Major privacy and security issue with eBay

[sodium419]

Here's how eBay could be used right now for criminals to find homes with known expensive items and break in and steal those items.

Starting many years ago, eBay started showing the title of all items you sold on your feedback page.  The feedback is very useful for buyers, but showing the items sold is a huge privacy and security concern, which I'll explain how it can be used against you.

Let's say you're fairly well off and collect expensive jewelry.  You like to buy new jewelry and sell jewelry on eBay you no longer wear.  Sounds harmless.  But the problem is a criminal can use this information against you.

A criminal lists a bunch of items for sale on eBay at cost.  You (and many others) buy something from him.  He now has your address.  He then creates a list of addresses and uses your selling history to compile a list of homes and probable items that could be in each home.  You filter to the top of his list as you're only 60 miles away, it shows you've been selling expensive jewelry for years, and you happen to have an $15,000 piece being sold right now (so he knows it's in your possession).   He scopes out your home and breaks in, stealing not only the $15,000 piece that was for sale, but the rest of your collection.  This can be made far worse if there's a criminal network setup across the country doing this, as it maximizes the chances of finding someone local and easier to target.

I know you can hide ALL your feedback, which also includes hiding items sold.  But you really need to be showing feedback if you're selling something (it may even be required).  What I suggest is eBay add a new feature to hide all items sold but still show feedback.  I've had an eBay account for 24 years and have 100% positive feedback.  I never want to hide my feedback.  But hiding the items I've sold is a huge security and privacy concern of mine.  As shown above, this could easily be used to target eBay members.  And a network of criminals could really create a nationwide (or even worldwide) problem.

I currently turn off displaying feedback when I'm not selling something, then turn it back on just for when I have something for sale, then turn it back off.  That only minimizes my chances.  The only current way to totally prevent this is to turn off all feedback forever and only use eBay for buying.  Probably not what eBay wants.

So, eBay, please add a feature to hide items sold.  I see it as a major security and privacy issue.

[1tuna]

One of the last major security measures that ebay took was in response to German privacy laws

back in the day you coud actually bid stalk another interested bidder/buyer

if you knew a good buyer who had impeccable taste and coud find bargains then it was simple to let someone else lead you to the best goods.

15 years ago before user names were scambled you could  see every item your favorite bidder was bidding on

it was a feature of advanced search....it all ended one day in response to privacy laws in Germany

[katzrul15]

---

@downunder-61 wrote:

Just lately I find myself doubting any thread topic and waiting to see other responses first, how sad is that?

I actually second guess my answers at times thinking is this another click bait thread?

---

Yes, mitoo.  Half of them are Sri-Lankan and others, who knows, Punked?  

I post here to learn.  If I wanted a welcome to the dollhouse mental exercise, I don't think e-Bay boards would be high on the list.   

And it makes it hard, because you don't want to ignore a real thread who needs assistance.......

Nutty.

[gracieallen01]

Yeah, in the days of the 'wild west'.  As a seller, one could have some great bidding wars on items they listed, but as a buyer, one could have some expensive days.  Sometimes sniping worked and sometimes it would back-fire.  Really had to watch out for some of those other bidders.

[eleanor*rigby]

---

@katzrul15 wrote:

---

---

Yes, mitoo.  Half of them are Sri-Lankan and others, who knows, Punked?  

---

I don't even mind the Sri Lankan posters--I think they've been duped into thinking board participation helps them in some fashion. All they're trying to do is earn money in a country where the median per-capita income is $720. I am more than willing to scroll past their posts.

It's these people who have a bone to pick with eBay because of GTC or Managed Payments or Dr. Seuss or Item Specifics, or with the discussion-board community because they've received warnings or suspensions, so they start pot-stirring threads with circular arguments, straw man fallacies, and an agenda so transparent it's ridiculous. The ones who start out all innocent and quickly show their true colors. They're the ones I'd like to see eliminated. For goodness' sake, if someone has something to say, just say it, rather than hiding behind a throw-away id* and playing members who might actually try to give constructive answers.

*JTBC, not accusing the OP of posting with a throw-away id.

[sodium419]

I'm sure this could bubble up to eBay, I've also already suggested this directly to eBay.  I figured posting exactly how criminals could use eBay as a method of looking for marks I may force their hand to implement this security feature.  Much like how Microsoft, Apple, and Google are forced to make security patches when people disclose how you can exploit their operating systems.

[sodium419]

Doesn't help if they just wait till you leave, like most home break ins.

[sodium419]

And ignored by eBay when it could be easily resolved with a simple toggle switch.

[sodium419]

Exactly what I'm trying to do, take control of my destiny by clicking the toggle switch that says "hide sales".

[sodium419]

What's "Buying ID"?  PO box isn't a practical solution.  A simple and practical solution is for eBay to just add a simple toggle switch like they do for hiding feedback.

[sodium419]

Correct, as it's an eBay security issue which they should fix.

[sodium419]

It would take an afternoon for one program to patch this security issue.

[nobody*s_perfect]

---

@sodium419 wrote:

First off, eBay doesn't say anything about Private Listings being hidden on the seller's page.  All of the documentation says it hides the bidders and buyers.  Also, setting a listing as private has negative connotations.  And, you can't go back and hide items you've sold many years ago.  Further,while you can hide all items you've sold, you also hide all feedback.  Why not allow showing all feedback, but hiding all items sold for privacy and security reasons?

I'm not suggesting that eBay hides it for everyone, it's just a switch giving some users that control if they want to use it.  Those that want to show what they've sold can leave it as-is.

---

You didn't click on the link that I provided, did you? If you look at this member's feedback received as a seller, it's exactly what you want: The feedback comment shows, but nothing about the listing (title, price, etc.).  This has been available for many years, it's not eBay's fault you didn't find it.

https://www.ebay.com/fdbk/feedback_profile/pumpernickledollclothing4u?lb=1

[sodium419]

There have been zero solutions posted.

[sodium419]

Being a eBay member for 24 years, I remember those days.  It's a simple fix to resolve, just like the one I'm proposing.

[sodium419]

It doesn't hide previous sales from years ago.  Also, the "Private Listing" description doesn't say anything about hiding the sale on the sellers feedback page.  All it talks about is protecting buyer/bidders.  Further, for new sales, a "Private Listing" has negative annotations .

So no, this isn't a solution.  It's a fine suggestion, but only people selling porn or doing something deceptive use private listings.