuinely curious as to how eBay handles this transition. Transparency is important, & in light of these recent charges and changes, I'm sure I'm not the only one hesitant to continue using this platform to sell .. especially when there are so many other viable marketplaces.

[whatmorefabric]

SS numbers are not just left out willy nilly on servers.     It is pretty hard to get to SS numbers on a secure site.

Disclaimer...both my husband and son do software cyber security.

The number one source of stolen SS is from the owner of the number who does not take care on who they give them to,  like clicking on a link or some Nigerian scammer.

[gildag]

Six former employees of eBay, Inc. have been charged with leading a cyberstalking campaign targeting the editor and publisher of a newsletter that eBay executives viewed as critical of the company. The alleged harassment included sending the couple anonymous, threatening messages, disturbing deliveries – including a box of live cockroaches, a funeral wreath and a bloody pig mask – and conducting covert surveillance of the victims. 

James Baugh, 45, of San Jose, Calif., eBay’s former Senior Director of Safety & Security, was arrested today and charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to commit cyberstalking and conspiracy to tamper with witnesses.

David Harville, 48, of New York City, eBay’s former Director of Global Resiliency, was arrested this morning in New York City on the same charges and will make an initial appearance via videoconference in U.S. District Court in the Southern District of New York.

In addition the following defendants were charged in an Information unsealed today: Stephanie Popp, 32, of San Jose, eBay’s former Senior Manager of Global Intelligence; Stephanie Stockwell, 26, of Redwood City, Calif., the former manager of eBay’s Global Intelligence Center (GIC); Veronica Zea, 26, of San Jose, a former eBay contractor who worked as an intelligence analyst in the GIC; and Brian Gilbert, 51, of San Jose, a former Senior Manager of Special Operations for eBay’s Global Security Team. They are each charged with  conspiracy to commit cyberstalking and conspiracy to tamper with witnesses and will make appearances in federal court in Boston at a later date. 

[gildag · Accepted solution]

so i did some more research and found some of the actual answers i was looking for here:

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/member-behaviour-policies/user-privacy-notice-privacy-policy?id=4...

still looking for a statement from eBay regarding this federal harassment case

[donsdetour]

The US government gave you the number:

Do you trust them????/

[shipscript]

@gildag 

Is this what you are looking for?

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Announcements/A-message-from-Jordan-Jordan-Sweetnam-SVP-GM-North-Ameri...

Those culpable were terminated a year ago.

eBay had been under a gag order by the FBI during the investigation, but  immediately posted an announcement when released from that stipulation after the perpetrators were brought down. 

[mtgraves7984]

can I trust eBay with my SSN

@gildag 

You did PayPal. No shenanigans expected now, either. 

[moparfan2010]

You are correct...your whole life you hear how important it is to protect and keep secure your ss #.  Now to feed the greed we risk a compromise...I think not...tread very carefully here...I certainly am!!!

Good Luck!!

[gildag]

Thanks. I read this and it seems like less of an apology or an atonement and more of a deflection. 

[gildag]

and when I started using Paypal I went through a similar research process - eBay & PayPal are definitively not the same thing. 

Don't let your guard down, shenanigans happen when you least expect them. Especially on a site like eBay

[gildag]

interesting rhetoric. please don't bring US politics into this

[gildag]

as someone who has gone through the process of recovering my stolen personal information (at great cost, with little justice) I do really appreciate the work your family does in cyber security. 

& it is absolutely true that user error or misjudgment is the leading cause of identity theft, which is why I am taking as much time as I need to determine whether it is worth divulging this pertinent information to eBay.