**IMPORTANT** Be Aware of Webinterpret Promo via eBay Message - September 2018 **IMPORTANT**

[callahanmagic]

Thanks to 2 threads started early May, 2018 regarding this 3rd Party App:  

1) https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Beware-of-Webinterpret-s-scam-that-ebay-is-allowing/m-p/284516...

by bigdeals.etc may 4th, 2018

2) https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Webinterpret-almost-Scam/m-p/28934269#M1280566

by studiorginal on May 6, 2018

Many of us were able to have a headsup on the ?workings? of this application. 

I thought with the 2 threads + the amount of discussions, including the fact the Blues were called to weigh in on this 3rd party application - that the 'fiasco' would be over. 

However, much to my surprise - the following "Promo" was found in our eBay inbox. (Photos attached for reference).

I quickly went to the Site Preference and true enough: Under Third Party Authorizations:

the Webinterprets tokens were there.  I've since REVOKED those tokens.

This morning, I've rechecked the site preference - No Webinterprets tokens were found. 

To those who have yet to encounter this Webinterpret - Please catch up on those 2 threads to self-educate

yourself about this 3rd party app.

-

Lucas

*still rollin' with the punches*

Webinterpret Promo via eBay MessageWebinterpret Promo via eBay message

[theclothingvault]

@bassileid5   We just found out about this happening on our account, and yesterday I ended nearly 1000 duplicate listings and removed the tokens, I'm hoping that will do and we won't be surprised in the future again by an unauthorized account access. 

This needs to be addressed immediately, as our listings were duplicated WITH PRIVATE INFORMATION exposed to the world!  Why and how does this company have access to business information that is set to only to be revealed to buyers after they make a purchase? And why are you allowing them to publish it? 

It makes me wonder what else you gave them access to in my account.  Did they have access to our business tax number or social security number as well?

Shocked and stunned is honestly my reaction, as you mentioned on this thread you are aware of the auto opt-in feature when clicking the Sign Up button. Nowhere does it state just clicking that button will auto-enroll.  What about a pop up warning that states we are authorizing this company access to our account, acknowledge yes or no?  Or a notification in writing directly under or above the button?  Sign Up with an arrow suggests we'll be taken to the site to learn even more, not be auto- enrolled!  

Even now you can access the ended listings with all our contact information available for anyone to see.  This is a SERIOUS violation of privacy.  

Why on earth would you engage with a known bad actor scammer again after what happened earlier this year??? 

I am beyond upset.

[gracieallen01]

alan@ebay

Hello Alan,

Bassileid5 certainly seems to show sympathy and empathy for the seller and how much ebay wishes for the sellers to grow their business, but there doesn't seem to be much indication of helping some of the sellers with the ongoing problem(s).  Perhaps it is that it is the weekend, so little can be accomplished.  However, I think it would be appreciated, especially by some of the sellers having the problems, if something positive - as to a remedy or fix - could be mentioned.

Just a thought.

[paulhua3]

General reply to this thread:

I opted in in May and made a lot of international sales as a result.  And again now.

Last two days, about $100 in international sales (Euros, GBP, AUD, easily convertible to USD).  Looks like it will be better this time.  Attached is a little detail from my collectibles store all selling page, for those who fail to understand posting IDs.

[myjunqueyourtreasure]

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@theclothingvault wrote:

@bassileid5   We just found out about this happening on our account, and yesterday I ended nearly 1000 duplicate listings and removed the tokens, I'm hoping that will do and we won't be surprised in the future again by an unauthorized account access. 

This needs to be addressed immediately, as our listings were duplicated WITH PRIVATE INFORMATION exposed to the world!  Why and how does this company have access to business information that is set to only to be revealed to buyers after they make a purchase? And why are you allowing them to publish it? 

It makes me wonder what else you gave them access to in my account.  Did they have access to our business tax number or social security number as well?

Shocked and stunned is honestly my reaction, as you mentioned on this thread you are aware of the auto opt-in feature when clicking the Sign Up button. Nowhere does it state just clicking that button will auto-enroll.  What about a pop up warning that states we are authorizing this company access to our account, acknowledge yes or no?  Or a notification in writing directly under or above the button?  Sign Up with an arrow suggests we'll be taken to the site to learn even more, not be auto- enrolled!  

Even now you can access the ended listings with all our contact information available for anyone to see.  This is a SERIOUS violation of privacy.  

Why on earth would you engage with a known bad actor scammer again after what happened earlier this year??? 

I am beyond upset.

---

Presumably this happened because certain overseas sites have to show seller contact info due to govt regulations in those countries.

[myjunqueyourtreasure]

---

@gracieallen01 wrote:

alan@ebay

Hello Alan,

Bassileid5 certainly seems to show sympathy and empathy for the seller and how much ebay wishes for the sellers to grow their business, but there doesn't seem to be much indication of helping some of the sellers with the ongoing problem(s).  Perhaps it is that it is the weekend, so little can be accomplished.  However, I think it would be appreciated, especially by some of the sellers having the problems, if something positive - as to a remedy or fix - could be mentioned.

Just a thought.

---

One would also hope that any sellers suspended due to supposed "duplicates" because of this webinterpret fiasco would be reinstated immediately.

[gracieallen01]

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@myjunqueyourtreasure wrote:

---

Presumably this happened because certain overseas sites have to show seller contact info due to govt regulations in those countries.

---

It is true that some of the countries may have rules and regs about posting certain information.

However, IF this is the case, since Webinterpret is garnering listings and information from individuals that don't normally have to post such information, it would be nice if SOMEONE were to let the sellers know of said rules and regs.

Sort of like insult to injury; auto opt-in - without consent - AND information devulged without knowing that it is mandatory (and without consent). 

Outstanding!

[theclothingvault]

Would you mind sharing your listing ID that you're selling with? paulhua3 shows no listings. Just curious, also because this appears to be the only posting you've ever made on the boards. (sorry if I seem suspicious here).

Regarding international sales, we do just fine selling internationally right now as it is across multiple channels. Buyers from around the world find our items because of our rich descriptions and content.

Most browsers already translate any webpage into the native language of the viewer, so I'm hard-pressed to see the need for webinterpret.

[theclothingvault]

@paulhua3  Sorry I do see you've made more postings on the boards, must have been a slow search that initially showed no results, but now it is.  

At any rate, just to re-iterate I'd like to know just how much of my personal information webinterpret has access to? 

When I want to authorize a 3rd party app such as crazy lister or similar there is a very specific agreement token authorization page shown, telling me what the app will have access to and a button saying "I Agree" or "Authorize". 

This is the path I, and many others, expect when we go through the process of authorizing a company access to our account, and was not there because ebay allowed an auto opt-in for this particular company.  

Since webinterpret has access to my personal information and not just my listings, this is a very serious issue for me, and should be for everyone else. 

[imapaqrat]

Just as an FYI: In May when this 1st fiasco happened, I did sell one $100 dollar Nike post off of one of the other eBay sites.   That was when I found out that I had to change my PayPal account to accept payments in other currencies.  After talking with PayPal it turns out that by doing that I would be responsible for paying the currency exchange fee.

That was not, and still is not, disclosed by WebInterPret; "There are extra fees associated with sales when sold on other eBay sites." should be the 1st bullet in their promotional material.

I cancelled the purchase because I wasn't willing to mess with my PayPal setting.  I've sold 1,000s of item to international customers over the years and never paid a currency exchange fee.

[bigdeals.etc]

Does anyone here or anyone affected have ways to alert the television news media about this ebay/webinterpret situation? I've read about this issue in online news articles, but haven't noticed anything in the television media. Of course I'm sure everyone here will agree that this is very news worthy.

In the past year I've noticed turmoil within eBay's largest competitor. Obviously that news hit the television stations. And when that news hit the general population, giving them bad publicity, that competitor almost immediately took steps to address those issues. I wonder if eBay would react the same way.

Just a thought as so far nothing has prompted ebay to correctly evaluate/acknowledge what webinterpret is doing ano what their intentions are.

[imapaqrat]

When it 1st happened I reached out the 2 local news companies that had reporters that specifically looked into leads sent in by views . . . . it was a black hole. Not a peep back from either of them.

Personally, I think the topic would be hard to cover in a 2 or 3 minute news blurb. I think it would go over the heads of 99% of the population.

I was amazed that when eBay had a glitch in June and accidentally deleted photos from hundreds of thousands of listing, which cost seller 1,000s of man hours to correct; eBay wasn't held accountable and once again the issue never say the light of day outside of the eBay forums. Personally spent most of the Summer donating my time fixing my listing due to that eBay Blunder. It was like be asked to work 2 months worth of overtime, without pay.

That is just my opinion.

[theclothingvault]

@imapaqrat Thanks to a constant stream of Ebay glitches years ago we started creating and managing listings off ebay and haven't looked back. 

Everything can be done remotely, from creating new listings (done in under a minute with a full and complete description all filled out), duplicating and templating, re-listing, updating, photo storage, etc and also post those same listings on other channels.  

Makes life soooo much easier. 

[theclothingvault]

Has anyone heard back from ebay on this?  

Been over a week since my last message and nothing, despite promises from ebay to contact all those affected.

And I'm getting regular annoying emails from webinterpret with fake links to unsubscribe, get help, or contact them.  The links all point to the same address, so I'm assuming clicking on any of them would just re-authorize their spammy app.  

[castlemagicmemories]

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@theclothingvault wrote:

Has anyone heard back from ebay on this?  

Been over a week since my last message and nothing, despite promises from ebay to contact all those affected.

And I'm getting regular annoying emails from webinterpret with fake links to unsubscribe, get help, or contact them.  The links all point to the same address, so I'm assuming clicking on any of them would just re-authorize their spammy app.  

---

@bassileid5

Hi, sorry for the page, but could you help this poster with his Webinterpret issues?  Thank you very much!

[gracieallen01]

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@theclothingvault wrote:

Has anyone heard back from ebay on this?  

Been over a week since my last message and nothing, despite promises from ebay to contact all those affected.

And I'm getting regular annoying emails from webinterpret with fake links to unsubscribe, get help, or contact them.  The links all point to the same address, so I'm assuming clicking on any of them would just re-authorize their spammy app.  

---

It does seem that it is somewhat difficult to get any newer or additional information on the topic of Webinterpret.

I would suggest preparing your question(s) for the Weekly Chat on Wednesday at 1300 (1:00pm PDT).  You should be able to find it under:  ebay Community > Discussions > Inside ebay > Weekly Chat with ebay Staff.

You will (probably) get a response, but don't be surprised is you find  the answer(s) (possibly) somewhat lacking.